{ECK.ING YOUR UNDERSTAND

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE 27

Directions: Complete the following cards. Then answer the multiple-choice questions.

DncrenenoN oF INorpENoENcE

What was

Key ideas:

it?

Importance:

AlmmceN Rnvorunolr

What was it?

Major cause:

Major result:

ANNCTnS OF CoNFEDERATIoN

What was it?

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Tnr Gnrer Coupnoursn

What was it?

Significance:

The major problem facing the thirteen newly in.dependent states was how to1 attract foreign nations to build factories in

America2 lower taxes3 create some form of central government

4 establish a Supreme Court

Which document has been accused of givingtoo little power to the central government?1 Articles of Confederation2 United States Constitution3 Declaration of Independence4 Bill of Rights

3 The right of the people to overthrow a govern-ment that abuses its power is a main theme ofthe1 Mayflower Compact2 Articles of Confederation3 Declaration of Independence4 U.S. Constitution

One of the major arguments for independencein the Declaration of Independence was that1 the British had refused to buy goods from the

American colonies2 a government run by a king was evil3 the colonists were superior to the British4 people have natural rights as human beings

Vhich document contains the phrase "all menare created equal"l1 Magna Carta2 Mayflower Compact3 Starnp Act4 Declaration of Independence

The major purpose of the Declaration of Inde.pendence was to1 describe a method for defeating the British in

the war2 justifu the actions of the colonists in over-

throwing British rule3 provide plans for a new government

4 call for the creation of new state governments

I

28

1I

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE

According to the Declaration of Independence, agovernment's power comes from the1 states2 people

3 U.S. Constitution4 laws passed by Congress

8 At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, theagreement known as the "Great Compromise"was concerned mainly withI a state's representation in Congress2 the question of slavery3 the powers of the President

4 control of trade

town. He was soontaken captive by Na-tive Americans andwas brought beforeChief Powhatan. Thechiefs young daughterPocahontas helped towin his release. Shewent on to help othersettlers by bringingthem food and sup-plies. In 1614, she

PRrNcrss PocesoNresIn 1607, John Smith of Great Britain arrived inVirginia to establish a settlement at James-

PR imilLES... nN H ilSIfORY

Pocuhontas inEuropean dress

Crispus Attucks

with God. She also believed that churches andmrn$ters were unnec-essary. Such opinionsgot her in trouble withPuritan leaders, whoviewed her beliefs as anattempt to destroy thePuritan Church. Shewas put on trial andfound guilty. She wasbanished from the colo-ny of Massachusetts,and fled to Rhode Is-land. Hutchinson iscredited with being animportant leader in developing religious free-dom in the American colonies.

Cmspus ArrucxsCrispus Attucks was killed in 1770 by a band ofBritish soldiers while he was participating in ademonstration against British rule in the colo-

Stutue of AnneHutchinson

nies. A former slave,Attucks was the firstAmerican to lose hislife in the comingstruggle for indepen-dence. He became asymbol of Americanopposition to theharsh rule imposedbv the British in the

married John Roli a Jamestown settler. Poca-hontas died of smallpox at age 21, while on avisit to London.

Fnrnnn JuNrnnno SnnnnIn 1769, Father Serra, a Franciscan priest livingin Mexico, joined a group on a trip north topresent-day California. He helped found a mis-sion at San Diego - the first European settle-ment in present-day California. After a fewyears, Father Serra established similar missionsthroughout California to convert the NativeAmerican people to Christianity and to teachthem to raise new crops, tend livestock, andbuild roads and bridges.

ANNr HUTCHTNSONAnne Hutchinson lived in Massachusetts. Shewas a strong-minded religious woman. She be-lieved a person could directly communicate

colonies. A memorialmonument was erected in Boston to Attucksand the other four patriots killed that day.

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE

Directions: Confirm your understanding of the following terms and concepts by checking those

you can explain. Having trouble recalling an item? Refer to the page number next to the item.

Directions: Fill in the information called for in the following organizers.

who attended?When did it take place?

Why did it meCt?Where was it held?

