Wednesday, May 10, 2017

American History Study Notes Throughout the Semester *incomplete*

·      Preface
o   The Yoruba people are from an ancient society in West Africa. Their saying is, “However far the stream flows, it never forgets it source.” The Yoruba people find history very important.
·      An Iroquois View
o   Ed Edmo
o   Iroquois homeland is basically present day New York state
o   Ed Edmo tells story of the creation of the Earth
§  This story isn’t American history, but it is a part of Iroquois religious history
·      Cahokia
o   Present day missouri
o   City with 40,000 people
o   800 AD – 1400 AD
o   Classes
o   Religion – sun
o   Farming (hoe) [archaeological find that demonstrates the existence of farming and agriculture]
o   Rec & leisure
·      Landing in North America
o   For 12,000 – 40,000 years, or “always” people inhabited North America
o   In 1492, a new group, from across the sea, made a permanent landing
§  The story of America would be forever changed when Columbus and the Europeans made a permanent landing
·      1492-1600; Bringing “civilization” to a “New World”
o   There was already some civilization, and we know this because of leftover buildings and because of tools that we found.
·      Christopher Columbus
o   We don’t believe everything that he says because he’s coming into America with a European bias
§  mid-west vs Connecticut example
o   Did they actually have no creed? No religion?
§  No, everything was just different to CC.
o   Easily made servants? No.
o   Was Christopher Columbus doing what Ed Edmo cautioned people not to do?
§  Columbus is making judgments about other people based on outside appearance.
·      So, should we throw Columbus’ journal in the trash?
o   We should take everything he says with a grain of salt.
o   It also gives us information on what the Europeans were thinking, whether it be accurate or inaccurate; it’s just what was going on in their heads.
o   Would be change our view on primary or secondary sources and which one we should rely on more?
§  Originally I said that primary sources are better, but I believe that you should go off of both because each has their pros and cons.
·      There could be bias in either of them, but they could both give great information.
·      They each have to be used carefully, but they can both give great information from the past.
§  How many sides are there to every story?
·      3 or more sides to every story. Always more than one side.
·      Lots of history has been told as being from only one side, so we have to be cautious and know that that may not be entirely true.
·      It was easier to come by Columbus’ side because he wrote everything down and obviously the “Indians” did not.
o   Huron History
§  Tainos encounters with Europeans, and Huron encounters with the French/ Europeans.
·      “Then, the strangers arrived.”
o   As early as 1497, 1534
·      “They come in large, wooden floating islands.”
o   They had large ships that the Hurons were not familiar with. The Hurons had large canoes but nothing in comparison to the French/ European ships.
·      “They look like bears.”
o   The French/ Europeans had lots of facial hair, and Native Americans, genetically, don’t get as much facial hair.
o   They didn’t actually think they were bears; they were just struck by their bear-like appearance.
·      “They drink blood, and eat wood.”
o   Wine is blood
