INPI History of the United States of America – 2016
INSTITUTO NEUQUINO DEL PROFESORADO EN INGLES
Carreras: Profesorado y Traductorado en Inglés
NIVEL SUPERIOR
History of the United States of America
CUADERNILLO
Profesora: Olga B. Musso
Curso: 3er Año
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INPI History of the United States of America – 2016
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History of the United States of America
Bibliografía específica y obligatoria de la asignatura
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Cuadernillo: History of the United States of America.
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Los sitios de internet detallados en el cuadernillo de la asignatura.
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G.B.TINDALL & D.E.SHI (2004) America A Narrative History. Volume 1 Brief 6th
edition formato impreso. (USA) W.W.Norton & Company. Inc.
G.B.TINDALL & D.E.SHI (1999) America A Narrative History. Volume 2. 7th Edition.
(USA) W.W.Norton & Company. Inc. pdf. volume 2
Sólo se incluyen las secciones cuyos temas corresponden a los contenidos
conceptuales de este programa. (Las mismas se detallan en los módulos)
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Module I: The colonial period
“The process of carving a new civilization out of an abundant yet violent frontier
involved a clash of cultures among European, African, and Indian peoples. War, duplicity,
displacement, and enslavement were the tragic results.”
Quoted from America a Narrative History. Vol 1, Ch3
Reading material for this module:
It includes some sections of chapters 1 to 4 in G.B.TINDALL & D.E.SHI (2004)
America a Narrative History. Volume 1 Brief 6th Edition (USA) W.W.Norton.
---Introduction
A- Discuss the following with your partners
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Why were the Europeans motivated to look beyond
their borders? Give reasons.
Name the countries which, you think, explored the
New World.
If you were a Native American, what might you
think about the European arrivals?
If you were a European, what might you think about Native
Americans’ civilization?
B- Click on the following link to the video: European Exploration of North America
and watch it.
Answer:
1. What reasons are given for the Europeans to explore the world?
2. What made exploration possible in the 16 th c?
3. Which countries set up colonies in the New World?
4. What was different regarding types of exploration and colonization?
5. Did it make any difference having or not permanent colonies in the New World?
---- Discoverers and explorers.
Christopher Columbus launched the age of exploration and encounters, which led to the
age of colonization in the Americas. A customary practice during this period was
“FINDERS, KEEPERS; LOSERS, WEEPERS”.
The phrase had a clear meaning: the explorers claimed what they saw for their homeland,
taking what they wanted from the people of the new lands and offering objects like metal goods
in exchange.
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Illustration
Columbus in the New World
Available from this link.
---- The First English colonies
“If England possesses these places in America, Her Majesty will have good harbors,
plenty of excellent trees for masts, good timber to build ships….all things needed for a
royal navy, and all for no price.”
Richard Hakluyt wrote these words to convince Queen Elizabeth I of England to set up colonies
in North America. Hakluyt listed a total of 31 arguments in favour of settlement.
“We shall,” Hakluyt concluded, “stop the Spanish king from flowing over all the face … of
America.”
He appealed to English pride. Spain had built a great empire in the Americas, and England was
determined to win a place there, too.
Colonizing America
Available from this link
1. Research work. Use the following sources to get information about the topic.
Read pages 13 to16 (Ch. 1), 27 to 44 and 53 to 58 (Ch. 2) in
G.B.TINDALL & D.E.SHI (2004) America a Narrative History, Volume 1.
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--- Mayflower video about the voyage across the Atlantic
--- Penn Treaty with the Indians.
--- What was “The Columbian Exchange?”
2. Classroom activities:
Do the next tasks:
1. Mention some reasons for the migration of Europeans to North America. How many
colonies were established by the mid-eighteenth century?
2. On the whole, how did colonists and natives relate with each other?
3. The contact with the New World resulted in The Columbian Exchange. Give some
examples of the transfer of plant and animal life between both continents and evaluate its
significance.
The next maps illustrate the topic.
Available from this link
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The map of the thirteen colonies in 1763
Available from this link
---- Society: Colonial ways of life
In the 18th c the colonies formed three economic regions, which offered unique natural resources
to live on and reflected particular social characteristics. However, some social patterns were
common to all the regions.
A. Use the following material to get information about the topic.
The reading material for this section includes pages 60 to 63 and 72 to 77 (Ch. 3) in
G.B.TINDALL & D.E.SHI (2004) America a Narrative History, volume 1.
Click on the following interactive map about the particular characteristics of the
Northern, Middle and Southern regions. Then, click on the “13 Colonies Regions”
button.
In addition, use the links below:
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Population and social rank
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Who belonged to the gentry?
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Link to Colonial society (Optional-complementary)
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B. Pair work. Do the tasks below
1. How were the regions similar and different? Describe the main economic
characteristics of the three regions.
What job opportunities offered each of them?
2. Design a hierarchical graph that shows social classes in the colonies in general.
The following pictures illustrate different aspects of the diverse society in colonial times.
Available from this link
Available from this link
Critical Thinking: discuss the next topics with your partners.
1. During the 1700s, the gentry set themselves apart from other people by their clothes,
houses and manners. Is there a gentry class in our society today? If so, does this group
set itself apart by its dress, manners, and possessions?
2. In your view: was colonial America a melting pot or a cultural mosaic? Support your
answer.
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--- The Imperial Administration of the colonies
Introduction
During the 17th c the American colonies were given a break from Imperial control due to
domestic problems between the Stuart kings and Parliament. Although the mother country tried
to regain control over the colonies, its administration was often inefficient. By the mid-eighteenth
century, when the British tried to impose strict regulations, it was too late because the British
Americans had developed a powerful sense of their rights and they were determined to defend
them.
The mercantile system and the Navigation Acts
The reading material for this section includes pages 97 to 106 (Ch. 4) in
G.B.TINDALL & D.E.SHI (2004) America a Narrative History, volume 1.
A. Group work. Use the information from the source book (or surf the internet) to provide
answers to the following questions. Discuss the answers with your partners.
Available from this link
What was the mercantile system?
Did the British mercantile system aim at
promoting the mutual benefit of the colonies
and the mother country? Support your answer.
Why were the Navigation Acts adopted?
What was the colonists’ reaction to the British mercantile system?
The Triangular Trade was the manifestation of the mercantile
system. What was traded between England, Africa, the
American colonies and the West Indies?
(Use the interactive map at this link)
B. Classroom Debate. Drawing conclusions:
On the whole, did the Lords of Trade, the Board of Trade and the Navigation Acts set an efficient
system of royal control over the administration of the colonies? Support your answers.
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The habit of self-government
Written Assignment
Discuss the topics below in class. Hand in the answers to the questions in writing – printed format.
Maximum length: a page
1. What was the policy of salutary neglect? Why did the British follow this policy for
some time?
Did this policy favour or prevent the rise of the colonial form of government? Support
your answer.
2. Most of the colonies were ruled by a governor who was appointed by the Crown.
However, the Americans gradually established a self-government system.
What were the governors in charge of?
Who formed the Assemblies? What were some of their functions?
How did the shift of power from governors to local assemblies occur?
List of links in this module:
1. The video: European Exploration of North America
2. Mayflower video about the voyage across the Atlantic
3. Penn Treaty with the Indians.
4. What was “The Columbian Exchange?”
5. The Northern, Middle and Southern regions: an interactive map.
6. Population and social rank
7. Who belonged to the gentry?
8. Link to Colonial society (Optional)
9. The Mercantilist system: a- Article: the mercantile system
b - interactive map at this link
10. The policy of salutary neglect