Download - History & Culture
History & Culture
Main Idea The United States is the world's first modern
democracy The people and culture of the United States
are very diverse.
Big Idea
Democratic ideas and immigration have shaped history and culture of the U.S.
First Democracy
Native Americans Christopher Columbus 1492 Europeans
American Colonies
Colonies 1500's Created by Europeans Colony: a territory inhabited and controlled by
people from a foreign land. British Empire 1700's
Boston New York
seaports
Colonies
Plantation A large farm that grows mainly one crop Tobacco, cotton, rice
Enslaved Africans worked plantation
1776 July Declaration of Independence
British Revolutionary War Fought against Britain
defeated them in 1781
Independence
U.S gains Independence Land east of the Mississippi Expanded west
Pioneers: first settlers that traveled west Oregon Trail 2000 miles Lack of food water (scarce) Searching for gold
California
Expansion
Growth in Population Economy
Steel, oil, textiles or clothing Waterways & railroads Immigration increased 1800-1900's
Creating cultural diversity
Wars & Peace
• Many wars
– 1900's
– World War I
– World War II
– Cold War
– Korea 1950's
– Vietnam 1960's
– Persian Gulf
– Iraq 2003-2010
U.S.
• Member of the United Nation
– 190 countries
Government
• Democratic Government
• Constitutional Federal Republic with strong democratic traditions
– Based on constitution• Federal
– President & congress
• local
Rights & Responsibilities
• Vote
• Active role in government
– Call
– Write
– Lobby
– Run for office
– campaign
Diversity of the U.S
• Many language
• Many religions
• customs
Ethnic Groups
• Native Americans
• African Americans
• Hispanic Americans
• Asian Americans
Language
• English
– Bilingual : people who speak 2 languages
• Spanish (17 million people)
• French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Navajo
Religion
• Christian Christmas & Easter
• Judaism Hanukkah, Yom Kippur
• Muslim Ramadan
• Hindu
• Buddhist
Foods & Music
• Influenced from all over the world
– What types of food can you think of?
Popular Culture
• Movies
• Television
• Starbucks
• MTV