o   Bread is wood (a hard biscuit that was put onto ships that could be preserved for a long time)
o   Mi’kmaq
§  Views of the French
·      “I pray that you’ll be deceiving yourself if you try to persuade us that your county is better that ours.”
o   Did Columbus, indeed, discover a “New World”?
§  New World- A world that was new to the Europeans
·      Did the Europeans bring civilization to the western hemisphere?
o   A big question, but the answer is no.
o   1. Civilization, by the European definition of it, already mostly existed in the Americas
§  Any claim that says there was lacking civilization was not supported.
§  Farming
§  Being civilized can mean that you have large cities (Cahokia)
o   2. “civilization” also implies “civilized” (in a moral sense)
§  Did Europeans bring being “civilized” to the Americas? No.
§  Europeans too often dealt with Indians in immoral ways.
·      [the Indians and the Spanish] “For three decades after 1518, the Spanish conquered vast tracts of the Americas. In some of the bloodiest chapters in recorded history, the Spanish nearly exterminated the native Caribbean people.
·      “Entering Cape Cod est. 1602”
o   this only holds true from a European point of view
o   Wampanoag Indians (Massachusetts)
·      1600-1700: “New England”: All Conflict? All cooperation?
o   All conflict? Did the Europeans and the Indians always fight each other?
§   No; Thanksgiving is an example of them getting along.
§  And yet, there is some lesser-known back story to the 1621 Thanksgiving story.
§  Narragansett Indians (Rhode Island)
§  1616: Something arrived on shores of Massachusetts.
·      Columbian Exchange
o   Animals, people and Native American plants were being exchanged
§  Food: corn, potatoes, tomatoes
o   1616; Disease was also brought from the Europeans to the Americas (small pox, etc.)
§  When the diseases arrived, the Indians had no immunity at all, so about 50% to 90% of the population died off.
·      The Narragansett Indians didn’t get hit by disease when the Wampanoag Indians did, so they used this to increase their power.
·      1621: Wampanoag Indians had a choice to make; “We could use the English pilgrims as allies against our rivals, the Narragansett Indians.
·      1621: The pilgrims were also making a choice; they accepted help from Wampanoag Indians, and created a lasting friendship and alliances that lasted for decades
o   King Phillip’s War
§  Takes place in the 1670’s in New England
§  Involves a war between the Wampanoag’s and the English
o   Pequot War
§  1630’s (before King Phillip’s War)
§  Conflict that took place in New England
·      Took place in Eastern Connecticut
o   Pequot Notes
§  1636-1637
§  the desire of the Pequot’s to retain their land and some power over New England (fairly powerful tribe)
§  the English are looking to move in and expand their influence
§  English puritans had intense religious views that encouraged them to see the Pequot’s as people to be feared and to hate
§  In addition to all of this, a series of misunderstandings also lead to the war. Minor things explode into a larger conflict
o   Calloway
§  Humans have been living in America for 12,000 to 40,000 years
§  Indians have suggested they’ve always lived there
§  Europeans believe Indians were from a lost tribe
§  Most archaeologists believe Indians migrated to America from Asia via “Bering Strait”
§  Theory is that Ice Age 75,000-8,000 BC lowered ocean levels and uncovered a “land bridge” connecting Siberia to Alaska