B Native Americans (7)Q Mayans, Aztecs, Incas (8)D Maflower Compact (13)

Q Indentured Servants (14)

fl Atlantic Slave Trade (14)B Democracy (16)D Declaration of Independence (20)

E American Revolution (22)

O Mercantilism (19)O Articles of Confederation (22)0 Great Compromise (75)

Q Constitutional Convention (25)

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE

Each chapter of this book ends with a test. Before each test there is a special "Test Helper" sectionthat willhelp you to findnew wdys to think about the materials found in the chapter. Each sectionexplores a major theme that runs through the chapter. Thts sectionboks at the study of history.

WHAT IS HISTORY?

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE

HOW HISTORIA.NS WORK:THE HISTORICAL METITOD

like,litgrature, historv *"it be well-written:to .o**utti."te iJear. Like science, historyshould be accurate.

- ! -^J^- -- . :

HISTORICAL SOURCES AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONUsually, an historian begins by framing a question. For example: How were women treatedduring the'American Revolution? What were the lives of slaves like in the South? Oncethe historian has framed an historical question, he or she next gathers materials that'helpto answer,it: These sources are'of two kinds:

Using historical sources presents many problems. Primary sources are sometimes incom-plete and the historian can never know exactly what happened,before. History, therefore,relies on,the interpretation of surviving sources, This can be a very tricky *"ti"r. Being anhistorian is like being a detective. When an historian discovers a particular record, he orshe must intbrpiet it. For example; h the document authentic or a forgery? Is the docu-ment ieally, *1't"t it,seems to bet Because historians often disagree

"tout the interpreta-

tion of sources, there arb many conflicting viewpoints about what actually happened.. : . :

: - :

SELECT.ING AND INTERPRETING SIGNIFICANT FACTS .Of ,i1hg thousandC of facts, which are important in telling the story of a:pasi euenil In se-le_ctinq some:facts to include, and in discarding others, historians *ike judgments aboutwhat they think is important. Others might nor agree with these judgments. History there-fole goses problems both in interprering specific documenrs and records, and in decidingwhich facts hre important and which are nort These problems give rise to historical con-troversies (d{sputit). What you findiin your te*tbook is often only a srrmmary of t"v pointsabout which some historians have agreed.

Original records of the event under investiga-tion. They include eyewitness reports, officialrecords made at the time of the event, thetexts of speeches and reports, letters sent bypeople involved in the event, diaries, photo-graphs, audio and video tapes, and so forth.Most of the facts used to reconstruct histori-cal events come from primary sources.

The writings and interpretations of histori-ans and other writers. Secondary sourcessuch as textbooks and articles often provideconvenient summaries of the informationcontained in primary sources. Historiansalso read these writings to learn about oth-er historians' ideas.

32 FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE

Directions: Circle the number preceding the word or expression that correcdy answers the state'

ment or question. Following the multiple-choice questions, answer the essay questions.

Base your answer to questions 1 and 2 on this cartoon and on your knowledge of social studies'

1 The person giving the

meant to represent the

1 colonial slave traders

2 Mayflower Compact3 state governments

4 national governrnent

order to "jump" is

What is the main idea of rhe cartoon?

1 The Articles of Confederation gave too

much power to the President.2 The governmenl under the Articles of

Confederation could not be changed'

3 State governments had the real power un-

der the Articles of Confederation.

4 The central government had the power to

make the states obey.

According to the Declaration of Independence,

the purpose of government is to

1 protect the rights of individuals

2 provide a strong military force

3 maintain the leader's authority

4 establish a court system

The "unalienable rights" mentioned in the Dec-

laration of Independence refer to

1 the rights of accused persons

2 the right to vote in all elections

3 rights that cannot be taken awaY

4 right-to-work laws

One purpose of the Declaration of Independence

was to1 establish the basic law of the

United StatesZ justify the American colonists in

asainst Great Britain

3 give women the right to vote

4 guarantee human rights for all Americans

6 One flaw in the Articles of Confederation was

that it1 created too weak a national government

2 refused to create a democratic government

3 established a national court system

4 created too many political parties

The authors of the Articles of Confederation

wanted to1 create a powerful central government

2 provide a system of checks and balances with-

in the cenftal government

3 limit the power of the central government

4 model the American central government af-

ter the British government

At the Constitutional Convention, the agree-

ments known as the "Three-fifths Compromise"

