THIS YEAR WE WILL EXPLORE THE POWER OF ONE .....AND
WHAT AND WHO ARE AMERICANS? WHAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT? IS AMERICA GREAT? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What makes Americans or America great? We will explore these questions thoroughly this year. We will look at the entire picture of American History, what makes this country what it is today, what makes it not great. We will look at different points of view, the point told by the winners, and some told by the losers. American History IS NOT just a story and memorizing a few words, facts, dates, or events. It is a study and investigation of why people wanted to come to the New World, the American continent, and what was here to entice them and challenge them. This course is about imagining what life was like, and what it could become because of those who lived before us. It helps students realize why many people have given everything for what they believed was the greatest hope for a future in the world, with the possibility of becoming or making it even greater still.
The course confronts students with such questions 1)What is freedom? 2) When the Declaration of Independence says "all men are created equal", what did Thomas Jefferson mean? And did Jefferson really mean it? 3) What events eventually led to the Civil War? 4) Did the civil war change America? 5) How did individuals change history for all of us? 6)How important is citizen involvement in our world, country, and locality today? 6) When we are history, how will each of us be remembered or will we be remembered at all? How will we as a person, group of people, nation, etc. be remembered? And the questions go on and on and on. That is what will make this year fun and exciting.
Below you will see two clips that are from "Lincoln", the movie by Steven Spielberg. The first clip has quotes from Lincoln highlighting other parts of American History as well as pieces of the film asking the question "What role does each of us play in History?. The second film clip is an official trailer for the movie and between the two clips is the Gettysburg Address ....which begins the second American "Revolution".
GETTYSBURG ADDRESS BACKGROUND-
51,000 Americans lost their lives over a three day period at Gettysburg Pennsylvania in 1863. About one month later, President Lincoln came to help dedicate the first American military cemetery. Dead bodies and horse carcasses still littered parts of the field. The task of burying the dead was overwhelming..
Lincoln came to give this speech to assure the living and pay honor to the dead.... all American dead both North and South and show that even after this tragedy, America would survive, democracy would survive. Lincoln took out his speech and in 2 1/2 minutes, he delivered one of the speech even when newspapermen were still attempting to set up cameras when Lincoln finished. He carefully folded the paper and left the platform. Little did they know what a great man and how this speech would change America and the world.
GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.'
Abraham Lincoln
You may not be Abraham Lincoln or anything like him. You are who you are and you will make difference.
Here is something to think about....What can you do to be successful? How SHOULD YOU work this year? Here is some general advice from one of the richest men in the world. Many first Americans knew what Gates said in this speech; they knew that they may not get a second chance. They knew that effort, and the "never say die" attitude made America unique. America was one of the only places on the face of the earth that a man would be judged on his accomplishments; not what family he was born into.
ASSIGNMENT READING ONE
INTRODUCTION- WHAT IS AMERICAN HISTORY?
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??
Courage. This word, courage, is often heard describing America and Americans. Courage is the ability to do things under pressure, impossible things, usually to make life better. The story of America is one of courage, the story of men and women who traveled great distances and did great things. Many of these men and women were extremely courageous; taking risks, trying new untried methods because they were Americans, the place where one could become great. America is one of the few places on the earth where citizens believe they can make the world better, where they can achieve anything, that they can fix anything....so far. We will read the stories of the men and women who had this belief, the American dream, and how they changed our world.
People are so sure they know the whole story about many things in history, especially American History. Why was the Constitution written? What did the Fathers of America have in mind? Who were the Framers of the Constitution? When did the United States become an actual nation-state? Was it written to limit, define, or establish a government? Here are a few things that the framers did not know about when they wrote the Constitution (from Time Magazine July 4, 2011): WORLD WAR II, DNA, TEXTING, AIRPLANES, THE ATOM, EVOLUTION, TELEVISION, MEDICARE, THE ATOMIC BOMB, THE GERM THEORY OF DISEASE, CELL PHONES, MINISKIRTS, INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, COMPUTERS, ANTIBIOTICS, AND LADY GAGA.
People on both sides of the political spectrum have made a habit of guessing what Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson would say. They often treat these men as infallible or demigods. They were none of these. Jefferson, the man who wrote "all men are created equal" owned slaves and only freed six out of one hundred in his will. He nor most people in his world would never have considered blacks or females of any race equal to white men. The framers did not consider America a democracy, and would never have referenced it as that. Democracy to them was "mob rule". They called it a republic, after the ancient Romans. The meaning of many words has changed over the years. We will explore these changes.
The framers wanted to define who and what they were, and what the new country would be. For about the first six years, the former colonies became Confederation of American States under the Articles of Confederation. This first document severely limited the power of a centralized government and made the thirteen colonies thirteen small countries with very little power to organize an army, tax or trade (very much like the European Union). The Virginians said that they came from their country Virginia and all states did the same. Representatives from each state (under the Articles of Confederation 1781-1787) argued over who was the most important and nothing was accomplished. Both George Washington and Alexander Hamilton had seen this state pride during the American Revolution when states refused to send food, money, arms or fresh troops, because "no one would tell them what to do." Troops were often in tatters and starving because of such attitudes and answers. Washington ordered his secretary to find the words and send constant letters that stressed the cost if they lost. Hamilton was an orphan immigrant from the Carribean. He did not have loyalty to any state but to the country that gave him a chance to be successful. Fearing that soon Europe would return and overthrow them, knowing that there was no credit to establish credit, representatives from each state met and assigned a task of writing a constitution to James Madison and after much debate, a Constitution was finally adopted. Madison found this to be a difficult task at best, impossible at times. Everyone fought with each other over what power the central government should have. Finally, with George Washington leading them, the convention through a series of compromises finally came up with the constitution spelling out function, rights, and limitations of government and citizens. Remember as we go through this year, what does the constitution say that we are and that we can do as a nation? What does it say about freedom of speech, religion, and gun control? Interesting questions. Interesting year.
