Homework One Answers - Student Five

1. Which Time period or periods in American History do you expect to enjoy studying the most? Why?

I would love to find out as much as possible about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, as well as Christopher Columbus (which I am sure I will be learning a great deal about). I'm also looking forward to discovering different cultures throughout American History.

2. When do you think Native Americans came here, and was it right for Europeans to settle here afterward?

I believe that Native Americans migrated to America shortly after the flood, all arriving from different places over the course of years, or even centuries. I don't believe they all came from just one place, or all at once. In my opinion, the Europeans had every right to settle. There was such a large amount of land that if they didn't, it would have been a shame [even if the land "essentially" belonged to the Native Americans].

3. Christopher Columbus: overrated, or not given enough credit? Explain.

Christopher Columbus was a very inspiring man, but I think he has been given too much credit. I think he should have been praised more for his sailing skills and perseverance, not so much as to "discovering America". There were many [sadly] under-rated explorers who should have been given much more credit for what they discovered, instead, Christopher Columbus gets almost all the credit. I would prefer hearing, in detail, about his experiences over sea.

4. True or false: the Puritans came to America in order to separate church from state (government). Explain.

True. They came to America to "purify" the Church and bring Christianity to a new place.

5. Why do you think Philadelphia became the most populated city in North America by the mid-1700s, and the second most populated city (after London) in the entire British Empire?

Because William Penn gave his people religious freedom, and many people were drawn to a colony where they could believe whatever they wanted.

6. Pick one of the questions or topics from the lecture, and explain your view. [Did Europeans have a right to explore North America?]

Of course they did. There were no written laws against it, plus.. someone had to explore it sooner or later. Of course, they took many risks in order to explore. First of all, the voyage itself was extremely dangerous. Food supplies could run out at any time, or people on the ship could become ill and spread disease. They also knew that they might run into natives. Even if some people think they didn't have the right to explore, I think they deserve credit for bravery.

Elise F.