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Jan 1, 1400
Pre-European Native American Settlements
Eastern Woodlands: farm, hunt, gather; lived with extended family// Southwest: built permanent homes out of clay, farmed// Northwest: nomadic, stayed near coast, moved w/ season. Food source = fish// Plains: nomadic- followed buffalo- BUFFALO = IMPORTANT -
Jan 1, 1500
Spanish Colonies
Ecomiendas: conquered villages run by Spaniards- were given to them as rewards// Haciendas: ranches and plantations run by Spanish; used forced Indian labor// ** Native Americans worked until not enough left -- also led to Pueblo Revolt -
Jan 1, 1550
Creation of Protestant Religion
- branch of Christianity//
- revolution against Catholic Church led by Martin Luther//
- Henry VIII broke away, created Church of England//
- brought to US//
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Beginning of Democracy
- creation of the House of Burgesses marked the first representative legaslative government in the colonies
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Indentured Servitude
- used in Maryland and Virginia: 5-7 year contract; most did not make it until end or were not successful when released//
- eventually ended with the rise of slavery
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Early Settlements
Roanoke: everyone disappeared// Jamestown: tough first winter, got some help from Native Americans (then colonists overstayed welcome), tobacco = cash crop -
Puritans in Massachussets Bay
- colony founded by Puritans, who wanted to "purify" the Church of England. They believed in a harsh, angry God, and in their society the Church and State were together. Therefore, only Puritans were welcome in Massachusetts Bay. (Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson kicked out for new ideas)//
- "city on a hill" -> believed they should be the role model for the rest of the world//
- strong families, lived as a unit//
- farmers (not great soil/conditions), fishermen, shipbuilders, lumber//
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Great Awakening
- religious revival in response to "the enlightenment" (promoted logic, reasoning, non-religious explanations, which decreased church participation)//
- New Lights- more energetic, emotional preachers
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Salutary Neglect
Salutary Neglect was the policy of England that included leaving the colonists alone before the French and Indian war, which gave them freedom and a chance to have their own government. -
Phillis Wheatley
Slave and poet in colonial America.
First African American to publish
HER work was well received, even by George Washington! -
Common Sense
by Thomas Paine Based the basic ability to precieve, understand, and judge things shared amoung all people (things that are common) -
Neo-Classicism
Art of the colonial age.
Reflected ideas of the Greeks and Romans.
Logic, was huge.
Logic, form, balance and reason. J
Major people: ohn Singleton Copley, Gilbert Stuart, Benjamin West -
Market Revolution
beginning of America's industrial revolution.
Now people are making products for the market not just consumption -
Great Awakening
Was the first spontanous mass movement of American people. This was a result of a widespread revival led by Evangelican Protestant minters, increased religion, sense of conviction and redemption, increase in chruch memberships and just more religion! -
Knickerbocker Group
Authors from upstate New York. Washigton Irving: Most famous, made the book Knickerbocker's History of New York. James Cooper: Last of the Mohican ( book on Indians) -
Minstrel Shows
Very popular during this time
White people would dress up as black people, use common sterotypes and basically make fun of them. Extremely racist -
Transcendentalism
1830-1850's
a major focus on individuals
This was a reaction against all the reason and science used during the time
Believed people are all truely good
- did not believe in slavery!
believed everyone was connected by an "oversoul" god and humans on Earth connected. By living through yourself, nature and the world one could connect to this. Founder: Ralph Waldo Emerson -
Shakers
Founded by Mother Ann
- started in New Lebbeonon NY
- members could not have any sexual relation with anyone
- they could not have kids! They would adopt
- had the shaker dance
-Eutopian Society -
Hudson River School
name of a MOVEMENT not actual school
basically: landscapes, influenced by Romanticism
Before this time there was basically no art or literature. Now there is a huge bom. -
American Renaissance
American authors explored the meaning of "American."
1830-1860
Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick. Hawthorne wrote Scarlet Letter. Other authors: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, Walt Whitman. -
P.T Barnum
Muesum in NYC that traveled around
basically s freak show
Later started Barnum and Bailey Circus! -
California Gold Rush
9 days before signing the Treaty of Gudalope Hidalgo, an America Carptener found gold. Months later it turned into the Gold Rush. -lead to population rise in Cali
-caused uneasy relations with Mexicans -
Realism
1850-1900
Reflected a desire to depict reality as it is.
The Civil War coincided with this movement as did the invention of photography.
Famous examples of people who used this:Thomas Eakins. Thomas Whistler. Mark Twain. Stephen Crane. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
by Harriet Beecher Stowe
an anit slavery book but not a true story
Was extremely popular, it showed all of the evils of slavery The South HATED this, in response they passed the Fugitive Slave ACt -
Henry David Thoreau
wrote Walden and Civil Disodidence
- went to a cabin for 2 years!
