A Journey Through American History and Culture
Where did the first Native Americans originally come from?
The Native Americans probably arrived in Alaska from Asia. They came to America around 16,000 years ago.
What countries make up North America nowadays?
Canada, Mexico, and the USA make up the North American continent.
What was the first English colony in North America?
The first group began the colony of Jamestown. It was founded in 1607. They hoped to find gold.
How did that colony become rich?
They cultivated tobacco.
Who was Squanto? What did he do?
He was a Native American. He helped the colonists and taught them how to hunt.
Name at least 8 of the 13 original colonies.
Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire.
What happened at the “Boston Tea Party” and why?
342 boxes of tea were thrown into the sea by a group of men because they didn’t want to pay taxes.
What is the importance of Thomas Jefferson?
He wrote the Declaration of Independence.
What rights does the “Declaration of Independence” defend?
Rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
What happened in 1803?
Thomas Jefferson became the third president. He bought a large area of land in the Midwest from France.
Who were Lewis and Clark?
They traveled across America all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
What happened in 1848?
Texas and the Southwest were won from Mexico.
What is the symbolism of the American flag?
Stripes and stars.
What tensions existed between the Southern and the Northern states in the middle of the 19th century?
The Southern states kept slaves to work in the cotton fields, but slaves were not allowed in the North.
What is the importance of Abraham Lincoln?
He belonged to the Republican Party, which opposed slavery.
What advantages did the South have?
They had the best soldiers, and they had plenty of money from selling their cotton to Britain.
What advantages did the North have?
They had factories. They also had Lincoln.
What happened 4 days after the Civil War was over?
Lincoln was shot at the theater by a man named John Wilkes Booth.
What does the text say about Lincoln’s successor?
The new president was not strong enough to bring the North and the South together, and people continued to argue about the rights of Black people.
How was the real life of the cowboys?
They worked hard at their job, taking care of the cows, and at least a quarter of them were Black or Mexican.
Who was Laura Ingalls Wilder? What did she write about?
She was a woman whose family moved West. Laura told the story of their journey in books like Little House on the Prairie.
What was the Pony Express? How did it work?
The Pony Express carried mail across the country.
Who was Buffalo Bill?
He was a very well-known rider. He later became a soldier and a hunter.
What are the ‘reservations’? How are they?
Reservations are special places for Native Americans to live.
Who are the Hopi, the Zuni, and the Navajo? What are they famous for?
The Navajo make wonderful colored blankets. The Navajo language is very unusual. During World War II, the American army used Navajo soldiers to send secret radio messages that the enemy could not understand.
What kind of people immigrated to the USA between 1840 and 1930? Why did they come?
Many different groups immigrated to the USA during this time, including Chinese, Irish, Italian, and German immigrants, seeking better opportunities and escaping hardship.
What problems did the Chinese immigrants encounter?
Chinese immigrants faced discrimination and prejudice, especially during the Gold Rush in California in 1848.
What is the Ku Klux Klan?
A group of men who dressed in white robes and hoods and used violence and intimidation against Black people.
What is To Kill a Mockingbird?
A book that tells the story of a Black man falsely accused of a crime in the 1930s South.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?
He was a civil rights leader who fought for equality for Black people.
What are the two most important political parties in the US? What do they believe?
The Republicans and the Democrats. They have different views on government, social issues, and the economy.
Who was Edward Hopper? What is he famous for?
He was an artist known for his paintings, often depicting scenes of urban isolation and modern life.
How much vacation time do Americans usually get per year?
They have two weeks of vacation a year, as well as holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What happens if you are unemployed in the USA?
The government provides some financial assistance, but it is often not enough to cover all expenses.
What is a ‘tip’ and why is it so important in the USA?
It’s extra money given to service workers, such as waiters and bartenders, in addition to the price of the service. It is an important part of their income.
What was the Model T?
The first car that was affordable for ordinary people.
What influence does religion have in schools?
The USA does not have a state religion, and religious instruction is not allowed in public schools.
What is the Mall of America?
It’s one of the largest shopping malls in the world.
Into what 3 stages is school divided?
Elementary school, middle school, and high school.
What is the Americans’ favorite sport, and how do you play it?
Baseball is a popular sport in America. It involves two teams trying to score runs by hitting a ball and running around a series of bases.
What does the text say about American eating habits?
Many Americans struggle with obesity, potentially due to a diet high in processed foods and fast food.
What is ‘sunny side up’? And ‘over easy’?
‘Sunny side up’ refers to eggs cooked with the yolk facing up. ‘Over easy’ refers to eggs flipped over during cooking but with a runny yolk.
What is the minimum age for buying alcoholic drinks in the USA?
21