Early America: Part I

The first Americans came from Asia thousands of years ago then moved south into the land that was to become the United States

These early Native Americans included Hohokam, Adenans, Hopewellians, and Anasazi.

They grew crops and built complex villages, some included mounds of earth in

the shapes of pyramids, birds, or serpents.

Their society was clan-oriented and communal and emphasized elements of the natural world

Some developed hieroglyphs

Trade and hostilities among the groups was common

Eventually new groups like the Hopi and Zuni replaced the early ones

The first Europeans in the US were Norse who, led by Erik the Red, came to North America around AD 985 but soon left and knowledge of

America was lost in Europe for 500 years

Early America: Part I Quiz:

1. Describe how the first people came to America.

2. What does the work of art below tell us about Native American beliefs:

3. Create your own hieroglyph for the word History?

1. Early America: Part II

In 1492 Columbus landed in the New World on a mission

for Spain to find a water route to Asia and more Spanish explorers followed

Ponce de León reached Florida in 1513

De Soto reached the Mississippi River in 1539

Coronado, in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola reached the Grand Canyon and the Great Plains in 1540

Spain established the first permanent European settlement in what was to become the US in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida

While the Spanish explored the south, other Europeans like Amerigo Vespucci explored the north

Early America: Part II Quiz

1. What was Ponce de Leon looking for in Florida?

2. What was the first permanent European settlement in what was to become the US?

3. Who is America named after?

2. Colonial Period

British businessmen founded Jamestown in 1607 and Pilgrims founded Plymouth in

1620 for political, religious, and economic opportunities

Black Africans arrived as slaves

By 1750, there were 2.5 million colonists in 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast that largely governed themselves

Economically, the New England colonies (MA, CT, RI) were based on wood products, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.

The Middle colonies (NY, PA) were based on industry and agriculture

The Southern colonies (VA, GA, the Carolinas) were based on agricultural with small farms

and big plantations worked by African slaves

As settlements expanded, Native Americans were forced to move

1. For what THREE kinds of opportunities were the colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth founded?

2. How many colonies were there by 1750?

3. In which region did most of the African slaves work?

3. Road to Independence Part I

Britain’s 13 American colonies grew and continued to govern themselves

Then Britain defeated France in the French and Indian War

(1754-1763) and gained more land in America and began imposing new laws on the colonists

The Proclamation Line of 1763 limited where colonists could settle

The Sugar Act of 1764 taxed luxury goods to help pay for the war

The Quartering Act of 1765 forced colonists to “quarter” royal troops

The Stamp Act of 1765 required royal stamps for all documents

Road to Independence Part I Quiz

1. List 4 British laws the colonists objected to.

3. Road to Independence Part II

Colonists objected that they were being denied their right to self-government and most of the new laws were repealed

But in 1773 the British put a tax on tea and the Sons of

Liberty led by Sam Adams dumped British tea into Boston Harbor

To punish the colonists, the British passed the Intolerable Acts which severely limited colonial self-government.

The colonies sent representatives to the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia in September 1774 to decide what to do

They began stockpiling weapons and mobilizing forces in case war broke out