December 2007
First Period First period is working on Early America books and preparing for a final test on Thursday, 12/13. The outline for the book is given below. The book is due 12/18. here are all the details:
Early America Book
1 Title page Early American 13 star flag drawing
2 Table of Contents
3 Early America Essay 100 - 200 word, short, introductory essay.
4 The First Americans 200 - 400 word writing about Native Americans.
5 First Americans Map U.S. Map showing location of 20-30 well known tribes.
6 First Settlements 200 - 400 word writing on the first settlements in America.
7 Settlements Chart Chart showing origins of 15 early settlements. Get in class from Mr. Ratekin
8 Original Colonies 200 - 400 word writing on the establishment of the13 original colonies
9 Original Colonies Map Map showing New England, Middle and Southern colonies.
10 French and Indian Wars 200 - 400 word writing on French and Indian Wars.
11 “Concord Hymn” The poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
12 The Colonies Rebel Causes 200 - 400 word writing on the causes of the war.
13 “Declaration of Independence” Drawing, partial quote and short description.
14 American Revolution Battles 200-400 word writing with listing of major battles.
15 Self Evaluation This form is available in class
Early America Introductory Essay
(100-200 words- do not copy word for word,
read and write similar thoughts in your own words)
America: A name that has come to identify our nation of races, religions, philosophies and ambitions. We have been formed from a great “melting pot” of immigrants from all over the world. The development of the United States is an exciting and remarkable adventure story. Our forefathers developed a unique and “free”, democratic government.
In truth, the actualization of this freedom has come at a great cost, not only to those Americans who have suffered and died fighting for this new country and its ideals, but also the Native Americans, African Americans, different religious minorities and even women and children who have died or had to fight for their rights as our nation developed.
Still, even with our imperfections, thousands wish to enter our country every day to participate in the “American Dream”. Read on in my book about some of the events that shaped our “Early America”.
The First Americans
( 200 - 400 Words)
Each Roman Numeral below stands for a new paragraph followed by indications of the content for each paragraph.
I. First Americans were Indians, not their name but from Columbus, thought he was in W. Indies, they had names like Lenai Lenape (from Delaware tribe), which means “the original people”.
II. Where did they come from? Asians came over ice bridge thousands of years ago, natives developed and evolved all over the continent. What were some of their differences?
III. Different foods, different shelters because of where they migrated to. Different languages but there were some federations and joinings of tribes. Different approaches to peace and war. Some were more settled in villages and farmed, some were like wild nomads, following the buffalo, etc. Even with all these differences, what were some similarities?
IV, All believed in Spirit World with many Nature Deities. All believed the Earth was a living being. Most did not believe in ownership of land. There were universal sign languages that diverse tribes could all understand.
V. When the Europeans came, the old ways were threatened, friendly at first but as more and more immigrants came the Natives had to fight for their very survival. Lots of death, suffering, displacement and tragedy.
VI. What was some of the greater wisdom of the Native peoples? Can this country ever be truly great without incorporating and respecting this wisdom?
The First Settlements
(200 - 400 Words)
Each Roman Numeral below stands for a new paragraph followed by indications of the content for each paragraph.
I. First settlements were established by Spanish, English, French, Dutch and Swedish peoples. Came for religious freedom, business/monetary gain and personal gain, i.e. land.
II. Spain was first nation to settle and conquer parts of “New World”. Spaniards founded first city in what is now U.S. in 1565, St. Augustine, Florida. Catholic priests founded missions from South America to California, converted natives and used forced labor to build their churches. Communities sprung up around the missions, becoming Spanish settlements.
III. First English settlement in 1585. Sir Walter Raleigh sent settlers to Roanoke Island off the coast of North Carolina. Great mystery, settlement disappeared when supplies failed to arrive. Next expedition in 1590 found only the word “Croatoan” carved on the fort door post.
IV. First permanent settlement at Jamestown was nearly as ill-fated. In 1607, 105 settlers heaved their boats onto beaches of Jamestown Island. These are the stories of John Smith and Pocahantas. They could hardly have picked a worse site. The swampy island could grow little food and was a breeding ground for malaria ridden mosquitoes. Only 32 of the 105 survived first 7 months. By the 1630’s the settlers had survived Native attacks, malnutrition and disease to establish a permanent, money-making enterprise with tobacco.
