Welcome to American History 1!
For this course, I have created a WebBook with resources and links to provide you with the tools necessary to master the content and be successful in class. Below, you will find the links to videos, maps, and materials for each topic covered in American History 1. Please take a moment to look around.
*Click on each of the highlighted titles below to view the attached resources and videos*
The First Americans
As the world began to populate, resources became scarce. In order to survive, humans began to migrate across vast continents in pursuit of food sources. Upon arrival to the Americas, humans began to spread throughout North and South America in pursuit of roaming herds of animals. After the discovery of the Agricultural Revolution, natives made the switch from hunting and gathering to farming. The discovery of farming allowed natives to settle in one place and led to the creation of civilizations.
The AmericasTHE CONTINENTS DIVIDE-- The Pangaea Theory, The different stages of the split (How Stuff Works)
THE LAND BRIDGE THEORY-- Hunters and Gatherers (Time Maps ), Beringia (how and why people arrived in the Americas) EARLIEST AMERICANS-- What was life like? (History Channel) AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION--The Agricultural Revolution (Mankind Story of Us All-- Start at 16:18 -20:18) Farming and Domestication-- what is it?, How did it change society? (University of Missouri) THREE SISTER CROPS-- What did the Natives grow? Three Sister Farming (Ask.com) Mesoamerica: The First CivilizationsNATIVES OF MESOAMERICA-- Native American Civilizations (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion)
OLMEC-- The Earliest Civilization (Aztec-history.com), Olmecs-- a few facts AZTECS-- Facts and summary (history channel-- read summary and watch video), Society and Culture (Aztec-history.com) Optional: Engineering an Empire: The Aztecs INCAS-- Civilization (U.S. History.org), Pizzaro and the Incas (horrible histories) MAYANS-- Facts and Achievements (History Channel- Watch video and read the facts), 10 interesting facts about the Mayans North American NativesNATIVES-- Native American Cultures (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion)
PUEBLO PEOPLE-- SW Cultures Map (Cliff Dwellings Museum), History of the Pueblo Indians MOUNDBUILDERS-- Midwest Moundbuilders, Why did the build them? (examiner.com) 5 CIVILIZED TRIBES-- Who were they? IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY-- The Tribes and why they joined together (Britannica) |
Exploration and Colonization
Along with the increases in technological advances also came an increase in human curiosity. As humans took to the seas, they began to discover new civilizations, cultures, and treasure. These discoveries fueled desires to explore the world in search of land, wealth, and opportunity.
ExplorationTHE 3G's-- God, Gold, & Glory -- the reasons behind European exploration (slideshare presentation)
DISCOVERY & CONQUEST-- Early Native Peoples: 1492-1542 (McGraw-Hill: Interactive Maps), These Are All the Places That Europeans Actually Discovered (Smithsonian), European Idea of the Atlantic before Columbus PORTUGAL-- Paving the way for exploration, Prince Henry and navigation school CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS-- Biography and voyages (History channel-- watch video and read the text), Discovery and Impact (Mankind Story of Us All: start at 33:17-38:30) SPAIN-- Spain's New World Empire, c. 1600 (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion), Spanish Discovery of the New World (Digital History explorations)
TREATY OF TORDESILLAS-- Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494 (Holt, Rinehart & Winston) ExplorersPORTUGAL-- Navigation School
SPAIN-- Spanish Explorers, 1513-1598 (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion)
ServitudeINDENTURED SERVITUDE-- What is it?, What were the terms of the contract? (read the 3rd & 4th paragraphs)
TRIANGULAR TRADE-- Triangular Trade explained, The Middle Passage (Scene from Amistad), Slavery's value to the colonies (America Story of Us Scene) |
The Colonization of America
Rebellion to Revolution
Creating A Government
A New Nation
Jackson and Reforms
Manifest Destiny
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What is it?
The theory that the U.S. should expand across the continent.
