Changes

[[American History Lecture One|Lecture]] - [[American_History_Homework_One|Questions]] - [[American History Homework One Answers|Student Answers]]

[[American History Lecture One|Lecture]] - [[American_History_Homework_One|Questions]] - [[American History Homework One Answers|Student Answers]]

Welcome to "American history," also known as "United States history."  This is the story of everything.  It is a much broader topic than "American government," as this course includes all of culture and intellectual thought and activities.  It addresses the many unsolved mysteries of who we are, and why.  Why do we speak English rather than Spanish?  Why is the United States the most prosperous society in the history of the world?  Be prepared to ask many questions, and look for the answers until you find them.

Welcome to "American history," also known as "United States history."  This topic is much broader topic than "American government"; this course includes all of culture and intellectual thought and activities.  It addresses the many unsolved mysteries of who we are, and why.  Why do we speak English rather than Spanish?  Why is the United States the most prosperous society in the history of the world?  Be prepared to ask many questions, and look for the answers until you find them.

Politics is about the future, while history is about the past.  But learning the past can give us insights into where we are going in the future.  Studying history helps us understand ourselves better, and can inspire and guide us to greater achievement.  When we learn that Thomas Edison invented the phonograph (music player) even though he was mostly deaf, then we can strive to do more with the talents and abilities God gave us.

Politics is about the future, while history is about the past.  But learning the past can give us insights into where we are going in the future.  Studying history helps us understand ourselves better, and can inspire and guide us to greater achievement.  When we learn that Thomas Edison invented the phonograph (music player) even though he was mostly deaf, then we can strive to do more with the talents and abilities God gave us.

Some old mounds reflecting Indian settlements in the territory which is now the United States of America have been discovered, such as the Adena burial mounds and Mississippian platform towns.<ref>Melissa L. Meyer, Dean R. Snow, Charles L. Cohen, Russell Thornton, Donald A. Grinde Jr., Leah Dilworth "Indian History and Culture"  The Oxford Companion to United States History. Paul S. Boyer, ed. Oxford University Press 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  University of Tampa.  4 August 2008  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t119.e0758-s0002></ref>  The [[Cahokia Mounds]] in Southern Illinois (just east of [[St. Louis]]) reflect an Indian community dating back as early as A.D. 1000 or 1100.<ref>http://www.cahokiamounds.com/mystery_01.html</ref>  That community practiced human sacrifice, as did the [[Aztecs]] and [[Mayans]] in [[Mesoamerica]] (Mexico and Central America) and the [[Incas]] in [[South America]] prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquerors.

Some old mounds reflecting Indian settlements in the territory which is now the United States of America have been discovered, such as the Adena burial mounds and Mississippian platform towns.<ref>Melissa L. Meyer, Dean R. Snow, Charles L. Cohen, Russell Thornton, Donald A. Grinde Jr., Leah Dilworth "Indian History and Culture"  The Oxford Companion to United States History. Paul S. Boyer, ed. Oxford University Press 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  University of Tampa.  4 August 2008  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t119.e0758-s0002></ref>  The [[Cahokia Mounds]] in Southern Illinois (just east of [[St. Louis]]) reflect an Indian community dating back as early as A.D. 1000 or 1100.<ref>http://www.cahokiamounds.com/mystery_01.html</ref>  That community practiced human sacrifice, as did the [[Aztecs]] and [[Mayans]] in [[Mesoamerica]] (Mexico and Central America) and the [[Incas]] in [[South America]] prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquerors.

When talking about Indian cultures, it is important not to clump all Indian Peoples into one "American Indian".  The Indians in what is now the USA were a diverse selection of cultures, which included [[nomads]] from the middle of the US, settled colonies in the North West Coast, with rich and developed systems of religion and property ownership, and Eastern tribes with large townships, formal treaties, and fully established governmental systems.   Though many, if not most tribes, did not have a formal monetary systems, the Cherokee and the Iroquois Nations had established monetary systems.  None of the tribes of the North American continent had any formal writing systems. The Indians did introduce [[tobacco]] and [[corn]] to Europeans, and they became widely popular back in Europe.  Europeans also brought new things to the Indians, such as horses and guns.

When talking about Indian cultures, keep in mind that the Indians in what is now the United States were a diverse selection of cultures, which included [[nomads]] from the Great Plains in the Midwest, more settled colonies in the West, and quasi-governmental systems with formal treaties among the Eastern tribes. Most tribes did not have a formal monetary systems, but the Cherokee and the Iroquois Nations did have business transactions.  None of the tribes of the North American continent had any formal writing systems. The Indians did introduce [[tobacco]] and [[corn]] to Europeans, and they became widely popular back in Europe.  Europeans also brought new things to the Indians, such as horses and guns.

Archaeological and historical evidence obtained in the 20th century showed that the Vinland colony, established around A.D. 1000 by the Viking [[Leif Ericson]], was on the island now known as [[Newfoundland]], in the far east of Canada.  There is limited physical evidence of the colony and it is not known what eventually happened to it. It did not last long and there is no sign of any Viking colony in what is now the United States.<ref>"People have been looking hard for hundreds of years and there is no archaeological evidence in this part [New England]— it's certainly possible, the Vikings were incredible boat handlers — '''but there is no evidence'''," observed one university history professor.[http://farshores.org/a04viki.htm]</ref>.

A claim that first began in the 20th century is that a Vinland colony, established around A.D. 1000 by the Viking [[Leif Ericson]], was on the island now known as [[Newfoundland]], in the far east of Canada.  There is limited physical evidence of the colony and it is not known what eventually happened to it. The colony, if it did exist, did not last long, and there is no sign of any Viking colony in what is now the United States.<ref>"People have been looking hard for hundreds of years and there is no archaeological evidence in this part [New England]— it's certainly possible, the Vikings were incredible boat handlers — '''but there is no evidence'''," observed one university history professor.[http://farshores.org/a04viki.htm]</ref>.

'''Exam note''': there are no more than a few questions about the Pre-Columbian (prior to Christopher Columbus) period on any American history exam.

'''Exam note''': there are no more than a few questions about the Pre-Columbian (prior to Christopher Columbus) period on any American history exam.

'''Question: when do you think Native Americans first settled North America?'''

'''Questions: when do you think Native Americans first settled North America?  Do you think the Vikings had a colony in Newfoundland?'''

== Exploration (Columbian Period) ==

== Exploration (Columbian Period) ==

Each of these College Board exams can be taken as often as one likes, though it is difficult to take the AP exam more than once because it is offered only once a year, and it is expensive to retake the CLEP exam.  The SAT II, which is cheaper, is the easiest to take more than once and colleges look only at the highest score.

Each of these College Board exams can be taken as often as one likes, though it is difficult to take the AP exam more than once because it is offered only once a year, and it is expensive to retake the CLEP exam.  The SAT II, which is cheaper, is the easiest to take more than once and colleges look only at the highest score.

There is absolutely no requirement to take any of these College Board exams as part of this course, and references to the exams are used more as a way of helping you see the "big picture," as in how much time should be spent on a particular period or historical topic.  Our class has only two required, multiple-choice exams:  a midterm and a final.  This course will help students improve their test-taking skills on multiple-choice exams.  We will have weekly homework assignments consisting of short-answer questions.

Our class has only two required, multiple-choice exams:  a midterm and a final, and weekly homework assignments.

== References ==

== References ==