Transcript CRCT SS Review PPT

Fourth Grade Time
Travelers!
Let’s travel back in
time…back to the days before
video games, back to the
days before television, back
to the days before
electricity…way back to the
days before the United States
of America even existed!
Let’s travel back to the days
when our country was a vast
wilderness, inhabited by
thousands of people that we
now call Native Americans.
Let’s find out just how the
good ol’ U.S. of A. came to be
the country we know and love
today! C’mon!
Native Americans
Native Americans were the first people to inhabit the land
we now call America. There were thousands of tribes, and
each tribe was different. But all of these tribes had
something in common: they all depended on the
environment to provide for their basic needs of food,
shelter, and clothing. Their ways of life were different,
depending upon the region in which they lived. Let’s go
meet some of these native people.
Inuit
The Inuit lived far to the
north, in a region called the
Arctic. They built igloos out
of snow and ice, or they
lived in shelters made of
earth. They hunted animals
such as walrus, seal, and
polar bears. They used the
animal skins for clothing,
and they used all of the
other parts of the animal for
various purposes, including
food and tools.
Kwakiutl
The Kwakiutl lived along the
northwest coast. They built
plankhouses made of cedar,
and they made their clothing
out of cedar bark. Their
staple food was salmon.
They held large parties called
“potlatches” in which a chief
would demonstrate his
wealth by giving elaborate
gifts to his guests. They built
totem poles to represent their
family history.
Nez Perce
The Nez Perce lived in an
area known as the Plateau
and in the Great Basin. They
built longhouses out of
wood, and they also lived in
tepees during hunting
season. They ate deer, elk,
and other game, nuts,
berries, and other plants.
They wore clothing made of
deerskin. Much later, the
Nez Perce helped Lewis and
Clark during their exploration
of the Louisiana Purchase.
Hopi
The Hopi lived in the
Southwestern part of what is
now the United States. They
built multi-family homes out
of adobe called “pueblos.”
They wore clothing woven
from cotton. They were
farmers and their main crops
were corn, beans, and
squash, which they called the
“Three Sisters.”
Pawnee
The Pawnee lived in the
Great Plains. They were
nomadic, which means that
they traveled from place to
place following the buffalo,
which was their main food
source. They lived in tepees
made from buffalo skin. They
also wore clothing made
from buffalo hides. They
used every part of the
buffalo.
Seminole
The Seminole lived in the
southeastern part of the
United States, in the area we
now call Florida. They wore
lightweight clothing made
from grasses and leaves.
They ate deer, wild turkeys,
rabbits, turtles, and alligator!
They lived in huts called
“chickees” that were made of
grass and were elevated on
stilts.
Explorers
While the Native Americans
were going about their daily
lives in what we now call
America, over in Europe,
people were setting their
sights on the riches of Asia!
Inspired by the amazing
stories of Marco Polo,
European countries were
competing to find a water
route to the Indies! Let’s
learn a little bit about this
Polo fellow, and then we’ll
find out more about that
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was an Italian
who traveled with his father
and uncle to what we now
call China. While there, they
met a great ruler name
Kublai Khan, and they
traveled throughout China
making many new
discoveries. Upon returning
to Italy about 20 years later,
Marco Polo was imprisoned.
While he was in prison, he
told about his amazing
adventures. A book about his
adventures inspired many
Christopher Columbus
One fellow who was inspired
by the story of Marco Polo
was another Italian named
Cristoforo Columbo, better
known as Christopher
Columbus. Columbus
believed that he could sail
west in order to find the
Indies. He convinced the
King and Queen of Spain to
sponsor his voyage. Well, he
never made it to the Indies!
Instead, he landed in what is
now known as the Bahamas,
and the rest, as they say, is
John Cabot
After Columbus discovered
the “New World,” other
European explorers decided
to try to find a western route
to the Indies. England hired
John Cabot to find a
“Northwest Passage” to the
Indies. He landed off of the
coast of Canada and
claimed it for England. Sadly,
on a return voyage, he
disappeared and was never
heard from again.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Meanwhile, Spain decided
that it wanted to claim lots of
land in the New World. They
sent many “conquistadors”
to conquer the New World
for “God, gold, and glory!”