This year is about the stories that made up America, and the stories that America made up. We will try to decipher the difference.
ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW THE REAL STORY? DO WE MEAN WHAT WE SAY?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN SOMETHING SAYS
"BASED ON A TRUE STORY"
How many movies have you seen begun with this on the screen, "Based on a True Story"? What does this phrase really mean? It means that there are bits and pieces of a true story in it, but there is a lot changed or made up to fit on a movie screen or in a television show. "Based on a true story" makes the viewer feel as though they are viewing the history of this event when in reality, they are not.
Do we get history from primary sources or secondary sources of a certain time period? These seem to give us a more accurate picture. Christopher Columbus kept meticulous journal entries of his day-to-day activities. These still survive. President John Adams and his wife Abigail left behind five miles of letters that they wrote each other over their lifetime. These still survive. Much of how we view their world and ours comes from sources like these.
Many of the details of the history do not look good on the big screen, nor do they sound patriotic. Quite often, the story is changed for the big screen. People soon believe that this is the true story. In other words, if the legend becomes truth, print the legend (John Ford- director) and these legends become history. When earlier history books talked about historical figures such as Christopher Columbus, these were "based on a true story". This means that there are bits and pieces that may be true, but if you could invite the actual person to visit his or her own story, they would not recognize it.
Where do the legends come from? Some of these "based on a true story" tales came from authors who wrote about historical characters in a way people wanted to hear it. Little research was done. The "facts" were brought to print and reached a very broad audience.
Let us look at the story of Christopher Columbus. Who gave us the version of Columbus that was taught so often in schools; a world-class media giant, Washington Irving. Yes, I said a world-class media giant. Washington Irving was the first American author to be recognized by the European elite as a "good author". His first novel, Knickerbocker's History of
New York (1809), was a mega-hit and best seller. Short pants like those worn by the main character were given the name knickers, and more recently, a basketball team was named after this 200-year-old fictional character. A later book, The Life, and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828) gives us many of the ideas that we have today of Columbus. In other words, according to Irving, Columbus sailed west to prove the world was round. This was the time of the Enlightenment or a time when science and scientific thinking was honored and used to explain the world. Columbus, like a scientist, was out to prove his theory. In other words, Irving reinvented Columbus to suit the image of what a hero should be in the world at this time. Why did Irving write this "history"?
The early 1800's were also a time of intense patriotism and major world powers were looking to conquer all the wildness, wilderness, and "inferior" races of the world. They wanted to control wealth (so what else has changed?). The conquest of these dark-skinned natives, the European and American civilizations believed, was actually good for the poor beings, to save their souls. In other words, to enslave the indigenous peoples was a religious exercise as well as a profitable one. This was the time of Washington Irving. His account of Christopher Columbus made Columbus a hero, and Columbus' quest, a noble cause. There was no mention in Irving's books of the search for gold and spices, a search for a shorter route to India and China, and torture used by Columbus and his men upon "Indians" if they did not do what he commanded. "Proving the world was round", leading people into a modern age, discovering America, is the way the story has been told for years. There were no errors, or character flaws in Columbus according to Irving. Irving became a superstar, and like the Knicks, his portrayal of Columbus, as tainted and fictional as it is, has been taught as history in many of our schools. Irving's book was "based on a true story". He also was so successful that he wrote a sequel to the Columbus story. Again, these stories have been studied for years as historical fact.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO STUDY THIS YEAR?
This year, we will be history detectives. We will search; is it a myth, legend or history? We will look at people, real people, how they lived, worked, dressed, played, and survived in their world. We will enter the world of yesterday, and find out what really (to the best of our ability) happened, and how that shapes our world today. We will try to set the scene, not through the lens of today, but we will attempt to look at the point of view of the people involved. We, hopefully, are going to find out some of the things that you may never have thought about....and how it has created America today. ALL IN ALL, YOU MAY SEE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU MIGHT BECOME.
DAY TWO READING
Look at this scene from the movie THE NEW WORLD....Imagine your world just 400 years ago.
AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS PART 1
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6
PART 7
Day THREE
NOTES ON EXPLORERS
EARLY AMERICAN EXPLORERS SETTLERS CHART
Earliest explorers (other than Native Americans)
CAST OF CHARACTERS AND SETTLEMENTS
Unit One: 900's-1763
Exploration and early 17th centuries began the European phase of American history. Their discoveries settled ancient questions of world geography. Contact between Europeans and Native Americans would have a dramatic effect on Europe, but a devastating impact on those who were wrongly called "Indians." Here is your cast of characters:
Explorers, businessmen and Conquistadors in the late 15th, 16th,
985 or 986->1011-
1300's
1420's
1496-7
1492- 1504-
1497
1498
1498
1502
1505
1513
1513
1519
1520
1531
1539-1541
1549-1551
1565
1550's-1560's
1583
1588
CHART OF EARLY AMERICAN EXPLORERS
Vikings-- Explored, settled and built temporary and permanent colonies in Iceland, Greenland, and finally Newfoundland- mostly for fishermen fishing for cod that were dried and transported back to the mainland.
Some evidence that Irish could have sailed over in leather boats called curraghs. There is no archaeological proof of this, just mentioned in a number of Irish myth.
Huge fleets of fishermen desperate for fish came to the Americas because the fish were so plentiful. This was not advertised though because this is how these men made their living.
Prince Henry of Portugal or Henry the Navigator opens a school for sailors and encourages better more accurate mapping- Sailors from this school were some of the first Europeans to sail around the tip of Africa and make way to India.
Bartholomew Dias-Portugal- Explores routes for Southernmost part of the tip of Africa. Gets caught in "Cape of Storms"
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Went to many of Europe's monarchs asking for support
Ferdinand V and Isabella I of Spain financed after Reconquista (monarchs threw out or kil
led all non-Catholics and took their land). Gave 3 ships with some sailors. Many were children and prisoners on the voyage.October 12, 1492-discovered what he thought were the Spice Islands off coast India.