·      Seque
o   In the midst of conflict and cooperation, as two civilizations converged, England’s colonies grew
§  Southern Colonies too
o   By the 1770s, they no longer desired English rule
o   The story of America’s rebellion is a familiar one.
o   It’s another “creation story”
·      American Creation Story, 1750-1783: Why Rebel?
o   You’ll be back sing-along
o   Metaphor- a strenuous relationship, an abusive relationship between the king and the colonies
·      Boston, March 5, 1770: What happened?
o   What happened on March 5, 1770, in Boston, Mass.?
§  What does this picture say?
§  Depiction of crowd?
·      one’s being shot are pleading to not be shot, they are a mellow crowd
·      Dog in the picture, sometimes a dog is a symbol of peace
§  Depiction of the brit’s? Brit on the far right
·      On the far right, he’s telling the Brit’s to fire into the crowd
§  Name of building?
·      Butcher’s Hall
§  Author of this document?
·      Paul Revere drew this picture; primary source
o   In pdf, someone who was there said that the “peaceful” crowd actually threw snowballs and sticks before the shooting started
o   A lot of people were trying to rise up against tyranny
§  Bliss- was the one who wrote about the crowd throwing sticks and snowballs at the soldiers, even though Paul Revere’s picture seems peaceful and there’s a dog in the picture too.
§  Newton Prince
·      African American that was there
·      Heard the bell ring, ran out, came to the chapel, was told there was no fire but that there was going to be a fight. We saw soldiers coming out of a guard house with guns, and I saw people with buckets and clubs. I went down, people were calling the soldiers lobsters (very very bad insult back then; lobster was for the poor people to eat back then) people were screaming “damn you, why don’t you fire” etc. etc. two or three people struck the soldiers that had guns with sticks.
·      There’s evidence from Bliss and Prince that there’s difference with Paul Revere’s picture of the battle.
·      Hollywood and History
o   Why devote some time to “Hollywood and History?”
§  Influence of Hollywood (media) versus the influence of historians
§  Patriot, stretching the truth, pdf on The Patriot is important here
·      We trust the historians more than primary sources when it comes to the American Revolution
·      AP page 134-135
o   “guerilla tactics”
o   “loyalists, slaves”
·      AP page 145-148
o   African American stories in the American Revolution
o   Lord Dunmore is a British officer that offered freedom to slaves that deserted their masters and fought for the British and fight against the Patriots
o   “Much of the Patriot is not historically accurate in the interpretation of broad themes or in specific details of the campaign in the South and of warfare in the American Revolution.”
·      The Story of the Constitution
o   Created by humans in 1787. Humans were smart, flawed, and limited
§  Democracy- they wanted to go towards a government that wasn’t based on a kind (like England), they wanted a nation that everyone could be involved in.
·      They felt the king had been abusing his power in the years leading up to the American Revolution
o   Proclamation of 1763 – 1763
o   Declaration of Independence- 1776
o   War is over- 1783
o   Constitution- 1787
·      Articles of Confederation
o   Way for the 13 states to work together against the British.
o   Loose organization on purpose. They don’t want the person in charge to have that much power.
§  There was a lot of freedom, but they needed more order. When there aren’t “rules” set in place, some people will do whatever they want.
·      3 branches
o   Judicial- supreme court
o   Legislative- Congress
o   Executive- president etc.
§  Checks & balances- rules for the 3 branches to keep them in line
·      Electoral college
o   How many electors?
§  Formula to calculate the electors: How many representatives and 2 for the senators. CT has 5 representatives and every state has two senators. So, CT has 7 electoral votes.
·      Bill of Rights
o   1791
§  Freedom of Speech
§  Right to bear arms
§  Freedom to assemble etc.
o   Protecting individuals from the government. Put in please to satisfy a group called the antifederalists.