Americans believed that America had a divine obligation to stretch the boundaries of the republic to the Pacific Ocean. With the territory up to the Mississippi River claimed and settled and the Louisiana Purchase explored, Americans headed west in droves. Newspaper editor John O'Sullivan coined the term "manifest destiny" in 1845 to describe the essence of this mindset. How did they go westward? By wagon train using many of the trails listed in the picture on the left. One of the most popular trails that was traveled was the Oregon Trail. The trail started in St. Louis, MS and stretched approximately 2,000 miles until settlers reached either Fort Vancouver or Oregon City. The journey was difficult and full of danger, and took settlers anywhere between four to six months to complete. To experience some of the obstacles that settlers faced along the journey, click on the following link: PLAY THE OREGON TRAIL GAME HERE! Need a visual? Here is the link to the America The Story of Us episode "westward" that explains more about westward expansion: http://youtu.be/VHi8XxLlpms Texas Revolution
In 1821, the Mexican government encouraged American farmers to settle in Texas by offering huge tracks of land at low prices. In exchange for purchasing cheap land, farmers had to pledge to obey Mexican laws, become naturalized Mexican citizens, and practice the Roman Catholic religion. Steven F. Austin led the first of several groups of American settlers to Texas in 1821. Word about Texas began to spread around the U.S., and people rushed to Texas at the chance. Pretty soon, the population of white settlers outnumbered the Texas natives, and Americans began to talk openly about expanding the U.S. borders to cover Texas. Both U.S. presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson offered to purchase Texas from the Mexican government; Mexico not only refused the offers, but began to regret opening its borders to American settlers. Around 1824, disputes between Texas settlers and the Mexican government began to emerge over cultural differences, as well as slavery. Disputes reached its boiling point in 1830, when Mexico sealed the Texas border and placed heavy taxes on the importation of American goods.Despite Mexico's restrictions, more and more Americans began to pour into Texas. Between 1831 and 1834, the population of Texas doubled, and in 1835 the white population soared to 45,000. In 1835, numerous rebellions erupted, and Texas began to petition for self-government. Determined to force Texas to obey laws, Mexican president Santa Anna marched a 4,000-member towards San Antonio. Texans began to arm themselves and drove previously existing Mexican forces from the Alamo. 187 U.S. defenders packed into the Alamo to defend their occupation. Santa Anna's army stormed and destroyed the Americans in the Alamo killing all 187 of them. Revolution? Six weeks after the defeat of the Alamo, Texans led by Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. With shouts of "Remember the Alamo!" the Texans killed over 630 of Santa Anna's soldiers in 18 minutes! In exchange for his life, Santa Anna signed away Mexico's claim to Texas, granting Texas its independence. In September 1836, Texas becomes the "Lone Star Republic" and elects Sam Houston its first president. Should Texas Join the U.S.? Two years after winning its independence, Texas invited the U.S. to annex (incorporate) the Texas republic into the United States. Texas' entry into the U.S. became a hot topic and divided the U.S. along sectional lines. Southerners were eager to extend slavery into Texas, and northerners feared the annexation of more slave territory would tip the balance in the Senate. In 1844, the U.S. presidential election featured a debate on westward expansion. James K. Polk, who would eventually win the presidency, was a slaveholder that firmly favored Texas annexation. In 1845, Texas became the 29th state of the U.S. The Mexican-American War Mexico was furious with the U.S. over the annexation of Texas, and tensions began to ignite. President James K. Polk had major aspirations for westward expansion. With tensions with Mexico at an all-time high, Polk believed that war with Mexico would not only bring Texas into the U.S., but also California and New Mexico. Polk had previously sent an ambassador to Mexico to arrange for the purchase of California and New Mexico, and to establish the Texas border with Mexico; Mexican officials refused to see him. Border disputes between Texas and Mexico erupted. Texas claimed that its southern border extended to the Rio Grande River, where Mexico insisted that the border stopped 100 miles north at the Nueces River. Hoping that Mexican aggression would unite Americans behind a war. Polk issued orders for General Zachary Taylor to march to the Rio Grande and blockade the river. Mexicans viewed this action as a violation of their rights and attacked the U.S. soldiers. Mexico sent troops across the Rio Grande and killed 9 U.S. soldiers. After receiving word of the attack, Polk sent a message to congress asking them to declare war because by shedding "American blood upon American soil" Mexico had started the war.On May 13, 1946 congress voted in favor of war. Polk and his advisers developed a three-pronged military strategy. Taylor's troops would continue to move south, crossing the Rio Grande near the Gulf of Mexico. A separate force to the northwest would capture Santa Fe, and then march west to take control of California with the help of the American navy. Finally, U.S. forces would advance on Mexico City and force Mexico to surrender. The fighting begins While Colonel Stephen W. Kearny led troops west of Missouri and secured Santa Fe, settlers living in northern California led an uprising with the help of John C. Fremont, and declared their independence of Mexico and renamed the region the Bear Flag Republic. A few weeks later, the U.S. navy arrived and took possession of California for the United States. Although Mexico had lost vast territory, Mexico's leaders refused to surrender. To force things to a conclusion, Polk sent General Winfield Scott to the Mexico port of Veracruz. After capturing Veracruz, American troops headed towards Mexico City (the capital of Mexico), fighting Mexican forces along the way. U.S. forces arrive and capture the capital, forcing a surrender, and setting up a formal occupation of Mexico. Victory Mexican leaders signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, officially ending the war and ceding more than 500,000 miles of territory to the United States. Mexico officially accepted the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas. In exchange, the United States paid Mexico $15 million and agreed to take over $3.25 million in debts that Mexico owed American citizens. With Oregon and the former Mexican territories now under the American flag, the dream of Manifest Destiny was finally realized: the United States now stretched from ocean to ocean. Need a visual? Here is a link to a video that explains the Mexican-American War and the Mexican Cession: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6WySJyOCbU |
The Causes of the Civil War
How did America come to blows? The information and links below will take you step-by-step through each of the causes that lead to deadliest conflict in U.S. history.