Discovered indigenous people (people who lived there) and called Indians
Ships consisting of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria reached the island of Hispaniola, claimed for Spain.
Sailed to the Americas four times for Spain. Never knew that he reached new continents. Touched coast South America 4th journey.
Isabella of Spain was presented with a new device called a globe.
Did Columbus know that he discovered America? landed on an island off the coast of India. This is why he called the natives "Indians".
And were the pictures on this page what Columbus looked like? There are only three known surviving portraits of Columbus, yet all three look as different as they can be. The interesting part is that Columbus never sat for a portrait and these three were painted after his death. Yet, we, the history reading public accept them to be portraits of Christopher Columbus himself.
HERE IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF COLUMBUS.
COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE
**Colombian Exchange: Plants, animals, and biological organism (diseases) exchanged The diseases helped to nearly destroying the native populations (estimate today 90% of the Indian population as many as 90 million died within 50 years after exposure to Europeans. Besides disease, many plants such as corn, chocolate, tobacco, cows, horses, etc. brought to new environments with varying consequences.
Vasco da Gama-Portugal- Sails around the tip of Africa, to East coast of Africa- finally makes to India
Pedro Cabral with 13 ships tries to sail around Cape of Good Hope (Africa) by making a semicircular route and lands in Brazil first, claiming it for Portugal- brings home spices, and goods from India and makes Portugal major trade center.
Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Holjedos sailed for South America and reached and explored the mouth of the Amazon River. Vespucci maps what he sees and says he may have found the Garden of Eden.
Vespucci, after a second voyage, maps out more and concludes that South America is not part of INDIA, but is known as MUNDAS NOVAS or New World. Vespucci wrote a book claiming he found the New World and the English translation this word Amerigo as America.
Juan Bermudez discovers the islands that bear his name, Bermuda.
After 25 day march through Central America, Vasco de Balboa sees the Pacific Ocean for the first time. He mistakenly calls it Mar del Sur (Southern Sea), the southern tip of the Indian Ocean. Political rivals accuse Balboa of treason, and he is beheaded.
Juan Ponce de Leon- Following reports of a fountain of youth, he sailed from his colony in Puerto Rico to the eastern shore of Florida where, upon landing, his party was attacked by natives and where he was mortally wounded before retreating to Cuba.
Hernando Cortes: Spanish conquistador who is best known for the destruction of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico. On February 19, 1519 Cortes left Cuba with a force of 600 men. He sails with his ships to the coast of Mexico. The Indigenous people, AZTEC, could not figure out if their ships were floating mountains or floating cities. The Spaniards, in their armor, appeared to be gods. They had weapons (muskets, cannons) and horses, something that no Aztec had ever seen before. The Aztec thinks that Cortes is an Aztec god. The Spaniards capture the capital city (now Mexico City) and kill the Aztec ruler Montezuma, and slaughter and enslave the people, carrying off gold and riches. For the next 300+ years, the Spanish rule Mexico and parts of the American South West.
Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish crew were the first to circumnavigate the globe. The crew (only 18 remained alive) returned without Magellan who was killed by a poison arrow in the Philippines. The boats were loaded with cloves which were worth a fortune.
Francisco Pizarro invades Peru, conquers and kills thousands of indigenous people and ends the Inca Empire by use of weapons or by smallpox. When he found the Inca empire in Peru, organized an expedition of 180 men. The Incas had already been weakened by a series of civil wars but the Spanish finished off their control over their lands. Destroyed the empire in 1531 with use of metal, animals, and disease.
Hernando de Soto is authorized to explore Florida and claim the Southern part of what is now southeastern the United States for Spain. 1541 De Soto discovers and explores the Mississippi River. Coronado explores New Mexico, Texas, etc. looking for lost cities of gold. De Soto died of fever.
Jesuit missionaries arrive in South America and begin to set up universities.
St. Augustine (in Florida) is the oldest permanent settlement in North America. Spain ruled until 1763 when the British took over. Spain took back in 1783 and held till 1821 when Florida becomes part of US.
British looking for Northwest Passage, a water route that would take ships to China and India. John Cabot, whose crews mutinied and killed Cabot.
Sir Walter Raleigh sailed to the coast of North Carolina and tried to set up a colony called Roanoke. Raleigh went back to England.
**Spanish Armada, Spanish Naval force launched by Phillip II, king of Spain, to fight/defeat England. They would take the islands back for Spain and the Catholic church. Elizabeth I would be disposed. The Armada first caught in storms, then confronted by English fire ships off coast of England- August 7,1588. More than half ships sink, making Britain the dominant sea power allowing them to settle "New World".
WATCH ABOVE....xxxxx
ENTRY 3B -THE RELIGION REVOLUTION- religious freedom is born.... Every European monarch from the Middle Ages through the 16th century was part of the Catholic Church. There was no other option for them. If they left the church or spoke against the church doctrine or officials, they could be excommunicated his doctrine (Church rule) would make the ruler's power non-existent. No longer would their subjects have to serve them in any way. Excommunication meant other things religiously, but to a monarch, not having the Pope or the Church on one's side was disastrous.
Many of the Catholic Church leaders ruled like European monarchs, ruthless, power-
One such leader was a Pope. He had several children by women even if this was not sanctioned by the church.
It was not what one could be called a church family. During the time that he was a cardinal, he had a family of his own. Lucretia (daughter) and Cascara (son), Borgia are two of his most famous children who often did their father's dirty work. Cascara led the army (Pope's army) of the Holy Roman Empire and went after heretics (anyone who disagreed with church rules) to strengthen his father's position. In 1492, Rodrigo became;Pope Alexander VI (some historians feel that he did this by poisoning rivals), went after more land, more power and more riches. He began the careful planning of the renovation of the Vatican and rebuilding St. Peter's Cathedral. The sale of indulgences (certificates that forgave sin) began to help fund the building projects. This continued throughout the 16th century.