EXAM 3 NOTES

·      British defeated, Constitution has been established, one feature of early Westward movement
·      Western Nations
o   1820-1860
o   Why the title? What were the “Western Nations”??
§  Mexico was a Western Nation (1821), Spain (claiming California), USA, France, Britain (Canada – French Canadians, Russians, China, Texas
§  Cayuse, Lakota, Diné
o   Some were natives, and some were newcomers.
·      South Pass
o   Current day Wyoming (RR!!!!!)
o   Literally a relatively low spot where you can make it through the Rocky Mountains
o   Rendezvous- French for “meeting”
o   Purpose to go out to Oregon: not to find gold or farm, but to be a missionary
·      Western Nations, 1820-1860: Natives & Newcomers: Texas, Part 1
o   Perspectives: 1820s- 1830s: “Texas” as manifest destiny of Anglo Americans
§  “Manifest destiny” is pushing cultures and ideologies westward.
§  “Anglo-Americans” are European, white, English speaking people
§  Mexican rule unfair, fight for freedom; rebel; martyrs; victory.
§  Anglo’s lose at the Alamo (San Antonio) facing the Mexican Army in 1836
·      Lone Star Republic: independent nation of Texas
o   “Remember the Alamo”
o   More perspectives: A Mexican view of the 1820s, 1830s
§  Allow Anglo American immigrants to “Téjas.” Why?
§  “Uh oh: too many Anglo Americans coming in, not assimilating (supposed to learn Spanish, adopt Mexican culture and religion); try to stop; no slaves.”
·      Recall Anglo American view? Freedom?
o   So, too many Anglo American immigrants
§  An imagined Santa Anna response? Building a wall?
o   And still more perspectives: A “Tejano” view. Who?
§  Some Tejanos join the Anglos “Juan Seguin”
o   Western Nations, 1820-1860: Overlanders
§  And yet even more on men’s and women’s experiences
·      Photo; primary source; dirty, they don’t look happy
§  What about the kids?
·      2000s and 1800s: kids will be kids?
§  Robe, Bailey, kids, “emigrants”
·      Brave and resilient, but maybe also reckless?
o   “American” traits
§  1836- Texas wins its independence
§  1845- Texas joins the USA
§  1846- Mexico and the USA, war looms
·      The Nueces River dispute, provocation p. 288
·      Western Nations, 1820-1860: Natives and Newcomers
o   US Territory in 1830, compared to 1850: note map on AP p 285
§  Again, fate of the “Juan Seguin” types? (pp. 302-304)
·      Native Americans have been made to feel like a foreigner, and that increases in these years
·      Oregon, Part 2
o   A western story: AP pp 281-282
§  Review: the theme at South Pass
·      Some cooperation and coexistence with Native Americans
o   And then, onto Oregon and the Cayuse people
§  Review: why were Whitman’s there?
§  1830s If you were Cayuse what might you think of them?
§  1840s if you were cayuse what might you think of them?
·      She feels like she’s in the middle of savages out there in Oregon.
·      Narcissa from a young age wanted to be a missionary, so she married Whitman to go west and spread the word of Christ
·      Things didn’t go well for the Whitman’s; they did not offer the Cayuse gifts which was their customs. They were insulted when Narcissa barred them from worshipping in their parlor. She was worried that it would get too dirty and full of fleas and the Whitman’s wouldn’t be able to live in it anymore.
·      Narcissa had a daughter Alice, but when she was 2, she drowned in a river. Narcissa became extremely sad and lonely.
·      “So We Die”; They were in Oregon for 10 years. They abandoned their work in order to assist wagon trains. The Cayuse told them to leave and the Whitman’s wouldn’t leave. Then half the tribe died from the measles, including a lot of the children. Rumor happened that Marcus Whitman was secretly spreading the disease and not trying to cure it. So, three Cayuse came and killed Marcus, and then carried out wounded Narcissa, and then they killed her then lashed her dead face.
§  Julie Roy Jeffrey- one of her main sources of research was this story.
·      “Converting the West” is her book.
§  Did the Cayuse attack for no reason?
·      They felt that Narcissa was pushing her religion on them and trying to get them to push away their own religion.
o   But, she didn’t convert any Cayuse Indians
§  Tiloukaikt is one of the main Cayuse leaders.
·      He was one of the ones that decided that they needed to be killed, so they killed them.
·      But, he is hanged by the whites.