With the latest transfer of lands from Mexico to the U.S. following the Mexican-American War, the question was once again raised: WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS NEW TERRITORY? The continued debate over slavery and it's admittance into this newly acquired territory will cause a division that will only be settled by the spilt blood of Americans.
The Causes of the Civil WarCOMPROMISE OF 1850-- Slavery Compromises (Holt, Rinehart & Winston); Compromise of 1850, Kansas Nebraska Act 1854 (McDougal Littell: Maps)
THE UNDERGROUND RR-- Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad (History.com); Slavery and the Underground Railroad, 1830-1860 (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion or here); Aboard the Underground Railroad: A National Register Travel Itinerary, studying the opening page, Introduction, Operating the Underground Railroad, Routes Map; Optional: “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage" [5.30 minutes] and Network to Freedom (NPS); The Underground Railroad: Escape to Freedom (Scholastic); and The Underground Railroad (Eduplace). UNCLE TOM'S CABIN-- Harriet Beecher Stowe (History.com); Uncle Tom's Cabin (PBS); Facts and Information (History.net); Politics and the Pen (Discovery Channel) KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT-- Slavery and Sectionalism (McGraw-Hill: In-Motion Animations), Slavery after the Kansas-Nebraska Act (Pearson: MapMaster); Interactive Map of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 (Teaching American History).
DRED SCOTT V. SANDFORD-- Dred Scott v. Sandford: Landmark Cases (PBS); Dred Scott Case (History.com); Dred Scott Decision (PBS) LINCOLN- DOUGLAS DEBATES-- The Debates (US History.org); Lincoln - Douglas Debates (History.com) JOHN BROWN'S RAID-- John Brown and The Raid (History.com); John Brown's Raid (US History.org); John Brown's Last Speech (History.com); Raid on Harper's Ferry (America The Story of Us) THE ELECTION OF 1860-- Lincoln's House Divided Speech (History.com); Disney Presidents: Abraham Lincoln; Election of 1860 (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion); The Election of 1860 (Pearson: History Interactive) THE SOUTHERN SECESSION-- Seceding States, 1860-1861 (McGraw-Hill: Maps in Motion); The Path to the Civil War (History.com); Slavery: Cause and Catalyst of the Civil War (NPS); Why Did the South Secede? (Digital History eXplorations); |
The Civil War
Reconstruction
The West
Moving WestwardRAILROAD-- The Transcontinental Railroad (America Story of Us: Heartland, Start at beginning - 11:50), Travel the Transcontinental Railroad (Pearson: History Interactive), Major Western Railroads (McGraw-Hill: In-Motion Animations); Transcontinental Railroad and Homestead Act (Education Portal) FARMING-- The Homestead Act (History.com), The life of a Farmer (America Story of Us: Heartland-- Start at 11:12- 18:30), Farming the American West, 1870-1900 (McGraw-Hill: In-Motion Animations) COWBOYS-- Life of a Cowboy, The Open Range, and the Invention of Barbed Wire (America Story of Us: Heartland: 28:40 - 36:40), The Cattle Kingdom, 1860-1890 (McGraw-Hill: Interactive Maps) |