The other tool that made the Catholic Church powerful was the Inquisition. This was a church court was set up to end all heresy and any dissent against the church. Inquisitors were sent out to do their job and terror and fear went with them. If one was accused by anyone, the accused was guilty was to proven innocent. Torture was a method used quite often to get out the truth; quite legal and acceptable. Guilty or innocent; there was always a steep price paid for by the accused. Columbus, and many of the conquistadors, as well as the Spanish Armada, carried a team of Inquisitors with them. The great fear of the English in 1588 was not just the invasion of the Spanish, but the Inquisition that they brought with them.
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What is strange is that the more people were threatened, the more they seemed to
rebel over having their voice silenced and their ability to think for themselves
destroyed. With the introduction of the printing press with moveable type in 1439 by
Johannes Gutenberg, the economy changed to a knowledge-based economy. In other
words, the more one was educated, the better the chance of having a future. The first
thing printed in mass was the Bible. This meant that anyone could now read for himself
or herself.
In 1517, on a visit to the Vatican in Rome (headquarters of the Catholic Church), a German monk, Martin Luther observed the corrupt nature of Rome itself and the Church and began to object. He saw the money given to the poor going to support the rich exploits and wars of conquest; not what had been promised. Luther felt that many of the church teachings did not match up with what was meant to be Christian behavior or God's expectations. So Luther returned to Germany and posted 95 objections to the Catholic Church by nailing it to a church door (somewhat the Facebook of its time). Quickly, the 95 Theses (Luther's objections) were copied and mass printed and circulated throughout the Catholic world. Some German rulers began to protect Luther who was at this point excommunicated and a marked man. Some royals joined his cause because they believed him; some saw the political advantage. Germany was far from the halls of the Vatican and these rulers thought of the advantages of not having to worry whether the Church would approve of what they did. They knew the advantages of not sending money to Rome. So many German kings joined the Protestant Revolution/Reformation. Word spread all over the European world of these changes, and wars were fought to preserve God’s truth.... Catholic or Protestant. Religious freedom was unheard of at this time and what the monarch of your area embraced as the true faith, all subjects must do the same, leave quickly or die. So the question became where could Protestants go if their religious views did not match the ruler's views? Where could Catholics go if their ruler now became Protestant? Where could those go who had become victims of religious wars?
Colonial-Culture.pdf- click here to find out what this looks like
DAY 4- NOW THE STORY OF HOW EVERYTHING CHANGED FOR THE ENGLISH
How did England get into the New World picture?
LET'S SET THE SCENE. WHY WOULD PEOPLE WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND COME TO AN UNKNOWN LAND?
Think about it. You live in a European city during the late 1400's, 1500's, or 1600's. Which city does not matter? At this time in history as well as today, there is a very little country left for you to raise food and a family. There is little clean water, no sewers except the open sewers that run in the streets, and no fuel to cook or heat the home in the dead of winter. Most wood in Europe has been taken to build castles, fortresses, ships, wagons, and for fuel for the rich. The few surviving "forests" are king's property and are for the hunting pleasure of the king and nobles. So wood becomes as oil is to us today; precious and one thing that could make you very rich. Coal and oil (the kind we have today) are unknown to heat homes or cook food. The rivers and streams are overrun by silt runoff from the poorly tilled agricultural soil. Fish no longer swim upstream to spawn. What fish are there have almost been fished to extinction? Where your next meal will come from is a mystery.
The city is over-crowded and there is little law enforcement to help. The poor and desperate lurk around every corner and take from you and your loved ones what little you have left to survive the night, the week, the winter. Mysterious terrifying plagues sweep the city. Normally healthy people in the morning begin a downward spiral and by night are corpses. You want to run but; there is nowhere to run. You fear you or your children or your wife or your husband might be next.
What is worse than anything else is that slowly but surely, your children are changing, and your family belief system is slipping away. The children's manners and religious beliefs are slowly changing to be more like the others in the community. And the community's belief system changes now with every new monarch or powerful noble. The children were becoming heathens. Because your group is different, you and your group are not well liked. You are heretics to the Catholic Community so this puts your lives and future in danger. The Protestant community views you as an outsider, too strange to belong. So your life is constantly in danger. Your group is often blamed for any catastrophe that befalls the community.
Finally, you are given an offer by an outside businessman to help set up a new colony. This new place is in a new world, one not seen by anyone in your community. You have been assured that there would be plenty of everything you need to survive. You do not, however, have the money or transportation to get there. The businessman and his partners will put up the funding, but you have to pay them back. There is another complication. Once you get to the colony, you may not come back to your family home where you were born and raised. You must find a way to get the Native Americans to accept you, even if means you must fight side by side against a rival enemy. You and your group must make it work or die.
This sounds like a scene out of an alien apocalyptic movie, a movie so frightening that you will think about it for a long time. The scene that you have read above was not taken out of any movie, but out of the world of the early colonists, and the Pilgrims. Have frightening the voyage must have been. The ship that you travel on was made to haul cargo, not people. Your group is not all part of your religion, but are some misfits forced to sail with you. There is illness, and more than half will die within the year. For example, in Jamestown Virginia, nine out of ten settlers died within 2 years, and of the 102 Pilgrims in Massachusetts, less than 50 were alive after one year. What made these early colonists so desperate that they would risk everything? What happened?