One such Spaniard was
Vasco Nunez de Balboa.
Balboa snuck aboard a ship
headed for Panama, where
he crossed the isthmus and
became the first European to
see the Pacific Ocean!
(“Balboa stuck his toa in the
Juan Ponce de Leon
Another Spaniard was Juan
Ponce de Leon. While he
was governor of Puerto
Rico, he heard about a
magical spring of water
called the “Fountain of
Youth.” During his search for
this magical fountain, he
“discovered” present-day
Florida, which he claimed for
Spain. Sadly, he was killed
by natives who apparently
weren’t too happy about his
visit!
Jacques Cartier
Meanwhile, England and
France were still looking for
a northwest passage to Asia.
France hired Jacques
Cartier to look for this
waterway. Although he didn’t
find the northwest passage
(probably because it didn’t
exist!), he did sail down the
St. Lawrence River and
claimed land in the New
World for France.
Henry Hudson
Many years after John
Cabot’s tragic voyage,
England decided once again
to search for the Northwest
Passage. They hired an
experienced explorer named
Henry Hudson. Hudson sailed
around Hudson Bay, looking
for an opening that would
lead to the northwest
passage. His crew became
frustrated and discouraged,
and they finally mutinied,
setting Hudson and his son
adrift in a small rowboat. He
Colonization
By the end of the Age of
Exploration, several countries had
claimed land in the new world,
including Spain, France, the
Netherlands, and England.
Because the English knew that
they were at risk of losing their
claims if no settlers lived there,
they started establishing colonies
in America. Their first colony,
Roanoke, completely
disappeared! Their next attempt,
Jamestown, almost failed, but
was saved by the discovery that
tobacco could be grown there
successfully. Eventually, there
New England
The New England colonies
were Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Rhode Island,
and New Hampshire. The
climate in New England was
harsh with long, cold winters.
It was not a good place for
farming because of the rocky
soil. The main industries
were logging, whaling,
shipbuilding, and trading.
New England colonists had
very strict religious beliefs
and lived in towns built
around a meeting house and
Middle Colonies
The Middle Colonies were
New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and
Delaware. The Middle
Colonies had a mild climate
and very fertile soil. They
were known as the “Bread
Colonies” because they
grew much of the grain used
throughout the colonies. The
Middle Colonies were very
diverse; people from many
countries and many religions
were welcome there.
Southern Colonies
The Southern Colonies were
Virginia, Maryland, North &
South Carolina, and
Georgia. In the south, there
were large plantations where
cash crops such as tobacco,
cotton, rice, and indigo were
grown. Much of the work on
the plantations was done by
slaves brought over from
Africa. The climate was hot
and humid with a long
growing season.
Colonial People
• Indentured servants
agreed to work for 7 years in
exchange for ship passage
to America.
• Slaves were captured in
Africa and were forced to
work in America.
• Artisans specialized in a
certain trade, such as
blacksmiths, tailors,
silversmiths, cobblers, etc.
• Women were responsible
for managing the household
and raising children.
James Oglethorpe & Georgia
James Oglethorpe founded
the colony of Georgia as a
refuge for people who had
been in debtor’s prison in
England. It was known as a
“buffer” colony between
Spanish-owned Florida and
the rest of the colonies.
Savannah was one of
Georgia’s first settlements; it
later became a major port
city.
American Revolution!
As the colonies grew and
became more successful,
they began to want more
independence. Over a
number of years, several
events occurred that led to a
war with “Mother England!”
Let’s travel down the “road to
revolution!”
French & Indian War/Proclamation of
1763
In 1754, war broke out in the
colonies as a result of disputes
over the Ohio River Valley. The
British and Americans fought
against the French, who were
supported by Native American
allies. In 1763, the British won the
war, and they gained all of the
land east of the Mississippi River.
