Changes

There are other possible themes also.  How about the desire to make more money, or make some money?  How about the urge for self-government, to be in charge of oneself free from a monarchy?  How about the advance of technology and its affect on how we live?  There are many possible themes to American history and we will have fun debates about them.

There are other possible themes also.  How about the desire to make more money, or make some money?  How about the urge for self-government, to be in charge of oneself free from a monarchy?  How about the advance of technology and its affect on how we live?  There are many possible themes to American history and we will have fun debates about them.

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From 1789 until today, we have had an American President.  He is not more important than others.  If I had to name the ten most important Americans in history, I would only include one president in the list (the first one, [[George Washington]]).  But memorizing the list of 43 presidents can help you organize all the other facts.  When someone asks me what was happening in 1962, then I think of who was president and then remember the issues of that time.  The presidents become like a drawer, one per president, filled with issues and events.

From 1789 until today, we have had an American President.  He is not more important than others.  If I had to name the ten most important Americans in history, I would only include one president in the list (the first one, [[George Washington]]).  But memorizing the list of 43 presidents can help you organize all the other facts.  When someone asks me what was happening in 1962, then I think of who was president and then remember the issues of that time.  The presidents become like drawers, one per president, filled with issues and events.

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But before 1789 there was no president.  How are we going to organize that?  One way is to focus on the three most important colonies, [[Virginia]] (1607), [[Massachusetts]] (1620) and [[Pennsylvania]] (1681), and relate the other 11 colonies and events to them.  Another way is to look at the battles that occurred before the [[American Revolution]], such as the [[French and Indian War]] in 1754-60.

But before 1789 there was no president.  How are we going to organize that?  One way is to focus on the three most important colonies, [[Virginia]] (1607), [[Massachusetts]] (1620) and [[Pennsylvania]] (1681), and relate the other 11 colonies and events to them.  Another way is to look at the battles that occurred before the [[American Revolution]], such as the [[French and Indian War]] in 1754-60.

Don’t try to memorize hundreds of dates.  Instead, when you see a date, think what happened before and after it.  There are only about ten dates that you need to know.  All other dates, such as those in the event list, are there just for the purpose of ordering events.  For example, no one will ask you when Georgia was founded as a colony.  But you may be asked whether it was the first or last colony founded.  (It was the last colony established.)  Another example:  [[Quebec]] was founded in 1608.  Don’t remember the 1608, but remember that Quebec was founded one year after [[Jamestown]] was established (1607 – one of the few dates you should memorize!)

Don’t try to memorize hundreds of dates.  Instead, when you see a date, think what happened before and after it.  There are only about ten dates that you need to know.  All other dates, such as those in the event list, are there just for the purpose of ordering events.  For example, no one will ask you when Georgia was founded as a colony.  But you may be asked whether it was the first or last colony founded.  (It was the last colony established.)  Another example:  [[Quebec]] was founded in 1608.  Don’t remember the 1608, but remember that Quebec was founded one year after [[Jamestown]] was established (1607 – one of the few dates you should memorize!)

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If you have a good memory, then memorize the facts.  If you have a poor memory, then focus on the trends and movements in history.  This course gives you four different ways to learn the material:  (1) the lectures, (2) Conservapedia, (3) the event list and (4) the homework assignments.  Different students will learn better from some approaches than others.  It’s your job to find what works best for you.  At the end your progress will be measured by multiple choice exams.

If you have a good memory, then memorize the facts.  If memorization is difficult for you, then focus on the trends and movements in history.  This course gives you four different ways to learn the material:  (1) the lectures, (2) Conservapedia, (3) the event list and (4) the homework assignments.  Different students will learn better from some approaches than others.  It’s your job to find what works best for you.  At the end your progress will be measured by multiple choice exams.

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This class is a different approach to American history than most courses that take all year.  Learning in a simple and quick manner can sometimes be better.  It’s easier to see how events relate to each other.  It’s easier to see the big picture.  When you want to find your way somewhere, do you want a road map that has every single detail and building on it?  No, that is too hard to read.  You want a map that has the important things on it.  Same with studying history:  don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked by unimportant details.  Focus on the big stuff.

This class is a different approach to American history than most courses that take all year.  Learning in a simple and quick manner can sometimes be better.  It’s easier to see how events relate to each other.  It’s easier to see the big picture.  When you want to find your way somewhere, do you want a road map that has every single detail and building on it?  No, that is too hard to read.  You want a map that has the important things on it.  Same with studying history:  don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked by unimportant details.  Focus on the big stuff.

