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

– Email

– 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