However, in the Proclamation of
1763, King George decreed that
the new territory was forbidden to
colonists and that it was reserved
for Native Americans only. This
decree didn’t make the colonists
very happy!
New Taxes
In addition to the
Proclamation of 1763, King
George passed several new
taxes in order to pay his
debts from the French and
Indian War. The colonists
were furious! They felt that
they had paid for the war
with their lives! They were
also angry that they couldn’t
move to the new territory
that they had won.
Boston Massacre
Things were heating up in
the colonies! The colonists,
who were mad about the
Proclamation of 1763 and
new taxes, began protesting
the presence of British
soldiers. One night in
Boston, a snowball fight
turned into a riot. Several
colonists were killed,
including Crispus Attucks, a
former slave. A silversmith
named Paul Revere printed
an engraving of the riot,
calling it a “massacre!”
Boston Tea Party
Eventually, King George
decided to repeal all of the
taxes except for the one on
tea. This wasn’t enough for
the colonists, who declared,
“No taxation without
representation!” When 3
British ships full of tea sailed
into Boston Harbor, colonists
disguised as Mohawk
Indians boarded the ships
and dumped the tea into the
harbor! This event was
planned by a secret group of
Patriots known as the Sons
The Intolerable Acts
When King George heard
about the Boston Tea Party,
he was FURIOUS!!! To
punish the colonists, he
passed a series of new laws
which the colonists referred
to as the “Intolerable Acts.”
These laws included:
1. Closing Boston Harbor until
the colonists paid for the tea.
2. Soldiers could take over
colonists’ homes (Quartering
Act).
3. Colonists could no longer
meet together in groups.
4. British soldiers accused of a
The Intolerable Acts
When King George heard
about the Boston Tea Party,
he was FURIOUS!!! To
punish the colonists, he
passed a series of new laws
which the colonists referred
to as the “Intolerable Acts.”
These laws included:
1. Closing Boston Harbor until
the colonists paid for the tea.
2. Soldiers could take over
colonists’ homes (Quartering
Act).
3. Colonists could no longer
meet together in groups.
4. British soldiers accused of a
Lexington & Concord
The British knew that the
colonists were storing up
weapons in Concord,
Massachusetts. They planned
a march to Concord to seize
the supplies. Paul Revere (with
help from William Dawes and
Samuel Prescott) made a
midnight ride to warn the
colonists that the “Regulars”
were coming! The following
morning, when the British and
colonists met in Lexington, the
“shot heard ‘round the world”
was fired. This was the first
shot of the American
Battle of Bunker Hill
Colonial leaders met in
Philadelphia to decide what to
do about the problems with
Britain. They decided to write a
letter to King George to ask for
some changes. Before their
letter was answered, another
battle broke out at Bunker Hill (it
really took place on Breed’s
Hill!). The colonists were low on
ammunition, so their leader told
them to “Hold your fire until you
see the whites of their eyes!”
The colonists drove the British
back twice, but then ran out of
ammunition and had to retreat.
Declaration of Independence
When King George refused to
make any changes, colonial
leaders decided that it was time
to officially declare their
independence from Britain.
Thomas Jefferson was selected
to draft this document. He
stated that “all men are created
equal” and that they are
“endowed by their Creator” with
certain “unalienable rights” –
“life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.” The Declaration
was adopted on July 4, 1776.
Happy birthday, America!
Crossing the Delaware/
Battle of Trenton
The next few months were
difficult for the Patriot army.
They were untrained and had
few supplies. General George
Washington knew his troops
needed a victory. He planned
a secret attack for Christmas
night, December 25, 1776.
The Patriot army crossed the
Delaware River and surprised
the Hessian soldiers stationed
at Trenton, New Jersey. It was
a much-needed victory for the
Patriots!
Battle of Saratoga
The war continued for several
years. Once again, the Patriot
army was discouraged. The
Battle of Saratoga was a turning
point in the war. Through the
brave efforts of General
Benedict Arnold, the Americans
were able to defeat the British.
This victory convinced France
to give their support to the
American troops. They agreed
to send over ships, soldiers,
and supplies to help the Patriots
in their cause. Merci beaucoup!