<b>Exploration</b>

<b>Exploration</b>

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Europeans began to expand their horizons – literally.  They fought the Holy [[Crusades]] from 1095 to 1291 to protect Christian pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]] against Moslem attacks.  Europeans wanted to expand the world of Christianity, and spread the [[Gospel]].  Meanwhile, European science and geography continued to advance, such that they knew they could reach the Orient by sailing West around the world.

Starting in the Middle Ages, Europeans began to expand their horizons – literally.  They fought the Holy [[Crusades]] from 1095 to 1291 to protect Christian pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]] against Moslem attacks.  Europeans wanted to expand the world of Christianity, and spread the [[Gospel]].  Meanwhile, European science and geography continued to advance, such that they knew they could reach the Orient by sailing West around the world.

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About 1000 A.D., the Scandinavian [[Leif Ericson]] discovered [[Vinland]], which is probably present [[New England]], and founded a small colony that failed.  Nothing further came of that effort.  Because this exploration amounted to nothing, it is not particularly significant.

About 1000 A.D., the Scandinavian [[Leif Ericson]] discovered [[Vinland]], which is probably present [[New England]], and founded a small colony that failed.  Nothing further came of that effort.  Because this exploration amounted to nothing, it is not particularly significant.

North America was a joke to many in England.  Its Parliament passed a law in 1597 authorizing the deportations of convicted criminals to America and other colonies.  In 1605, a satirical book entitled “Eastward Ho!” was published that mocked attempts to settle in Virginia.

North America was a joke to many in England.  Its Parliament passed a law in 1597 authorizing the deportations of convicted criminals to America and other colonies.  In 1605, a satirical book entitled “Eastward Ho!” was published that mocked attempts to settle in Virginia.

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Think about it.  Would your family uproot and move, at great risk to your lives, to a place that had no civilization or anything of value?  Do we see families moving to the middle of the desert in Arizona, or to cheap land in the middle of Wyoming?  No.

Think about it.  Would your family uproot and move, at great risk to your lives, to a place that had no civilization or anything of value?  Do we see families moving to the middle of the desert in Arizona, or to cheap land in the middle of Wyoming?  Only very rarely.

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England’s first settlement of North America was in 1585, on [[Roanoke Island]] in Virginia.  More than 100 families settled there.  In a few years they had all disappeared, and it’s a mystery to this day what happened.  They could have died from disease or starvation.  They could have been killed by Indians.  No one knows.  It’s called the “[[Lost Colony]].”

England’s first settlement of North America was in 1585, on [[Roanoke Island]] in Virginia.  More than 100 families settled there.  In a few years they had all disappeared, and it’s a mystery to this day what happened.  They could have died from disease or starvation.  They could have been killed by Indians.  No one knows.  It’s called the “[[Lost Colony]].”

<b>Settlements</b>

<b>Settlements</b>

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Some Englishmen invested money in what was called a “[[joint stock company]],” which was similar to a modern-day corporation, for the purpose of finding gold or other treasures.  Called the “[[Virginia Company]],” it established the first permanent settlement for England in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.  It was a disaster and the investors never received a profit.  The settlers lacked a common purpose and wasted their time searching for treasure, or simply doing nothing at all.  They almost starved to death.

Some Englishmen invested money in what was called a “[[joint stock company]],” which was similar to a modern-day corporation, for the purpose of finding gold or other treasures.  Called the “[[Virginia Company]],” it established the first permanent settlement for England in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.  It was a disaster and the investors never received a profit.  The men who settled in Jamestown were gentlemen who expected to get rich with little effort.  They lacked a common purpose and wasted their time searching for treasure, or simply doing nothing at all.  Unwilling to work to grow their own food, they almost starved to death.

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1607 is one of the few dates you should memorize.  This was after the Spanish had settled in Florida, but before the French had settled in Quebec.  So remember the sequence:  Spanish, English, and then French.

'''1607''' is one of the few dates you should memorize.  This was after the Spanish had settled in Florida, but before the French had settled in Quebec.  So remember the sequence:  Spanish, English, and then French.

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Initially, from 1607-1608, the Jamestown settlement lived under socialism, whereby the group shared its food with everyone no matter how much or little he worked.  This economic system was a complete failure as no one had any incentive to do any work.  In September 1608, [[John Smith]] was elected president of the governing council.  He ruled for a year and installed a conservative economic system:  “don’t work, don’t eat!”  Under this new system, food production increased and by 1614 there was plenty to eat.