EXAM 4 NOTES

·      IV-Freedom: Denials and Promises, 1800-1877
o   The South, the North, and the war: causes, battles, and the aftermath.
§  War ends in 1865, even though the last date is 1877. 1865-1877 is the era of reconstruction.
·      Writing a paper on the film, Glory
o   A story of the Civil War, 1861-1865.
§  Shaw à real, others not, but based on reality.
§  Group training, getting ready for battle, war scenes
§  Clip we watched: Denzel Washington’s character (Trip) didn’t want to carry the flag because he said that the war is going to go on forever and ever, and the other guy (Shaw) said that it can’t go on forever. Trip asked what he’ll get out of it, and Shaw said, “Well, you’ll get nothing if we lose.”
o   Discussion of plagiarism
·      Freedom: Denials and Promises: The South, 1800-1861
o   AP Ch. 9: slavery and the Old South pp 226-251
§  Pp 226-227 Am. Stories F. Douglass
·      Where? When?
·      Literacy = intelligence?
·      Literacy = power?
§  Sophia Auld’s transformation?
·      (Narcissa, M.S. Bailey?)
·      a 2017 update: Anyone catch FD was in the new recently? Trump speaking about him
·      Another update: What’s on TV Wednesday? John Legend is portraying Frederick Douglass in the show Underground
·      Freedom: Denials and Promises: The South, 1800-1861
o   Ap Ch9: Slavery and the Old South pp 226-227: Introduction
§  AP notes 3 interpretations of slavery. What are they? Let’s read.
·      He was not able to read.
·      It past semesters, students have struggled to get this
·      History can be interpreted differently. A huge idea.
o   Similar (~) to Am. Indian history, other histories: survival.
·      4th interpretation: erasure 2015
o   Texas history book saying that African Americans came immigrated over as workers, rather than being forced over to be slaves
·      What if our book had no Chapter 9? (Slavery and the Old South)
o   Morning (masters ad mistresses in the big house), Noon (Slaves in house and fields), and Night (slaves in their quarters)
·      3 interpretations of slavery
o   1. Humane
o   2. Brutal
§  page 238 (Noon: Slaves in House and Fields) agrees with this interpretation
o   3. Brutal, but endured
·      The South, 1800-1861
o   AP Ch. 9 pp 244-250: Resistance & Freedom
§  “Day to Day” actions: read pp 244-245
§  Escapes. Pennington (p 268)
·      Risks? And where did Pennington escape to??
o   History is boring
·      Revolts?
o   Nat Turner’s Rebellion (1830s). Slave owners came down really hard on revolts in hopes that there wouldn’t be anymore.
o   AP Ch. P page 250: Conclusion
§  Frederick Douglass talks about the power of writing.
·      He writes “There is a better day coming” in his book.
·      Douglass and Sophia All, she was teaching him how to read. At first she wanted to help him learn, then she gets corrupted by power. Then, Douglass writes about her heart turning to stone and she was poisoned by the power.
·      1850-1861: The Cause
o   What caused the Civil War?
§  Children of Confederacy met in the 1990s and discussed causes of the civil war.
·      It was a case of states rights that caused the war.
o   Evidence that Civil War, slavery, history still matters to southerners
§  2015: SC and confederate flag
·      Confederate flag was lowered after Dylan Roof shot up the black church
o   Fort Fischer, North Caroline, 2015
§  Logbook: “States’ Rights!”
·      1861-1865: The War: Glory
o   Not the full story of the war. Just one of many sides.
·      1850-1861: The Cause (of the Civil War)
o   chart on page 326
o   multiple causes to this conflict
§  1600s-1860s – Slavery in the South
§  1787-1860s – States’ rights, nullification doctrine
§  1831-1860s – Antislavery movements, southern justification
·      Circled many words that had to do with slavery – slavery was an underlying issue to the cause
o   First story: a link between the West & the Civil War
§  Compromise of 1850 (US had defeated Mexico by 1848)
§  Issue with balancing slave states and free states
o   1857: The story of Dred Scott
§  A bit complex, but basically: good for South, bad for North
§  North: South is too powerful
§  (AP p. 321; 12.4.1)
o   1859: The Harper’s Ferry, VA, story (John Brown again)
§  book does the teaching: page 323
§  tried to use violence to start a slave rebellion; he was caught and then executed. But, he was celebrated in the North for dying by trying to end slavery. (martyr)
§  To many northerners, Brown was a martyr; to southerners, he was a terrorist.
o   The 1860 presidential election
§  Republican Party (new) elects Abraham Lincoln
·      Lincoln watches the Southern states succeed
·      Shiloh
o   Rainy, cold weather in April
o   War, people died of drowning
o   Those who survived the downpour had infected wounds

·      1861-1865: The War
o   Is war “glorious”? A “game”?
o   Pickett’s charge- AP 343- “gallant but futile”
§  Pickett was the leader
§  Kind of sums of the confederate military effort
§  Pickett’s army seemed to melt away in the smoke, and only stragglers came back
§  Union army confronted lee and his army
·      1865- after the war

o    

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