and the "Great Compromise" dealt with

1 amendments to the Constitution

2 representation in Congress

3 rights of the accused

4 powers of the President

At the Constitutional Convention, differences

about representation were settled by creating a

I judicial system2 single President3 two-house legislature

4 government with three branches

land in the

their revolt

10 In the late 17BOs, some states were persuaded

ratify the Constitution by the promise of

1 low taxes2 a national court sYstem

3 a Bill of Righrs

4 a woman's right to vote

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE 33

11 A major purpose of the Northwest Ordinance of

1787 was to1 limit the power of the national government

2 establish a method for admitting new states

3 have all people pay the same amount of taxes

4 protect people's rights from a powerful gov'

ernment

ESSAYS

In addition to answering multiple-choice questions, class tests and state examinations often re-

quire you to write an essay. Most essay questions generally foliow a similar pattern. For example:

Notice that in this essay question, as in many others, there are three parts.

1. It begins with a general statementr The Declaration of Independence includes many funda-

mental principles that are important to American citizens.

2. Next, Part A asks that you some information about the general statement:

o List two fundamental principles found in the Declaration of Independence.

o Give one reason why these principles are important to the people of this nation.

give

*f*::::::::::::1 1

Give one reason why these principles are important to the people of this nation.

ffi::, Part B answer, you should use information you gave in Part A. However, you mayalso include different or additional information in your Part B answer.

I a t t

Write an essay beginning with the following topic sentence:

The Declaration of Independence includes many fundamental principles that are impor'

tant to American citizens.

JI

ri 34 FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE

3. Lastly, Part B asks you to: use the information you gave in your Part A answer to write an

essay about the general statement.

This chapter will deal only with answering Part A. The next chapter will deal with Part B.

STRATEGIES FOR ANSWERING PART A

The purpose of Part A is for you ro "outline" the important facts about the topic. You will then

,r" thi, information to write your essay in Part B. There are four main "action" words used in

Part A. They are: identifr, [ist, state, and give.

;> identify means "to name something." It is generally used when you are asked to name one or

more causes, features, or changes. For example,

Identify a democratic institution of colonial America: (Answer) Virginia House of Burgesses

) tist requires you to srate or name something without explaining it. For example,

List two powers the central goveTrvnent did nothave under the Articles of Cutfederation: (Answer)

declare war. borrow money

) state means write a sentence about something. It is more than just listing. For example,

State one reason why the stdtes wanted to approve the new Constitution: (Answer) A stronger

) give is like "identifu," because it asks you to name something. However, it is generally used

when asking for an exampie' For example,

Giqte one example of a British tax opposedby the colonists: (Answer)The Stamp Act

Look again at these "action" words in Part A of the question. Notice that Part A concentrates

on key terms and concepts and their problems, causes, effects and features. Therefore' pay spe-

cial attention to the words in boldface in every chapter of this book.

Now let's test your understanding of the Part A section. Write your answers to the following on

a sheet ofpaper:

Identify one compromise at the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

List two effects of the Declaration of Independence.

State one feature of a democratic government.

Give two examples of arguments used against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

PERFORMANCE.BASEDTASKS

FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO INDEPENDENCE 35

USING PRIMARY SOURCESFOR EVIDENCE

In this chapter, you have studied American history from earliest times until the Declaration ofIndependence. You have also learned about the nature of history and how historians work.

DrscmprloN oF Tesx: In this acriviry, you are asked to find one primary source about earlyAmerican history. Your teacher may divide you and other students in your class into groups tocomplete this task.

Possmrr PRrueRy SOUNCBS YOU MIGHT USE

) excerpts from the Iroquois Constitution) excerpts from the log of Christopher Columbus) Cortes' description of his first meeting with Montezuma) the Mayflower Compact) descriptions of slaveryF newspaper accounts of the American Revolutionary 'S7ar

) letters written by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or Ben Franklin) debates over ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Youn Tesx: For the primary source selected, answer the following questions:

WHrnr To FIND SouRcrs: Some texrbooks include excerpts from primary sources. Biographiesor history books also often contain primary source material. Books written by people who parti"cipated in the events are also primary sources. Use your school or public library; the librarianshould be able to help you find some collections of primary source documents.

What is the document?

\7ho wrote it?

When was it written?

\7hy was it written?

What does it say?

\7hy is this document important?