V. Keeping the first settlement in New England going proved equally as hard. Half of the Pilgrims on the first Mayflower voyage perished, either on the way over, or during that first hard winter of 1620 . This settlement of Pilgrims did survive, (this is the origin of our Thanksgiving Day festival), but were soon absorbed by the Puritans, who, by 1642, had over 12,000 members settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, (close to what is now Boston).
VI. The French established their first settlement in Quebec in 1608. Though they would found communities all along the Mississippi,
(including New Orleans), they were mainly concerned with pursuing the fur trade with the Natives.
VII. The Dutch followed Henry Hudson’s discoveries in New York and later cooperated with Sweden to settle in Delaware. They were more tolerant than their northern neighbors and were leaders in business and trade.
First Settlements Chart
(won't format here - get in class from teacher)
Thirteen Colonies
(200 - 400 Words)
Each Roman Numeral below stands for a new paragraph followed by indications of the content for each paragraph.
I. Early 1600’s British King allowed companies and “proprietors” to establish Colonies. By the mid-1700’s most settlements had been divided into 13 Colonies. Each had a Governor and a legislature but ultimate control went to British Government.
II. New England Colonies included Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire in the far north. Puritans and Pilgrims were the founding pioneers... Life was centered in the small towns with strict rules for social conduct and “town meetings” to communicate and resolve issues. The early colonists here relied on farming but due to poor soil conditions and other natural resources it was not long before New Englanders started many small industries, including fishing, lumber and crafts. Church played an important role in the life of New Englanders.
III. The Middle Colonies of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania enjoyed the availability of large areas of previously cleared land and richer soil. Their farms were therefore larger and more profitable. Settlers did not so much live in towns here except for the large thriving seaports that eventually became huge business and trade centers like New York and Philadelphia. The Middle Colonies attracted a much more diverse group of immigrants, including those from Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Sweden and a whole new array of skills contributed to new manufacturing and crafts positions. This region had friendlier relations with the Natives and a greater tolerance for peoples striving to learn and grow together. Quakers , led by William Penn, developed much of Pennsylvania and contributed their ideas of peaceful negotiation and problem solving to others.
IV. The Southern colonies experienced a sharp contrast in pioneering styles. In the tidewater region of the South - the rich coastal plains where ocean tides swept up the rivers - a system of large plantations grew up in the 1600’s. In the forested backcountry, on the other hand, a society of small farmers emerged. The Chesapeake colonies of Virginia and Maryland produced large, wealthy plantations that grew tobacco. The men here created strong forms of early government, such as the “House of Burgesses”, and a very sophist-
icated style of culture. The backwoods hill farmers and pioneers deeply resented these wealthy “gentlemen farmers” and felt they were not fairly represented in the colonial governments. Farther south in Georgia and South Carolina, the plantations grew more rice and indigo. The need for slaves arose and the importing of indentured servants and slaves grew. The large plantation owners tended to be English, while the backwoods farmers were mainly German and Scots-Irish.
When we examine the roots of our future states it is fascinating to see our country’s strengths and weaknesses evident from the very beginning.
French and Indian Wars
(200 - 400 Words)
Each Roman Numeral below stands for a new paragraph followed by indications of the content for each paragraph.
I. The French and Indian Wars were not really battles between France and Native Americans but were a series of wars between England and France for domination of inland America and parts of Canada.
II. There were actually four wars fought from between 1689 to 1763. The first three started in Europe and spread to North America. They were called King William’s War (1689 -1697), Queen Anne’s War (1702 - 1713) and King George’s War (1744 -1748). The last war, which was actually called “The French and Indian War” (1754-1763), started in America and was the most important in ending French expansion in the New World.
III. France, England and Spain were fighting ferociously, not only in Europe but in North America, to see who the new world power would be. There were many grey areas in North America concerning boundaries and this was only complicated by the fact that Native American tribes had alliances and rivalries that went back for centuries. Some tribes fought with the French and some with England. As the populations in the colonies swelled with new arrivals the rich lands to the west became ever more attractive. The actual battles that were fought were numerous and books like “The Last of the Mohicans” can help give us a feel for those days. In the end, France lost, (until the Revolutionary War), all of its holdings in the new world. Because Spain had unwisely joined France, they lost Florida, but received the area known as the Louisiana Territory, west of the Mississippi, in return.