This was the world of the early colonists. England in 1509 was a very Catholic country at the time, as well as Spain and France. It was not a world power when the Tudor family took over the throne. First, Henry VII became king and attempted to build up wealth by marrying his oldest son Arthur to Princess Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Arthur was sick when they married and died soon after. To keep the rich dowry (money paid by bride's family to groom's family) sent by the Spanish monarchs, and to stay in favor with one of the Pope's favorite countries, Henry VII forced his second son Henry to marry Catherine. Henry and Catherine became king and queen of England and were devout Catholics. After 20 years of marriage and 6 pregnancies with Mary, only one surviving child (a female, Mary) Henry wanted a divorce. He wanted a son and had found someone new to be his queen. Henry was convinced that God was punishing him for marrying his brother's wife. For a number of reasons, the Pope said no. Henry was smitten by Anne Boleyn, a royal lady in waiting (who served the queen), and Anne had read much on religion and the Reformation. In 1534, Henry separated from his wife and the Church, created his own and made the monarch of England the head of the Anglican Church, therefore, making disagreement with the king or church not only an act against God, and heresy, but also an act of treason. Henry had a total of 4 more wives before he died in 1544.
Henry's six wives only had a total of three living children. Edward (Henry and Jane Seymour) was Henry's only son and was raised in mostly a Protestant atmosphere. After Henry's death in 1547, Edward, age nine, was crowned king. He backed the Anglican Church and did not want England to return to Catholicism. At age 15, Edward found out that he had a terminal illness, Edward's older sister, Mary, was a devout Catholic. Mary took the throne, married Philip II of Spain, and attempted through cruelty and torture to return all English to what she believed to be the "one true faith, Catholicism.
The Inquisition became part of her court and anyone not totally supporting the reinstatement of the Catholic Church was tortured and killed. Queen Mary even imprisoned her sister Elizabeth for a time. After Mary's death, Elizabeth came to the throne and brought England back to the Anglican Church and installed a Common Book of Prayer. Opponents of the new faith became enemies of the state and Elizabeth faced many attempts on her life.
This is when the ultimate showdown occurred. By 1588, Spain was rich and powerful from their exploits in the New World. Elizabeth's own sister had been married to the king of Spain. The pope backed Spain. Philip II thought if he could not marry and claim England for the Church and Spain, he would take it by force. Down came entire forests to build the ships that would be involved in this battle. Soldiers from both Spain and one of Spain's conquests, Holland (Dutch), were gathered for the invasions. A large number of priests were on board the Spanish ships, ready to reclaim England for the Catholic Church. The Spanish Armada was doomed. The weather was rough and the English were sailors by nature. Fire ships were launched on the remaining fleet to break the Spanish formation. At the end of the day, the English had kept the Inquisition from their shores, and Elizabeth I would rule her Protestant kingdom for more than 40 years. She also won the right to establish English colonies in the New World. What also happened is some English Anglicans believed that they should have religious freedom to interpret the Bible as they saw fit. This was viewed as too extreme.... almost on the verge of rebellion. This is where our story begins.
1607- Jamestown Virginia is the first permanent Englishmen settlement. Most of the settlers are gentlemen, non-workers. They have come to the New World with pickaxes, and chemicals to find gold. Few have thought how they would survive, and hope to return to England with a mountain of gold. This did not happen.
1609-1611 Henry Hudson, an Englishman sailed first for Dutch then the English and found a bay and river that today bear his name. Sad to say they also did not lead to China or India. Instead, he and his English crew were landlocked for the winter. After starvation, and extreme cold, Hudson and seven of his followers were set adrift in a boat in the open sea, and the rest of the crew sailed back to England.
THE FIRST PERMANENT ENGLISH COLONY- JAMESTOWN
Virginia was founded to give the English territorial claims to America as well as to offer a colonial market for trade. Jamestown Virginia is the first permanent Englishmen settlement. and chartered by James I in 1606, Most of the settlers are gentlemen, non-workers. They came to the New World with personal servants, pickaxes, and chemicals to find gold. Few have thought how they would survive and hoped to return to England with a mountain of gold. This did not happen. Instead, they shot at many Native American and plundered where they could. At first, they would follow no directions by their leaders. So, nine out of ten settlers perished in the early years. One of their early settlers brought contraband seeds he had acquired from the Spanish, tobacco seeds. That man was John Rolfe. Eventually, Rolfe married a Native American princess to ensure peace. Jamestown became a prosperous shipping and tobacco-producing colony and the colony developed the House of Burgess, a bicameral legislature in 1619. In 1619, Jamestown imported the first group of black slaves to the English colonies. The settlement became part of the Virginia Company of London in 1620.
**Joint Stock Company: A business owned by investors through control of stocks. Examples operated in England and dealt with colonial markets in America. Such companies organized and supported the colonies through charters from the British government and while they worked with the government they made private profits.
**Jamestown: First successful settlement in the Virginia colony founded in May 1607. Harsh conditions nearly destroyed the colony but in 1610 supplies arrived with a new wave of settlers. The settlement became part of the Virginia Company of London in 1620. John Rolfe introduced tobacco as a major export and cash crop.
**Starving Time: The period early in any settlements development when food and supplies are scarce due to lack of preparation, unfamiliarity with the surroundings, weather, and inability to successfully grow crops. The starving time usually cost a large percentage of the settlers lives and lasted for the first few years.
John Smith: Colonial leader who brought structure and stability to Jamestown during its starting years. As a member of the governing council of Virginia, he was chosen to replace the previous president in 1608. Smith is credited with organizing trade with the Powhatan Confederacy and leading the colony through its roughest years.
John Rolfe: English colonist and farmer who greatly aided the colony. Rolfe is credited with introducing tobacco (he smuggled tobacco seeds secretly from the Spanish) as a crop for export, which ensured the colony of profits as well as bringing eight years of peace between Indians and colonists through his marriage to Pocahontas.
Purpose of Virginia: Virginia was founded primarily for the purpose of profit by the joint-stock owned Virginia Company of London. It was also important in giving England territorial claims in America to match Spanish and French expansion and to also give England markets and resources in the New World.
Indentured servants<: People who promised their lives as servants in order to get to the colonies. The servants, who were usually white, worked for a certain amount of time so to pay off their debt. This practice led to social tensions with such eruptions as Bacon's Rebellion and eventually was replaced by race slavery.