Winter at Valley Forge
After the Battle of Saratoga, the
Patriots settled in for the winter
in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania,
just outside Philadelphia. It was
a harsh, cold winter, and many
of the soldiers died of
starvation and disease.
However, during this time, the
Patriot army also received
training from Baron von
Steuben. They left Valley Forge
as a stronger, more disciplined
army, ready to take on the
British!
Battle of Kettle Creek
The Battle of Kettle Creek
took place in Washington, GA
on the morning of February
14, 1779. After a 3-hour battle
between Georgia Patriots and
Loyalists, the Loyalists fled. It
was a much-needed victory
for Patriots in the South.
Battle of Yorktown
British commander Lord
Cornwallis and the British
troops headed to Yorktown to
plan their next move. George
Washington heard about their
plans and came up with a
pretty brilliant plan of his own!
The Patriot army surrounded
the British by land, while the
French fleet (who arrived at the
perfect time!) surrounded the
British by sea. Cornwallis had
no choice but to surrender! This
marked the end of the
American Revolution.
Treaty of Paris
The Americans and the
British met in Paris to sign a
treaty that would serve as
the official end of the
American Revolution. The
British gave up all of their
lands east of the Mississippi,
and they agreed to
recognize America as an
official, independent nation.
However, they refused to
pose for the official portait!
George Washington
George Washington was the
leader of the Continental
Army during the American
Revolution. He later
presided over the
Constitutional Convention,
and was then elected as our
first president. He is known
as the “Father of Our
Country.”
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was
selected to write the
Declaration of Independence
along with 4 other men.
However, he really did most
of the writing. He later
became our 3rd president,
and was responsible for the
Louisiana Purchase.
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold was a
brilliant general who served
during the American
Revolution. However, he
became angry because he
was overlooked for a
promotion, so he started
giving secret information to
the British. He later joined
the British Army. He is
mostly remembered as a
traitor.
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry was a colonial
leader from Virginia. He
gave a speech in which he
said, “Give me liberty, or give
me death!” He later refused
to attend the Constitutional
Convention because he
thought that the new
Constitution would give too
much power to the federal
government and not enough
to the states.
John Adams
John Adams was a lawyer
from Boston and a member
of the Sons of Liberty. He
was one of the signers of the
Declaration of
Independence. After the
American Revolution, he
became an ambassador to
England. He later became
the first vice president, and
then the second president.
Marquis de Lafayette
The Marquis de Lafayette
was a French nobleman who
was a strong supporter of
the American cause for
liberty. He donated his own
money to help the Patriots to
buy supplies. He became
good friends with George
Washington, and helped to
convince the French to give
their support to the
Americans.
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was a
silversmith from Boston who
was also a member of the
Sons of Liberty. He made a
famous engraving of the
Boston Massacre,
participated in the Boston
Tea Party, and made a
midnight ride to Lexington to
warn the colonists that the
“Regulars” were coming.
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine was a British
writer who wrote many
essays in support of the
American cause for liberty.
One of his most famous
essays was “Common
Sense,” in which he said that
it did not make sense for
someone to be the leader of
a country just because they
had been born into that
position. Thomas Paine’s
writings were very inspiring
to the Patriots.
Lord Cornwallis
Lord Cornwallis was one of the
main commanders of the
British troops in America. He
was present at the Battle of
Yorktown, where he
surrendered to George
Washington. (Actually, he said
that he was “sick” and couldn’t
come out to personally
surrender. He sent his secondin-command. So, George
Washington also sent his
second-in-command to receive
the surrender! You go,
George!)
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams was one of
the main leaders of the Sons
of Liberty. He gave the signal
to start the Boston Tea Party.
He also signed the
Declaration of
Independence, as did his
cousin, John Adams.
John Hancock
John Hancock was one of
the richest men in Boston.
He was also the “president”
of the Continental Congress.
