Welcome to

1. Welcome to 8th Grade U.S. History A study of the United States to 1877

2. 1. You will need a sheet of paper and a pen. 2. A word is going to be displayed on the next slide. 3. Your task is to write as many words or phrases that come to your mind after you see the word. Ready...

3. America

4. “America”evokes many images.

5. These images are part of ourcultural identityas Americans. Ourcultural identityis the connection we have with what it means to be an American. It is also the commonalities and connections we share with other Americans.

6. Ironically, what we have in common with each other is that we are uncommon. As Americans, we were founded on the ideals of embracing and celebrating differences and diversity.

7. An American is not a full-blooded pedigree prize-winning show dog. Give me liberty, or give me death! An American is more of a mutt that has the influence of many different kinds of dogs.

8. Our country was founded withaconfluence of cultures. The point where several rivers merge is called aconfluence.

9. American culture is like aconfluenceof several rivers. These different rivers-or people- merge into one country.

10. We come from such different ancestry and backgrounds and yet still embrace the same... opportunity. freedoms. land. government.

11. How is it that we are so diverse... yet so united?

12. To answer this question and understand American culture, we need to go back about400 years and analyze why people would get into a boat and risk their lives for a better life.

13. We need to analyze the reasons our Founding Fathers were willing to fight a seemingly winless revolution.

14. We need to examine the structure and principles of the government our forefathers created in the Constitution.

15. We need to look inside the minds of the early presidents and understand the decisions they made.

16. We need to discover the adventurous spirit that pushed certain individuals to get in a covered wagon and face the unknown in the wild and wooly west.

17. We need to examine what would tear our country apart and make brother fight against brother.

18. To understand modern-day America, and to understand what it really means to be an American, we must understand our heritage. Our goal this year is to learn about our unique heritage by studying the following units:

19. Colonization American Revolution Forging a New Government The New Republic An Expanding Nation Civil War andReconstruction

20. Colonization…from the Old World to the New World (1600’s) American Revolution…the colonies fight a war to win independence from their mother country, England. (July, 1776) Forging a new government…we create a Constitution to govern ourselves. (1787) Units of Study: Semester 1

21. The New Republic…story of our early presidents. (1790’s to early 1800’s) An Expanding Nation…our country grows to the West (mid 1800’s) Civil War and Reconstruction…Union is rebuilt after war (1861-1877) Units of Study: Semester 2

22. We will use a tool to help organize information and focus on what is most important. This tool is called a... megaspore.

23. American Revolution Essential Questions: French and Indian War British taxation policies Boston Tea Party “No taxation without representation!” 1776 1. In what ways were both the Americans and British responsible for the American Revolution? Declaration of Independence Common Sense Boston Massacre 1st and 2nd Continental Congress unalienable rights Minutemen 2. What political, economic, and social factors led to the American Revolution? Thomas Jefferson Lexington and Concord Trenton/ Princeton Benjamin Franklin George Washington megaspore Yorktown self-determination 3. How did self-determination impact the outcome of the American Revolution? Marquis de Lafayette Saratoga Cornwallis Valley Forge revolution of ideas conflict and resolution Paul Revere Samuel Adams Bunker Hill Thomas Paine Treaties of Paris (1763, 1783) Patrick Henry John Adams A desire for self-determination and/or political and economic change is at the core of most revolutions. George III Let’s look at the megaspore parts. This is a

24. American Revolution Essential Questions: French and Indian War British taxation policies Boston Tea Party “No taxation without representation!” 1776 1. In what ways were both the Americans and British responsible for the American Revolution? Declaration of Independence Common Sense Boston Massacre 1st and 2nd Continental Congress unalienable rights Minutemen Every unit has one or twoEnduring Understandings (EU’s). These are the BIG ideas we want you to remember. Everything we do is leading to one or more of theEU’s . 2. What political, economic, and social factors led to the American Revolution? Thomas Jefferson Lexington and Concord Trenton/ Princeton Benjamin Franklin George Washington Yorktown self-determination 3. How did self-determination impact the outcome of the American Revolution? Marquis de Lafayette Saratoga Cornwallis Valley Forge revolution of ideas conflict and resolution Paul Revere Samuel Adams Bunker Hill Thomas Paine Treaties of Paris (1763, 1783) Patrick Henry John Adams A desire for self-determination and/or political and economic change is at the core of most revolutions. George III

25. American Revolution Essential Questions: French and Indian War British taxation policies Boston Tea Party “No taxation without representation!” 1776 1. In what ways were both the Americans and British responsible for the American Revolution? Declaration of Independence Common Sense Boston Massacre 1st and 2nd Continental Congress unalienable rights Minutemen 2. What political, economic, and social factors led to the American Revolution? There are also 3 or 4Essential Questions (EQs)in each unit. These will lead you to theEnduring Understandings. Thomas Jefferson Lexington and Concord Trenton/ Princeton Benjamin Franklin George Washington Yorktown self-determination 3. How did self-determination impact the outcome of the American Revolution? Marquis de Lafayette Saratoga Cornwallis Valley Forge revolution of ideas conflict and resolution Paul Revere Samuel Adams Bunker Hill Thomas Paine Treaties of Paris (1763, 1783) Patrick Henry John Adams A desire for self-determination and/or political and economic change is at the core of most revolutions. George III

26. American Revolution Essential Questions: French and Indian War British taxation policies Boston Tea Party “No taxation without representation!” 1776 1. In what ways were both the Americans and British responsible for the American Revolution? Declaration of Independence Common Sense Boston Massacre 1st and 2nd Continental Congress unalienable rights Minutemen 2. What political, economic, and social factors led to the American Revolution? Thomas Jefferson Lexington and Concord Trenton/ Princeton Benjamin Franklin George Washington Yorktown self-determination 3. How did self-determination impact the outcome of the American Revolution? Marquis de Lafayette Saratoga Cornwallis Valley Forge revolution of ideas conflict and resolution Paul Revere Samuel Adams Bunker Hill Thomas Paine Treaties of Paris (1763, 1783) Patrick Henry The information in the middle and outer circles are the concepts and details that are the building blocks to answering theEssential Questionsand grasping theEnduring Understandings. John Adams A desire for self-determination and/or political and economic change is at the core of most revolutions. George III

27. So be prepared for an active year in U.S. history as we celebrate our national heritage.