Headright system: System enacted first in Virginia than in Baltimore to attract people to the sparsely populated colonies. The system worked by granting a large amount of land to anyone who brought over a certain amount of colonists. In Baltimore, anyone bringing five adults at their own expense would receive two thousand acres.
Puritans
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/saints-and-strangers/videos/the-first-thanksgiving/
The Puritans first came to America in 1620 on the Mayflower. The Pilgrims, as they were called, were separating from the Anglican church and escaping religious persecution in England by escaping to America. Other Puritans soon flocked to America hoping to "purify" the Anglican Church and develop a colony which would be a model to the world ("a city upon a hill")
Calvinism: The teachings and doctrine of John Calvin, a leader in the Protestant reformation. Calvinism is unique in its rejection of consubstantiation, the Eucharist and in its doctrine of predestination, the belief that no actions taken during a persons life would effect their salvation. The Puritan colonies were based on Calvinist doctrine.
Church of England: The established church in England that is also known as the Anglican church. The Church of England was founded in 1534 by Henry VIII after a dispute with the Roman Catholic church over the annulment of his marriage which culminated in the Act of Supremacy, declaring the King to be the head of the church.
Mayflower Compact: Agreement made by the Pilgrims in 1620 when they landed at Plymouth. The compact created the Plymouth colony and made a civil government under James I based on the will of the colonists. The Compact was important in the early organization and success of the colony.
William Bradford: The second governor of the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts, he was elected over John Carver in 1621 and was re-elected thirty times. He was important to the organization and success of the colony and kept a history of the development of the Plymouth colony that was published in 1856.
Pilgrims: The original group of Puritan separatists that fled religious persecution in England and found refuge in what is now Massachusetts. The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic and reached America in 1620 where they founded the Plymouth colony and organized a government based on the Mayflower compact.
Puritans: Reform movement in the Anglican church in the 16th and 17th centuries and came to America in 1629. The movement aimed at purifying the church of corruption split into separatists, who wanted to end ties with the established church and non-separatists. Seeking religious freedom was a strong motivation for colonies in America.
PLAY A GAME- HOW LONG WOULD YOU STAY ALIVE?
ONLINE JAMESTOWN INTERACTIVE ADVENTURE
THE MAYFLOWER DECONSTRUCTED
PILGRIMS VS. PURITANS: Pilgrims and Puritans were extremely similar in most practices and beliefs, but Pilgrims were a distinct group of Puritans who were not only against the Anglican church but called for total separation from the church, a dangerous belief in religiously tense England. For this reason they fled the town of Scrooby, England, where they originally had assembled and ended up in Plymouth England with intentions of creating a community free of English control.
Massachusetts Bay Colony: Colony created by the Massachusetts Bay Company. Under the leadership of John Winthrop, the colony was created to provide the world a model Christian society. The colony was created in 1630 and it was governed through a General Court selected by church members. To be able to vote, a man had to own land and be a member of the church.
"City Upon a Hill": Name given to the Puritan society that was to be created in the New World. The leader of the Puritan migration, John Winthrop planned to create a Utopian society based on Puritanism that would have no class distinction and would stress the importance of community and church. The society was to be an example to all the world of what could be achieved. It was anticipated that once the world saw this great city it would follow it example.
Puritan Migration: The term given to the migration of Puritans to America in the early 17th century. The Puritans fled England and came to America to have freedom of religion.
John Winthrop: The first governor and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and a member of the Massachusetts Bay Company. He played a key role in the Puritan migration and intended to create a Utopian society in America. He was elected governor twelve times and pursued a conservative religious and governmental policy.
New England Way: The Puritan dominance of New England and their desire to create a Utopian society based on their doctrine created a distinct society in New England. Unlike other colonies, Puritans were guided by their religion and created a government and society tied to the church.
Contrast Puritan Colonies with others: Because most colonies were created with financial or political gains in mind, puritan colonies had a special distinction from them. The Puritans came to American seeking religious freedom and had a strong work ethic enabling them to achieve a success not seen in other colonies.
Dissenters: People objected to the accepted doctrine of the established church. The Puritans who migrated to America were dissenters from the Church of England who created a new church in the colonies. Religious outcasts from the Puritan church such as Ann Hutchinson and Roger Williams were also dissenters.
Anne Hutchinson, antinomianism: Early New England religious leader who founded the doctrine of antinomianism, the belief that the Gospel frees Christians from required obedience to human laws such as a requirement by law to attend church. She was banished to Rhode Island in 1637 for her belief in antinomianism and her insistence on salvation by faith, not works
Later she and her family moved to the frontier and were killed by Indians.
Roger Williams, Rhode Island: Early colonial clergyman who founded the religiously tolerant colony of Rhode Island in 1636. Williams was banished from Massachusetts for his belief in religious freedom, he established a colony at Providence in 1636 that tolerated all dissenters and was in good relations with the Natives.
Massachusetts School Law: Law also Known as the Old Deluder Act of 1647, that replaced home education by creating a system in which small towns would have a person capable of teaching the children and every town of over one hundred homes would have a school. The law was a step towards creating a universal education system.
Town Meetings: The center of Colonial America political life especially in New England. Town Meetings were gatherings where all the voters in the town or nearby countryside would all congregate and go over issues that most interested them, such as town officers, and taxes for the following season.
Voting Granted to Church Members: The New England Puritans developed a more democratic system of government than in England that gave the power to elect the governor to all male saints. The idea was furthered in 1644 when it adopted a bicameral court with elected delegates.
SALEM WITCH TRIALS: The fear of witchcraft that came to a head in the 1691-1963, especially boiling over in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The panic and fear ended with the death of many innocent women and several men. Most of the women were middle-aged wives or widows. Accusers implicated others for fear of their lives. The Salem Witch Trials pinpointed the underlying tension that was coming to head in many colonies due to religion and social standings.
