AlexJohnson

Mr.Herrmann&Mr.Rutherford

APUSHistory

14July2015

TheAmericanPageant15thEdition

Ch.1:
Thoughts/Comments
:
Ienjoyhowtheauthorstartsthefirstchapterbyexplaininghowtheearthwasbornbillionsof
yearsagoand6,000yearsagowesterncivilizationwasborn,whichisaminuteingeological
time.Itputsthingsintoperspective.NativeAmericanshadneitherthedesirenormeansto
manipulatenatureaggressively.Theyreveredthephysicalworldandendowednaturewith
spiritualproperties.TheNativeAmericanpeoplehadadeeprespectandconnectionwiththe
earthunlikemostWesternpeopleatthetimeandevennowadays.Ifinditinterestingthat
ScandinavianswerethetruefoundersofNorthAmerica!Toooftenpeoplearemisinformedthat
Columbusfirstdiscoveredtheland.Itssadthatslaveryusedtobeapartofmanypeopleslives
hundredsofyearsago.Thesepracticeswerentquestionedbutmerelyjustawayoflife.The
diagramonpage14showsthattheoldworlddidmoreharmtothenewworldthangood.The
diseasesthattheEuropeansbroughtweredevastating.TheAztecmetropolisseemslikea
beautifulandwelldecoratedcivilization.UniversitiesofMexicoandLimabothestablishedin
1551,85yearsbeforeHarvard

Questions:
WhathappenedtothetechnologyoftheAztecandIncancivilizations?Whatwastheinteraction
likebetweendifferentnativeAmericanamericantribes?

Links:
Cahokiahttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/cahokia/hodgestext
ColumbianExchange
http://www.gilderlehrman.org/historybyera/americanindians/essays/columbianexchange
ExplainingMigrationtoNorthAmericaandGlaciers
http://www.athenapub.com/10Dixon.htm

Ch.2:
Thoughts:
InterestingthatCatholicsbattledProtestantsforsolongwhentheyareboththesamereligion
withthesameprinciples.TheEnglishfailedatcolonizationwhiletheSpanishtriumphed.
Englandwastoodense.Itneededlesspeopleinordertobesufficient.Jointstockcompanies
providedthefinancialmeansforenglishcolonization.Thecolonistswerenotinagoodposition.
Somehadtoresorttohorriblemeansofsurvival.Onehungryman,killed,salted,andatehis
wife(28).Diseasewasthebiggestdisruptorofthenativeamericans.Itevenwipedoutentire
cultures.IlikethatifatraderwantedtodobusinesswithIndians,hehadtoconformtotheir
ways,makingamiddleground.Marylandprosperedmainlybecauseitsabundanceoftobacco.
Onlytherichcouldsucceedinsugar.TheBarbadosSlaveCodewasinhumaneandhorribleto
treatanypersonthatway.InterestingthatricewastheprincipalexportcropinCarolina.

Questions:WhywouldthepeopleofMarylandkillthosethatwerentChristians?
WhywerethenewcomerstoNorthCarolinacalledsquatters?

Links:
http://www.understandingrace.org/history/gov/colonial_authority.html
http://www.history.com/topics/reformation
http://historicjamestowne.org/history/pocahontas/

Ch.3:
Thoughts:Calvinismbecamepopularamongmanynewsettlers.Idontlikethepointwhereit
sayspeoplearepredestinedtogotoheavenorhellandgoodworkscannotsavethem.The
conditionsontheMayflowerseemhorrible.TheseparatistpilgrimswerethePurestofthe
puritans.JohnCottondefendedthegovernmentsdutytoenforcereligiousrules.IrespectRoger
Williamsformakingachurchandfreedomofreligion.Horriblethatdiseasebroughtby
EuropeanskilledoftheIndianpopulation.NewEnglandConfederationwasformedin1643.
TheDutchRepublicbecamealeadingpower.InterestingthatNewYorkCityusedtobenamed
NewAmsterdam.Inthe1640s18differentlanguageswerebeingspokeninthestreetsofNew
York.Quakerswereextreme.Philadelphiameansbrotherlylove.BenFrankilwasfromthe
middlecolonies.

Questions:Whydid70,000peopleleaveMassachusetts?
Whatmadetheconnecticutriverexpansesofertile?
WhydidnttheKingofEnglandpayattentiontoAmericainitsearlyyears?

Links:
http://www.calvinistcorner.com/tulip.htm
http://www.ushistory.com/pages/h572.html

Ch.4:
Thoughts:ItscrazythatHalfthepeopleborninearlyVirginiaandMarylanddidntsurviveto
celebratetheir20thbirthday(60).TobaccowasahugepartofbusinessinearlyAmerica.
BaconsRebellionwassuppressedbutthetensionwasstillthere.Ithinkitishorrificthatmore
than7millionslaveswerebroughttothenewworldbetween15001860.Peopleweretaken
fromtheirnativehomesinAfrica,putonboatswithhorribleconditionswheremanydied,then
separatedfromtheirfamilywheretheyhadtoworkunderungodlycircumstances,oftenuntil
theirdeath,great.Theslavesinthesouthhaditharderthantheonesinthenorth.Iliketheway
theauthorputthis,Theoppressedblackslaves,ofcourse,remainedenchainedinsocietys
basement(70).ItshardtobelievethatWilliamPhipswasoneof27children,allfromthesame
mother!

Questions:
WhowasinchargeoftheslavesgoingtoSouthAmericaandMexico?
HowwerelivingconditionsforwomeninNewEngland?

Links:
http://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/baconsrebellion.htm
http://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/theroyalafricancompanysupplyingslavestoja
mestown.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p285.html