AP United States History Mr.

Janu

UNIT 1: THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA

Time: 2 ½ weeks

As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the various Native societies that populated North

America prior to the arrival of Europeans
• Demonstrate an understanding of the reasons for the conflict of cultures that resulted
from the arrival of Europeans to the New World
• Discuss European colonization of North America
• Compare different colonies, noting similarities and differences
• Demonstrate an understanding of Puritan beliefs

Textbook Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2 (AMSCO chapters 1 and 2)

Primary Sources: John Smith, “The Starving Tyme”

The Mayflower Compact
John Cotton, “Theocracy in New England”
John Winthrop, “City on a Hill”
Trial of Anne Hutchinson
Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners the Hands of an Angry God”

Popular Culture Links: Songs: “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” by Buffy Sainte Marie;
Television: “Ear Apparent” from Good Eats

Secondary Sources: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown, chapter 1

The Pristine Myth: The Landscape of the Americas in 1492 by William Denevan
The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, chapter 1 “The Plant”
Taking Sides, “Was Conflict Between Colonists and Native
Americans Unavoidable?”
John Schwartz, “The Great Food Migration”
Page Smith, “From These Beginnings”

Film Enrichment:

Pocahontas (1995) (G) The New World (2006) (PG-13)

The Crucible (1996) (PG-13)

Things to Know. Below is a list of items from the unit that you will need to be able to identify,
discuss and explain. These items are taken from the textbook, lectures and various readings.

Chapters 1 & 2
Founding of Rhode Island
Bering Strait Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
Archaic period The French and the Dutch in the New World
Characteristics of Sedentary Communities New Amsterdam/New York
Significance of corn Types of colonies
Cahokia Founding of Maryland
Aztalan George Calvert
Reasons for urban collapse Toleration Act
Anasazi Founding of the Carolinas
Mississippian culture Quaker beliefs
Columbus William Penn
Describe Spain’s American empire Founding of Pennsylvania
Conquistadors The relationship between Indians and
“requerimiento” settlers—examples of how they worked
Cultural differences between Indians and together and fought against each other (ie.
Europeans Pequot War, King Philip’s War)
Bartolome de Las Casas Spanish settlements in America
Smallpox and disease among the Natives Characteristics of the Chesapeake Colonies
Reasons for the delay in explorations by Indentured servants in the colonies
England and France Slave trade
Protestant Reformation---impact on Tobacco in the colonies
exploration Bacon’s Rebellion: Causes and effects
Martin Frobisher Characteristics of the Carolinas
Francis Drake “Headright” System
Sir Walter Raleigh Life in the South: Role of women, plantation
The Roanoke Settlement System
Richard Hakluyt Founding of Georgia
Joint-stock company Puritan society in New England
London Company Role of women in New England
Plymouth Company Role of Church in New England
Founding of Jamestown Half-Way Covenant
John Smith Town-life in New England
Powhatan Confederacy Edmund Andros
Pocohantas Salem Witch Trials
Wahunsunacock Higher education in New England---why New
What saved Jamestown? England?
John Rolfe Cotton Mather
House of Burgesses How did prosperity undermine Puritanism?
Puritans and Pilgrims Characteristics of the Middle Colonies
William Bradford --what traits are “distinctly American?”
Tisquantum John Peter Zenger
Mayflower Compact Paxton Boys
Founding of Plymouth Politics in the colonies---differences between
John Winthrop Regions
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Early Puritan society
Roger Williams
Anne Hutchinson