IV. Some of the interesting details of this last war include the bravery and brilliance of a young Virginian volunteering for the British. He was a good scout and moved up rapidly in rank. He learned valuable information about the geography and fighting styles of Europeans and natives in the French and Indian War; for instance, how easy it was for the Indians to pick off British soldiers in their bright , red uniforms. This information would come in handy during the American Revolution. You may have heard of this young officer. His name was George Washington. Another interesting result of this war was the transposing of thousands of French from Acadia, (modern day New Brunswick and Nova Scotia), to a safer French home in Louisiana. We know these people in modern times as Cajun residents of Louisiana. They have greatly influenced America with their music and food and spices.
Concord Hymn
Ralph Waldo Emerson was a key early American philosopher, poet and writer, particularly known for his appreciation of individualism, self-reliance and intuition. He wrote this poem, which was sung as a hymn at a July 4, 1837 ceremony to mark the completion of the Concord Monument, to immortalize the resistance of American Minutemen to British forces on April 19, 1775. The poem's phrase "shot heard round the world" is now internationally famous for its description of the philosophical importance of the American revolution. Copy the below poem into your book. You may want to add a small illustration and/or a few sentences from above.
Concord Hymn
(by Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882)
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
The Colonies Rebel
I. While the colonists tested their fighting abilities in The French and Indian Wars, their families and colleagues in the Thirteen colonies continued to thrive and grow. The British Crown had not paid much attention to strict governance of the Colonies and the Assemblies of each region had grown quite powerful. As the Wars with France and Spain came to resolution, England returned its attention to the Colonies in hopes of recouping its expenditures and paying for the necessary, continued protection of its interests in the New World. The Colonists, becoming used to their powers and freedoms, chafed at the new restrictions. Trouble was about to erupt!
II. The Proclamation Act of 1763, restricting the growth of American pioneers, and the Quartering Act of 1765, requiring colonists to pay for the housing of British troops, were were felt to be unfair and burdensome. But The Stamp Act of 1765, which required colonists to buy a revenue stamp on legal documents, newspapers, almanacs and playing cards, caused violent reactions by mobs in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. The Stamp Act was finally repealed but the Townshend Acts, which taxed lead, glass, paint, paper and tea were passed in 1767 and resulted in a boycott of these products by the colonists.
III. In 1770, a group of patriots harassed armed English soldiers at a Boston Custom’s House by pelting them with oyster shells and icy snowballs. Shots fired killed five colonists, including Crispus Attucks, a black man who had fled slavery to join the Navy. The “Boston Massacre” infuriated colonists and Samuel Adams formed the first “Committee of Correspondence” to communicate complaints and keep a watchful eye over the British.
IV. Though the Townshend Acts were repealed in 1770 in an attempt to calm the situation and end the boycott, a high tax remained on tea. An additional Tea Tax in 1773 infuriated Boston hotheads who dressed themselves as Natives and threw hundreds of chests of expensive tea overboard from ships in the harbor. King George III was furious and designed a series of measures to punish the colonists called the “Intolerable Acts”. Within months, on September 5, 1774, delegates from all thirteen colonies, except Georgia, met at the “First Continental Congress” to declare the Intolerable Acts null and void. Though they did attempt a form of reconciliation with a “Petition of Grievances” sent to the King, they also set an embargo on British goods and called on each colony to begin training soldiers. They agreed to meet again in May of the following year, but before that would happen, the fighting would already begin.
The Declaration of Independence
The following 3 components may be arranged in any order that makes sense to you. You may do them over 1-3 pages in your book.
1) In this entry draw or download a picture of the actual document or a drawing or painting of a scene connected to the writing or adoption of the Declaration.
2) Then, either handwrite or type, the following excerpt from the document;
We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; ........
3) This entry also needs to include a short description of what the “Declaration of Independence” was all about, i.e. that it was a document that showed that the colonists were breaking away from England and asserting that they had the license to do so by inherent rights granted to all human beings from the source of Creation. Some of the key figures like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson should be mentioned.
The Revolutionary War
I. The first actions on the Colony’s side of the Revolutionary War were reactions to the King’s Intolerable Acts. Patriots, as opposed to Loyalists who did not want violent trouble with England, began to form militias and store firearms. They formed groups known as “Minutemen”, - men ready to fight in a minute’s notice. The British forces were enlarged as feelings became more agitated. These forces were made up of wealthy, strict commanders governing large bodies of poor men and convicts. British forces had a long history of discipline run by men of prestige and wealth. The armies of the Colonies based their rank on ability and performance.