Initially, from 1607-1608, the Jamestown settlement lived under socialism, whereby the group shared its food with everyone no matter how much or little he worked.  This economic system was a complete failure as no one had any incentive to do any work.  In September 1608, [[John Smith]] was elected president of the governing council.  He ruled for a year and installed a conservative economic system:  “don’t work, don’t eat!”  Under this new system, food production increased and by 1614 there was plenty to eat.

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But Jamestown settlers were there to find fortune, and there was not any gold or silver.  Indians had discovered tobacco and Europeans were beginning to become addicted on it.  Many Europeans recognized that tobacco was bad for them, and some wanted to prohibit it.  In 1613, Englishman [[John Rolfe]], who married the Indian [[Pocahontas]] in Virginia, began growing tobacco to export to Europe.  The King banned the growing of tobacco in England, so Rolfe had no competition.  Cash began pouring in for the tobacco, and this so-called “cash crop” became highly profitable for the Jamestown settlers.

But Jamestown settlers were there to find fortune, and there was not any gold or silver.  Indians had discovered tobacco and Europeans were beginning to become addicted on it.  Many Europeans recognized that tobacco was bad for them, and some wanted to prohibit it.  In 1613, Englishman [[John Rolfe]], who married the Indian [[Pocahontas]] in Virginia, began growing tobacco to export to Europe.  The King banned the growing of tobacco in England, so Rolfe had no competition.  Cash began pouring in for the tobacco, and this so-called “cash crop” became highly profitable for the Jamestown settlers.  Tobacco continued to be very profitable throughout a large part of American history, particularly in the south.

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Despite profiting from the sale of tobacco, the Jamestown settlement had other difficulties.  It had made peace with Indian [[Chief Powhatan]], whose daughter Pocahontas married settler [[John Rolfe]].  But after Powhatan died, his brother led a sudden attack on the settlers in 1622, massacring 357 out of a total of only 1200.

Despite profiting from the sale of tobacco, the Jamestown settlement had other difficulties.  It had made peace with Indian [[Chief Powhatan]], whose daughter Pocahontas married settler [[John Rolfe]].  But after Powhatan died, his brother led a sudden attack on the settlers in 1622, massacring 357 out of a total of only 1200.

But Indian strife was only one of many problems.  Labor was in short supply for working the fields.  Settlers began importing indentured servants, who received free travel to the colonies in exchange for a promise to work for seven years.  But Virginia also turned to a cheaper approach to labor: importing slaves from West Africa beginning in 1619 to work the crops.   

But Indian strife was only one of many problems.  Labor was in short supply for working the fields.  Settlers began importing indentured servants, who received free travel to the colonies in exchange for a promise to work for seven years.  But Virginia also turned to a cheaper approach to labor: importing slaves from West Africa beginning in 1619 to work the crops.   

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In 1624 King James (of “King James Bible” fame) took back the Virginia colony and established it as a royal charter.  King James was left with a problem colony that enslaved workers and grew tobacco.  More trouble lied ahead.  In 1676, Nathanial Bacon was a Virginia settler who decided to take the law into his own hands.  He first massacred Indians in western Virginia, then took his small army of rebels to Jamestown, where he burned it down because the governor had refused to allow him to kill the Indians.  Bacon himself soon died from a disease.  The governor returned and hung two dozen of his supporters.  How Virginia produced four of our first five presidents is amazing.  You can think about this and answer on the homework assignment.   

In 1624 King James (of “King James Bible” fame) took back the Virginia colony and established it as a royal charter.  King James was left with a problem colony that enslaved workers and grew tobacco.  More trouble lay ahead.  In 1676, Nathanial Bacon was a Virginia settler who decided to take the law into his own hands.  He first massacred Indians in western Virginia, then took his small army of rebels to Jamestown, where he burned it down because the governor had refused to allow him to kill the Indians.  Bacon himself soon died from a disease.  The governor returned and hung two dozen of his supporters.  How Virginia produced four of our first five presidents is amazing.  You can think about this and answer on the homework assignment.   