Puritan Ethic: Term that characterizes the strong sense of purpose and discipline that Puritans had. Part of the work ethic also resulted from a belief that wealth and success were a sign of saintliness and that idleness was a sin. This work ethic also helped the Puritans find success in the colonies and translated to an American colonial work ethic.
Saints and Strangers... the Real Thanksgiving
SOME OTHER RESOURCES
IN VIRGINIA
House of Burgess: A regular assembly of elected representatives that developed in the Virginia colony in the 1630's. The House of Burgess was split into two chambers in 1650, creating the House of Burgess and the Governors Council. The House was a bicameral legislature that was a model for our congress.
Successes of Virginia: Virginia succeeded politically in terms of creating the House of Burgesses as a semi-democratic assembly and forcing governors to cooperate with the legislature. They did this through the power of the purse as governors did not control money, and therefore depended on the legislature for the salaries.
Bacon's Rebellion: Colonial rebellion against the governor of Virginia in 1676. Nathaniel Bacon was the leader of the uprising protesting Governor Berkeley's neglect of calls for a stronger military presence in the frontier to end problems caused by Indian hostility. The revolt succeeded in driving away the governor and it appeared it would achieve success when Bacon died shortly after the initial success before any progress was made and the rebellion dissipated.
ENGLISH COLONIES OF THE NEW WORLD
Orders of Colonization: (colony, date, prominent figure)- the first American Colonies
Let us find out the true story...Let us be history detectives and go back in time to EXPERIENCE THE PAST.
MEDICINE AND MORALITY- READ THE FOLLOWING
Regionalism WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
As life in the colonies progressed, certain regions of America developed distinct characteristics and each had its own unique niche. The contrasts between the different regions were involving crops, religion, and control. The distinct regions were New England ,the Chesapeake Bay area, the southern colonies, the middle colonies, and the frontier.
CHECK OUT THE PERSIA ACRONYM IN COMPARING THE REGION
Regionalism today......http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2
NEW ENGLAND:
Region of the colonies lying on the northeast Atlantic Coast. It started as a highly religious, Puritan society, but eventually became a commercialized "Yankee" society. Of all the colonies, the New Englanders prospered the least, had the most overpopulated towns and had the poorest soil. To make up for the lack of farming, New Englanders turned to fishing and the merchant marine, and by 1700, this was one of the largest industries in the colonies.
Massachusetts Bay Company: Company in 1628 to govern the Massachusetts Bay Colony on granting by the Council of New England in America. Puritan settlers who founded their settlement at Boston first colonized the land, starting a trend of religiously independent settlements. The Company was dissolved in 1684.
Thomas Hooker: Religious leader in colonial America and founder of Hartford, Conn. As a clergyman in Massachusetts, Hooker grew dissatisfied with the rigid practices and government of the Puritan church. In 1635 he leads a group of followers to start a more liberal colony in Hartford.
Poor Richard's Almanack: Publication written by Benjamin Franklin in 1732 that gained an immense following with its home remedies and practical wisdom. It can be said that Poor Richard's Almanack helped define the American culture by giving them traditions and wisdom's all their own, separate from Britain.
SOUTHERN COLONIES:
Region consisting mainly of the Carolinas and Georgia. The Southern Colonies were distinct from other colonies mostly on their dependence for slave labor and for farming. The main crop in the South was rice, leading to an absence of large cities in the south. But although most southern cities were tiny, Charleston became the fourth largest city in the colonies. The Southern Colonies were also the only colonies with a large population of blacks and an ethnically stratified society.
Georgia: Colony founded in 1733 by a charter granted to James Oglethorpe. The colony started with a settlement in Savanna created by Oglethorpe as a debtor's colony. The high ideals of Oglethorpe, such as bans on slavery and rum, slowed growth as large settlement did not occur until after slavery was brought to Georgia.
James Oglethorpe: English soldier and founder of the colony of Georgia in 1733. Oglethorpe founded Georgia after a grant from King George II and settled with a small group on the Savannah River. Oglethorpe's ideals in creating a debtors colony free of vice were a distinction from other colonies.
Tidewater vs. Piedmont: Two regions of contrasting economic opportunity. The Tidewater was along the coast, where most of the opportunity was in shipping and fishing. the Piedmont, on the other hand, was where farming took place. This contrast represented an East-West dichotomy to accompany the North-South one.
Maryland: Proprietary colony originally intended to be a refuge for English Catholics. Maryland was created in 1632 when Lord Baltimore (Cecilius Calvert) was given a land grant and created a manor based state with a headright system. However, Protestants formed a majority and the manors evolved into plantations.
Sugar colonies: Colonies that produced sugar for England, like New Netherlands, New England, Virginia, Maryland, and the Caribbean. Sugar was produced because it could make people rich quickly because it was sold at very high prices. Sugar plantation owners liked to use black slaves because they were able to work harder and longer.
CHESAPEAKE SOCIETY: Society characterized by few neighbors and isolated families whose lives depended on tobacco. Chesapeake society also revolved around fertile soil near navigable water because tobacco needed such an environment to be grown profitably. Because of this, most farms were located along the Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake society also had a powerful merchant class who controlled both export and import commerce. Slow urbanization also characterized society around the Chesapeake.
Lord Baltimore: Founder of Maryland who, in 1632, received a charter from King Charles I for a tract of land to the northeast of the colony of Virginia. It comprised the present-day states of Maryland and Delaware. He wrote the charter for the colony but died before he got it.
Maryland Act of Toleration: Act that resulted when the Catholics began feeling threatened by the overwhelming Protestant population. The Maryland Act of Toleration was passed in 1649 so all types of Christians could have equal political rights. Along with this equality Lord Calvert allowed a representative assembly for the Catholics.
Maryland's Protestant Association: Group of Protestants in Maryland during late 1600s who controlled the lower house but not the upper, which the Catholics ruled. Eventually, after the Act of Religious Toleration was passed, the Protestant majority barred Catholics from voting and threw out the governor and repealed the act.
