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Nov 1, 1490
Native Americans
Tribal healers Medicine men New medical inventions Importance of dreams Medicine man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72uKe6iNwZ8 Native American: oral tradition of story telling Importance of song and dance
example song; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaQW5jWMu8Y&feature=related Folktales, sacred myths; Pow wow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkv2unnPKMg
Causes tribal wars:
disputes about hunting grounds;
insults;
family killed or captured etc -
Nov 1, 1490
Prehistoric Indians
Land/ice bridge connecting Siberia to Alaska (Ice Age 12,000 years ago)
Prehistoric native Americans: nomadic hunters
Later; hunter-gatherers (fruit, planted crops)
Nature defined the economy and culture of a tribe, For example:
- tribes living near lakes and rivers: fishermen (North West)- tribes living in dry and hot territory: nomads and/or hunter-gatherers (South & West)
- tribes living in fertile areas: farmers (East/Coast)
RELIGION
A belief in a creator
Identity
Idea of afterlife
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Nov 1, 1500
America before discovery
Native Americans; origin Native Americans vs Indians Different tribes, different cultures -
First contact with Europeans 1600-1650
North-East:
(1) British (Puritans) (2) Dutch (New York) (3)French
South: Spanish settlers What type of contact?
Trade
Military alliances
Conflicts/war
Europeans ‘helping’ their native American allies fighting against other tribes
Enormous increase of white settlers + whites conquered land by force Response native Americans: too late (too many white settlers, less technology/weapons)
Indians either assimilated or resisted(failed) -
Original States
1600-1776 -
May flower compact
Mayflower Compact Main rule: to help each other “for the general good of the colony unto which we promise all due submission and obedience” Only signed by men -
Mayflower
conquest for America
European expansion - European politics First contact Europeans - native Americans Reasons for continuous European immigration British influence in the new colony
Jamestown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXMjQWr3Z6Y&feature=related Other European powers present in America
Origin pilgrim fathers: separatists Objective pilgrim fathers Separatists were fined/ captured/executed
1620: 120 men, women and children left Delft with the Mayflower for Cape Cod -
Puritans Plymouth
Puritans (1629): new colony north of Plymouth (by John Winthrop)
Plan was to design a new society
Came to New England because of religions reasons -
Eastern States
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Indian American Wars
Indian-American wars -Some tribes joined the British side during the American Revolution (1770’s) *After the revolution some tribes continued to fight the Americans (Apaches, Sioux) Success: Battle Little Big Horn (Sitting Bull, 1876)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLOw8CHjpzg&feature=related
Last battle: Wounded Knee (1890), native Americans massacred
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkJaYe1T8l8&feature=related -
Indian reservations
Reservation = reserved
Before American Independence (1776) Native Americans were promised new land in mid-West Promises were not kept -
Independence War
1776- 1783
Causes American Victory
Role France: European war England-France: weaking England Help of the French army Increasing debts English government
British army used mercenaries; Spanish and Dutch governments supported Americans Leadership of Washington 1783 final peace settlement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DnZ_ZY3lgA
Revolutionary War was also a 'civil war'
20% of white Americans remained loyal to the English: dividing friends and families
Black Americans fought on both sides -
Checks and Balances
NEW: Idea of balance within the powers that be. -Reason: anti-monarchy /absolutism -Origin: new 17th/18th century ideas of “democracy”, “rationalism” (Enlightenment) -Result: sharing of (political) power Democracy & Republic Power and responsibilities shared between 3 branches
Branches checking each other & all checked by ‘the constitution’ -
Nation Building
Establishing American government (1776)
American flag (1777)
The stripes represent the original 13 colonies,
The stars represent the 50 states of the Union.
The colors of the flag are symbolic as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor, White symbolizes Purity and Innocence and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.
Symbol: Eagle (1782, ‘Freedom’)
Language (same -ish)
US dollar (1794)
National anthem (star spangled banner) 1931
Independence day (4th of July) -
Declaration of Indepenence
Founding Fathers
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington
Designed the new American Politicial system. Nation Building
Nation-building is constructing or structuring a national identity using the power of the state.[1] Nation-building aims at the unification of the people within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in a long run -
George Washington First President
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Politicial Parties
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Slavery- Trialangular Trade
Black slaves were transported from West-Africa to America
Slaves; mainly agricultural work (cotton, sugar, tobacco). Slavery existed because: A. Eonomical reasons:
- Shortage of (white) labor
- Cheap labour
Native Americans too hostile .
Economical motives stronger than religious motives B. Racist motive/concept of inequality
18th century Europe was class divided: existing culture and ideas transferred to America -
Mid west
1800-1830
Many myths and stories Challenges:
-mountains (nature),
-wars with native Americans,
-traditional transport, (horsewagons),
-diseases etc. -
Louisiana Purchase
Less than three cents per acre
($11,250,000 USD) -
Chicago
15 inhabitans --> 1989 1.698.575 inhabitans.
Cities developed quickly
huge increase of population (largely poor, many of them foreigners) Population density was extremely high Diseases were so common in 19th century cities that the natural population growth was negative – meaning: only because of migration/immigration the population of cities increased. -
Indian removal act
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American Spanish Wars
1860-1880
Spanish territory /Mexican territory was conquered during wars For example:
Florida
Texas -
Westcoast
1860-1900
1860-1900: Expansion to the westcoast Goldrush in California: migration
The main reason for the quick expansion to the west:
Railroads. (brought by Abraham Lincoln)
A 19th century doctrine: the U.S. had the right and duty to expand throughout the North American continent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3OM_UnnCNM -
Alaska
USA bought Alaska from Russia (1867 $ 7.2 mln) (121 million by today’s standards) -
Frontier Theory
Frontier is the border between the civilized world and wilderness. The frontier and Americans American values like independence, individuality, freedom
Continuous tension between civilization and wilderness Result: settlers losing their European identity -
Major 19th Century social-economic changes
- Industrialisation
- Modern infrastructure/transport revolution
- Urbanisation/suburbia
Positive effect:
Productivity increased
Production cheaper Negative effects (often described in novels):
-Machines “taking over” from man;
-Health problems;
-Assembly lines work dull
-First strikes (end of 19th century) -
Robber Barons
Multimillionaires J.P. Morgan: railroads, weapons
John D. Rockefeller: oil (Standard Oil Company)
Andrew Carnegie: steel (U.S. Steel Corporation) Some multimillionaires became philanthropists, f.e. Rockefeller (education) -
Regions America
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Thanksgiving
Celebrated on 4th Thursday in November.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt6pxrPInsU&feature=related The colonists survived with the help of the Wapanaog