When the Declaration of
Independence was finished,
he signed it first. He said that
he signed it in large
handwriting so that King
George could read it without
his spectacles! “John
Hancock” is now a synonym
for the word “signature.”
Articles of Confederation
Now that America was a free
country, they had some
things to take care of! First,
they needed to come up with
a better government plan!
They had been using the
Articles of Confederation as
their plan, but it was WEAK!
It gave the Congress no
power at all, which was
causing major problems
between the states!
Something needed to be
fixed or our new country was
Constitutional Convention
Once again, representatives
from all 13 states (no longer
colonies!) were invited to meet
in Philadelphia. Every state
sent representatives except for
Rhode Island. This was known
as the Constitutional
Convention. The delegates
soon realized that the Articles
of Confederation couldn’t be
fixed, and that they would have
to start from scratch. After
several long, hot months, we
had a brand new Constitution!
James Madison
James Madison is known as
the “Father of the
Constitution.” He attended
almost every meeting during
the Constitutional
Convention and took notes
the whole time. He was then
selected to turn his notes
into a first draft of the new
Constitution. He later
became our 4th president,
and was the president during
the War of 1812. He was
also our shortest president!
Preamble
The introduction to the
Constitution is known as the
Preamble. It explains the
purpose of the Constitution. It
says, “We the people of the
United States, in order to form a
more perfect union, establish
justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the
general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty, to ourselves
and our posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for
the United States of America.”
Whew!
Three Branches of Government
The Constitution set up three
branches of government so that
no one person would have too
much power. The Executive
Branch includes the President
and has the power to approve
laws. The Legislative Branch
includes the Congress and has
the power to make laws. The
Judicial Branch includes the
Supreme Court and decides
whether or not laws are
constitutional. Power is
controlled through a system of
“checks and balances.”
Great Compromise
One of the hardest decisions
at the Constitutional
Convention was how each
state should be represented
in Congress. It was decided
that there would be 2 houses
of Congress. In the Senate,
every state would have 2
representatives. In the
House of Representatives,
representation would be
based on population. This
was known as the “Great
Compromise!”
Three-Fifths Compromise
Another disagreement occurred
over how slaves should be
represented in a state’s
population. The northern states
(who had fewer slaves) didn’t
want the southern states to be
able to count their slaves as
part of their population,
because that would give them
more votes in Congress. It was
decided that every slave would
count as three-fifths of a
person. What do you think
about that?
Bill of Rights
After the Constitution was
finished, there were a lot of
people who didn’t want to
approve it because it didn’t
include anything about the
people’s rights; it was just a
list of what the government
could do. So, a Bill of Rights
was added. It was a set of
ten amendments (additions)
listing specific rights of the
people, such as the right to
bear arms and the right to a
fair trial.
First Amendment
The First Amendment is all
about freedom of expression
and includes five freedoms:
freedom of speech, freedom of
religion, freedom of the press,
freedom of petition, and
freedom of assembly. With
these freedoms, however,
comes responsibility! For
example, you can’t spread lies
about someone or yell “FIRE!”
in a crowded place if there’s no
fire! You have to make good
choices about what you say!
Federalism
The United States government
is a federalist system, which
means that the federal
(national) government and
state governments share
power. There are some powers
given to just the federal
government (like printing
money) or the state
governments (like laws about
marriage and divorce), but
some powers are shared – like
the power to collect taxes! Boo!
(Just kidding – kind of!)
Growth and Expansion
Now that we had a working
government in place, our
country was ready to grow –
and boy, did it ever grow! Did
you ever wonder how we
went from being 13 states to
the 50 states that we have
today? Well, let’s hit the trail
and find out about some of
the events that helped the
U.S.A. to grow and expand!
Louisiana Purchase
By 1803 (time flies when you’re
having fun), Thomas Jefferson
was president. He was offered
one of the best land deals of all
time – the Louisiana Purchase!
Napoleon, the leader of
France, was ready to sell the
French-owned Louisiana
Territory land for next to
nothing! In fact, the land cost
about 3 cents per acre!!! This
purchase doubled the size of
our country overnight! What a
bargain!