Huguenots: French Protestants. The enlightened and religiously skeptical spirit of the 18th century, however, was opposed to religious persecution, and during this time the French Protestants gradually regained many of their rights. The Huguenots slowed the colonization process for the French, because of the religious wars with French Catholics.
Carolinas: Colonies created when Charles II rewarded eight of the noblemen who had helped him regain the throne from the Puritan rule in 1663 by giving them land. North Carolina originated as an extension of Virginia and South Carolina came from planters from Barbados, who founded Charleston in 1670.
John Locke, Fundamental Constitution: Intricate constitution written by Cooper and John Locke in 1670, meant to stabilize the government of Carolina by basing the social rank on one's "landed wealth." It formed the three orders of nobility with the proprietors at the top, the caciques in the middle, and the landgraves at the bottom.
Charleston: City that became the fourth largest city in North America. It was a place where the upper class could pass their time so they could stay away from the heat of their plantations. Many whites were lured to Charleston in hopes of reducing the black majority. These job seekers usually ended up competing for jobs with the black slaves.
Staple crops of the South: The major staple crop of the south was rice, which was picked by African-American planters who were imported by the Dutch in 1616. Other crops were tobacco, indigo, various grains, wood, and skins. All of these products were exported to Europe and the west Indies. Most of the colonists' profit came from farming.
Middle Colonies:
The middle colonies were Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, all of which produced iron, grain, flour, wood, and tobacco which were exported to Britain, Europe and the West Indies. Pennsylvania was built on the basis of being a religious haven for Quakers. New York was built upon the rule of James Duke of York who sent out John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret to be the first two proprietors of New Jersey.
Restoration Colonies: Colonies created following the Stuart restoration in 1660 when England again took interest in America. The colonies enabled England to control the East Coast, Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These colonies had governments that made a social hierarchy geared toward a dominant wealthy class.
Pennsylvania, William Penn: Pennsylvania was founded as a refuge for Quakers by William Penn in 1681. The Quakers believed that an "inner-light" allowed them to be on a personal level with God. Penn and his people did not experience a starving time which was very common for starting colonies. They started with a strong government.
Quakers: Religious movement founded in 1600 by a religious belief that divine revelation is immediate and individual and that all persons may perceive the word of God in their soul. They rejected a formal creed and regarded every participant as a potential vessel for the word of God. They were based in Pennsylvania.
Liberal land laws in PA: Laws that were set up by William Penn which were very liberal because that was his nature. The 1701 Frame of Government stated that the proprietors had no power to do mischief. Penn himself carefully oversaw land sales in the colonies to avoid improper disputes. This liberal planning ensured no starving time.
1701 Frame of Government: The first set of laws set up in Pennsylvania which were written by William Penn. In his constitutional type document Penn preached "that the will of one man may not hinder the good of the whole company." The document was revised seven times and held a strong executive, and a limited lower legislative chamber.
New York: Dutch, 1664 English: Charles II gave his brother James title to all the Dutch lands in America in 1664. James became King in 1685 and appointed Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret as the first proprietors of New Jersey. For years to come there were conflicting claims to the territory and finally in 1702 it became a royal colony.
East/ West Jersey: They were colonies that resulted from the sale of the Jersey territory to Quakers. English settlers resisted the original proprietors' authority, so in 1674 Berkeley sold his half to a union of Quakers. East Jersey then became dominated by Scottish Quakers whereas West Jersey became the home to many English Quakers.
Patroon system: The system of feudal estates created by large New York landowners in the early 1700s. The estates were created in order to raise revenue by collecting tenant rents. Later, by about 1750, the patroon owners emerged as a class of landed elite, almost like the British landed aristocracy.
Peter Stuyvesant: Dutch governor who was attacked by Charles II in 1664 so that the British could control North America. Stuyvesant, whose army was already hurt from Indian attacks, peacefully surrendered and gave New Netherlands to Charles II, forming the New York and Jersey colonies with a large remaining Dutch population.
Middle colonies as a religious haven: William Penn founded Pennsylvania originally as a religious haven for Quakers who were not accepted elsewhere in 1681. Similarly, Maryland was founded by George Calvert in 1632 and served as a refuge for English Catholics. Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams in 1644 for dissenting Puritans.
Crops in the middle colonies: The middle colonies rich level lands produced lengthy growing seasons and gave good bumper crops. The middle colonies were major exporting colonies because of their accessible sea ports. Their exports were rice, iron, grain, flour, wood, and tobacco which were shipped to Europe and the West Indies.
New York City and Philadelphia as urban centers: Both cities were the two biggest exporting cities in America thus making them rapidly growing urban centers. High population and bad sanitation allowed many of the people to catch viruses and diseases. Recessions hit frequently and the job force was very unstable.
Leisler's Rebellion: Anti-Stuart rebellion in which Captain Jacob Leisler took command over New York in hopes of protecting it from Andros and other supporters of James II. In 1691, Leisler denied the passing of English troops to important forts, leading to his arrest and death when his enemies gained control of the government.
Benjamin Franklin: A notable American printer, author, diplomat, philosopher, and scientist, his contributions epitomized the Enlightenment. In 1731 he founded what was probably the first public library in America. He first published Poor Richard's Almanack in 1732 and played a crucial role in the American Revolution and community.
John Bartram: Botanist who was known as the father of American Botany. Bartram traveled extensively through the colonies, observing wildlife, writing, collecting plants, and making maps. He performed important experiments involving plant hybridization and in 1728 he founded the first botanical garden in America near Philadelphia.
SO WHO ARE YOU? REVOLUTION MEANS TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE. AS YOU STUDY THIS YEAR, WHAT KIND OF CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?
AGAIN, THIS YEAR, THIS LIFE COMES DOWN TO THE POWER OF ONE- YOU!