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By then there were many other settlements in North America.  The most important were two settlements in Massachusetts, which has a much harsher climate than Virginia, particularly in the wintertime.  But their motivation was religious, not financial.  Puritans were unhappy with the direction of the Church of England, feeling it was too much like the Catholic Church.  Two different groups of Puritans set out for North America.  One group wanted to purify the Church of England by remaining in the Church but in a more perfect community.  The other group wanted to separate completely from the Church of England.  Both groups landed by chance within 100 miles of each other in Massachusetts.

By then there were many other settlements in North America.  The most important were two settlements in Massachusetts, which has a much harsher climate than Virginia, particularly in the wintertime.  But their motivation was religious, not financial.  Puritans were unhappy with the direction of the Church of England, feeling it was too much like the Catholic Church.  Two different groups of Puritans set out for North America.  One group wanted to purify the Church of England by remaining in the Church but in a more perfect community.  The other group wanted to separate completely from the Church of England.  Both groups landed by chance within 100 miles of each other in Massachusetts.

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The first group, the “Pilgrims”, set sail from Plymouth, England and intended to land near the mouth of the Hudson River (now New York City), which was the northern part of the Virginia Company’s territory.  But their ship, the “Mayflower”, was blown off course and they landed up on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 1620.  Outside of any official government, they decided on the boat to establish the first civil government in North America by signing the Mayflower Compact.  They landed in December, and half died due to disease in their first New England winter.  But the following spring a friendly Indian introduced them to corn, or maize, the marvelous food discovered by Indians.  They had a plentiful harvest that fall, and celebrated their first Thanksgiving with the Indians that fall.  In 1623, their new Governor [[William Bradford]] gave every member a plot of land and allowed the free market to develop.  By 1624, the community was doing so well that it was actually making more food than it could consume and began exporting its corn.

The first group, the “Pilgrims”, set sail from Plymouth, England and intended to land near the mouth of the Hudson River (now New York City), which was the northern part of the Virginia Company’s territory.  But their ship, the “Mayflower”, was blown off course and they landed up on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 1620.  Outside of any official government, they decided on the boat to establish the first civil government in North America by signing the Mayflower Compact.  They landed in December, and half died due to disease in their first New England winter.  But the following spring a friendly Indian introduced them to corn, or maize, the marvelous food discovered by Indians.  They had a plentiful harvest that fall, and celebrated their first Thanksgiving with the Indians that fall.  In 1623, their new Governor [[William Bradford]] gave every member a plot of land and allowed the free market to develop.  By 1624, the community was doing so well that it was actually making more food than it could consume and began exporting its corn.  [[William Bradford]] and [[Edward Winslow]] kept diaries during the settling of Plymouth, which are recorded in a small, but fascinating book called ''Mourt's Relation''.

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Corn is a tremendous contribution by Indians to the world that increasingly sustains peoples worldwide.  Cheap and easy to grow, corn has become one of the most popular foods worldwide, rivaling rice and soybeans.  For that we can thank the Indians.

Corn is a tremendous contribution by Indians to the world that increasingly sustains peoples worldwide.  Corn did not exist in Europe during the Middle Ages.  Cheap and easy to grow, corn has become one of the most popular foods worldwide, rivaling rice and soybeans.  For that we can thank the Indians.

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Encouraged by the success of the Pilgrims, a new groups called the [[Massachusetts Bay Company]] obtained a royal charter and sent a larger group of Puritans to settle in New England, though this time with the purpose of purifying the [[Church of England]] with a more perfect community than in England itself.  It was well-financed and led by the very capable [[John Winthrop]], who had been trained at Oxford.  It landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629 and immediately moved to Boston Harbor.  It never looked back, thriving almost immediately despite the harsh winter climate.  Within five years the [[Great Migration]] of religiously motivated settlers followed them from England.  Their numbers and power grew.  By the 1640s, the community was participating in robust trade by sea with England, the West Indies and on occasion West Africa.

Encouraged by the success of the Pilgrims, a new groups called the [[Massachusetts Bay Company]] obtained a royal charter and sent a larger group of Puritans to settle in New England, though this time with the purpose of purifying the [[Church of England]] with a more perfect community than in England itself.  It was well-financed and led by the very capable [[John Winthrop]], who had been trained at Oxford.  It landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629 and immediately moved to Boston Harbor.  It never looked back, thriving almost immediately despite the harsh winter climate.  Within five years the [[Great Migration]] of religiously motivated settlers followed them from England.  Their numbers and power grew.  By the 1640s, the community was participating in robust trade by sea with England, the West Indies and on occasion West Africa.