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Thomas Jefferson selected
Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark to explore the new
territory. They began their
journey near St. Louis, Missouri,
on May 14, 1804. During their
journey, they met a Native
American woman named
Sacagawea. She became their
guide for the rest of the journey.
They reached the Pacific Ocean
in November 1805. After the
winter, they returned to St.
Louis on Sept. 3, 1806. They
had traveled a total of 9,000
War of 1812
The British did not take the loss
of the American colonies very
well. They did not want the new
country to be successful. In the
early 1800s, they began
capturing American ships and
kidnapping American sailors.
This led to another war between
America and Great Britain called
the War of 1812. During this war,
the British invaded Washington
D.C. and burned the White
House. “The Star-Spangled
Banner” was also written during
this war. The Americans won the
war in 1814, and the British
never challenged us again!
The Alamo
During the 1820s, many Americans began
moving to Texas so that they could have
more land. At that time, Texas was owned
by Mexico. The leader of Mexico, General
Santa Ana, did not want any Americans to
move to Texas. He sent soldiers into
Texas and a war began. A small group of
Americans held out against the Mexican
army for almost 2 weeks at an old mission
called the Alamo. However, at the end of
the attack, almost all of the Americans had
been killed, including a famous
frontiersman, Davy Crockett. Later, the
Texas army, led by Sam Houston,
defeated Santa Ana, crying “Remember
the Alamo!” Texas became an
independent republic, and it later became
one of the United States.
California Gold Rush
California became part of the
United States in 1848. That year,
James Marshall discovered gold in
California while working at Sutter’s
Mill. Word of this discovery spread,
and this led to a “gold rush!” During
the next year, about 90,000 people
came to California in search of
gold! Because they arrived in 1849,
they were known as “forty-niners.”
People who did not find gold
stayed and became farmers or
ranchers or started other
businesses. By the end of 1849,
California’s population had grown
to more than 100,000. California
became the 31st state in 1850.
Oregon Trail
In the 1840’s, many Americans
began to move west for more land
and new opportunities. Many of
these pioneers traveled along the
Oregon Trail to Oregon Country.
The Oregon Trail began in
Independence, Missouri. Most
pioneers traveled in covered
wagons. They often traveled in
groups called “wagon trains.” The
trip to Oregon was very long and
difficult. Many people died of
starvation or disease along the
trail. The trip was about 2,000
miles long and took about six
months. When pioneers reached
Oregon, they often lived in their
wagons until their homes were
New Inventions
During the 1800’s, many new inventions
made transportation and communication
easier and more effective. Canals, or
man-made waterways, made it easier to
ship goods by boat. One such canal was
the Erie Canal in New York. The invention
of the steamboat also made
transportation easier because
steamboats made it possible to travel
upstream for the first time. The steam
locomotive led to huge growth of the
railroads, and trains became the main
form of shipping goods and traveling long
distances. The telegraph improved
communication by making it possible to
send messages over electric wires using
a system of dots and dashes called the
Morse Code. These improvements
helped the U.S. to grow and expand.
Abolition and Slavery
As the United States continued to grow and
develop, women and African Americans became
more and more frustrated because they were not
treated equally. Women began to organize
conventions to speak out for women’s suffrage, or
women’s right to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
spoke at the Seneca Falls Convention in New York.
Sojourner Truth, a former slave, gave her famous
“Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at a convention in Ohio.
Others spoke out in favor of abolition, or the end of
slavery. Many slaves escaped by way of the
Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes
leading to freedom. Harriet Tubman, a former slave,
traveled along the Underground Railroad about 19
times and helped about 300 slaves to escape.
Eventually, slavery was abolished, and AfricanAmericans and women were given the right to vote!
Proud to be an American!!
It’s been a long and sometimes a hard process, but the
United States has grown into a strong and successful
country! I wonder if the Jamestown settlers would have
ever dreamed of the America we know today! Let’s all do
our best to keep our country strong by using our freedoms
wisely and by being good citizens! Remember – our
country’s future depends on “We the People!”