II. The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired on the greens of Lexington and Concord, following the famous ride of Paul Revere. He rode to warn the Minutemen of the coming of British troops. The British overpowered the lesser forces of militia and burned down key buildings storing arms but were harassed and assaulted on their return to Boston, suffering many casualties from the guerrilla style warfare of the Colonists. The English were enraged, the Colonists were no less furious. The war was begun! Following are the major events of the Revolutionary War.
April 1775 The first shots are fired at Lexington and Concord.
May 1775 The Green Mountain Boys of Virginia surprise the British at Ticonderoga, steal badly needed cannon and force the first surrender of the war by a British officer.
June 1775 In the battles of Bunker and Breed’s Hill(s), colonial militia are ousted from their position overlooking Boston harbor, but the British suffer twice the losses of the colonists.
July 1775 Using the Ticonderoga canon, George Washington forces the British out of Boston, but the British, under General Howe, attack New York in
August 1776 When Washington with 20,000 men attempted to block Howe, the more experienced British troops routed the Americans. Only a desperate retreat saves the colonists. At this point it looks like they will lose the war.
December 76 In a brilliant sneak attack, Washington crosses the Delaware and captures a fort of Hessians in Trenton. He then quickly captures Princeton as well, giving the troops much needed supplies and hope.
October 77 British plans to isolate New England are thwarted when “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne has to surrender to General Gates at Saratoga, New York. At the same time Benjamin Franklin is in Paris, trying to persuade the French to help the colonies. Victory news from Saratoga helps convince the French who will now ship soldiers and supplies to the colonies. This could be the turning point of the war.
Winter 77/78 Washington’s men suffer severe hardship at Valley Forge. Over 2,500 die of starvation or disease.
February 79 George Rogers Clark captures Ft. Vincennes in the West, virtually ending British control of the frontier.
Late 78 - May 80 The British are winning in the south as they first capture Savannah, Georgia, then Charleston, S.C.
September/October 81 The war is ended with a fantastic victory at Yorktown. Lafayette and the French Navy help mastermind a strategy that leaves British troops trapped on the peninsula at Yorktown. Cornwallis is forced to surrender, ending the war.
Book Evaluation Form
(won't format here - get in class from teacher)
December (continued ) Block Classes
All block classes are working on Poetry. The overview for the block and the book requirements are below:
Poetry
12/3 - 12/18 Ratekin
Introduction: Welcome to our first English block, Poetry. We will explore poetry and short, imaginative, descriptive prose. You will read and study some very great poems as well as try your hand at original compositions. You will also be asked to recite a self-chosen poem and complete an individual poetry book. There will be a short final quiz at the end of the block. We will have mini lessons on style, rhythm and form as we go through the block. Here are the specifics:
Block Requirements: Block Book This self made book will feature three (due 12/18) sections; wish, wonder and surprise.
Each section will require:
3 original poems
3 poems from classmates
3 published poems.
The poems should be carefully written and chosen to fit the theme of that section.
Recitation Each student will be required to recite
(performed 12/11 - 12/15) a well known poem of their choosing.
All selections need teacher pre-approval. Original poems may be recited for extra credit.
Final Quiz Short quiz testing knowledge of terms
(12/15) and concepts presented in the block.
Grade Criteria:
Block Book 100 points
Recitation 50 points
Final Quiz 50 points
Total 200 points
Further Explanation for Original Poems
As you know you are to write a minimum of three poetic entries in each of the following categories; Wish, Wonder and Surprise. The poems can be of any length but if you write very short poems you may wish to do four or five poems to show your teacher that you are not trying to avoid work, but that you simply enjoy shorter writings. Actually, many of our greatest poems are quite short. Remember, it is the insight, choice of words/images and rhythms that make a poem high quality.
Wish These poems are about hopes, dreams and desires. They can be serious or humorous, about world peace or a delicious hot dog. At least one of your three originals should address a real, thoughtful aspiration for yourself or others.
Wonder These poems are filled with wonder, awe and amazement. You may comment on an incredible aspect of nature, or simply contemplate why your younger sister drives you crazy. Why questions are appropriate here, as well as deep ponderings. You might be inspired by a real event that happened to you like the first time you saw the Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore or a new snowfall. I know this does not always come easily, but I am sure you can find a “wondrous” moment in your life if you really think about it.
Surprise These poems are humorous, have a surprise ending or a weird twist. e.e. cummings likes to write poems that cause us to take a step back and re-examine the “rules” of poetry. Any fun, strange or surprising poem can fit here.
You may want to grab one of the self-evaluation sheets at the front of the room to show yourself and your parents the grading criteria for the books. Have Fun!!
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