- believes people need to live simply -
A Century of Dishonor
A book by Helen Hunt Jackson, this piece of literature listed all of the ways that the United States had hurt the indians. It condemed the poor behavior of our country and the cruelty they showed towards the Native Americans, and created much support for the Indian humanitarian cause. -
Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson
Is a novel about a young girl who faces numerous hardships and not only that but racial discrimination as well. Ramona is set in Southern California after the Mexican-American War. This book was extremely popular at the time and was even made into a handful of movies and even a play. At the time it was considered a propaganda novel. -
Our Country- by Josiah Strong
This book, written by Josiah Strong, was written as a part of a religious movement that became popular during the mid and late 1880s. The main argument of this movement was that it was the responsibility of the US to spread Christianity, and this book further supported that. It also tied in race to the call for expansion of religion, by saying that "weaker" and "inferior" races needed Christianity. -
Poem in Detroit News
A poem, adapted from an English music-hall song, was printed in the Detroit News. It coined the nickname "jingosits", a term applied to those who supported expansion. It was:
"We do not want to fight,
But, by jingo, if we do,
We'll scoop in all the fishing grounds
And the whole dominion too!" -
Mark Twain
Real name: Samuel Loghorn Clemens
explored new forms of fiction and wanted to expand teh public's view of literature. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885).
This was later on called the "Great American Novel" -
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History
This book was written by Alfred Mohan. I this book he described how important a strong navy is, not only that but ports and canals. This would also play a big role in the US's imperialistic ways. This book also later influenced the naval arms race in WW1 -
Maggie: A Girl on the Streets
By Stephan Cranes
A bleak story of an innocent girl who commits sucicide.
The first American Naturalistic novel -
Comic Strip "The Yellow Kid"
This comic strip, found in William Randolph Hearst's "Journal" was entitled "The Yellow Kid", and was the beginning of the idea of yellow journalism, a very exaggerated form of media coverage. Although the comic itself did not have a direct correlation to the act of overstating news, the nickname was adopted and is used to this day. -
The Theory of Leisure Class: by Thorstien Veblen
A caustic critic of the lifesytles of the new capitalistic elite. Mostly a discussion of socail strata and class divison -
Sister Carrie: by Theodore Drieser
This story was based on a littel girl from Wisconsin, who was seduced by a married traveling sales man and moved to California.She than runs away, abandons him and works in a theather. -
Prairie School
Was a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States. One major thing was horizontal lines. They were thought to evoke and relate to the native prairie landscape.
Head person: Frank Lloyd Wright
*not a school -
The Octopus- Frank Norris
In this popular work of fiction, Norris accurately portrayed the struggle between California Railroad Barons and local wheat growers, highlighting the barons' bribery, intimidation, rate manipulation, and more. -
The Virginian 1902
by Owen Wister
Describes the day and the life of one frontierman, but the aurhor leaves out the racial discrimnations and other negative aspects of the frontier. -
Movies
With the Progressive Era also came the begining of the popularity of film, starting with simple cartoon comic shows and eventually evolving into short films, the first of which was "The Great Train Robbery". These films provided yet another form of escape from daily life, and also initiated the rise of many movie stars, such as Theda Bara, Charlie Chaplin, and more. Theaters, or "nickelodeans" were primarily found in immigrant neighborhoods, but lured viewers from all over. -
The True Promise of American Life
Was one of the most influential books in American political history. It helped shaped the ideas of many intellectuals and political leaders. It also influenced the later " The New Deal". Combined conservative government and democracy -
Henry Ford's Model T
The creation of the Model T Ford in 1908 transformed the automobile from a luxury only enjoyed by the wealthy to a product important to the lives of many consumers. It changed the transportation industry for good, and when combined with the invention of the airplane showed the technological advances made in this time period, all of which benefited the American public. -
New Music
Many new genres of music became popular during this time period, providing a new escape from the hardships of everyday life. City life was greatly enhanced by the arival of so many new types of music, such as Blues (which originated from black sharecroppers of the South), and Ragtime (also South). Some specific examples of increasingly popular composers are:
- W.C. Handy "St. Louis Blues"
- Scott Joplin "Maple Leaf Rag"
- Irving Berln "Alexander's Ragtime Band" -
Amusement Parks
By 1914, the Coney Island amusement park in New York City attracted several million visitors per year. An easily accesible escape from the hardships of everyday life, men, women, and children all appreciated the fun sure to be found within the park. -
Period: to
WWI Poetry
The poems written by soldiers during the First World War provide valuble insight as to what fighting in and living through this war was like. It is easy to see that in 1914, the beginning of the fighting, all of the poems are patriotic, noble, enthusiastic, and overall glorify war. As the years go on, the accounts of the fighting get darker and darker, showing the war in a more negative, gruesome light. By 1918, they are almost suicidal, devoid of any hope. -
Domestic Support for the War
While many American men were off fighting in the war, citizens at home tried to do their part as well by participating in pledges such as "Meatless Monday" and "Wheatless Wednesday". -
Four Minute Men
"Four Minute Men" were CPI volunteers who gave short, inspirational, patriotic speeches to attempt to convince Americans to join the military and/or support the war effort in other ways. They were called "four minute" because the speeches were short and sweet. -
War Bonds
In order to help finance the war, the government sold "Liberty Loans", or war bonds, which they later repayed. The money from these bonds financed about two thirds of the war's cost, and the government greatly encouraged Americans to buy bonds and help out. Even celebrities, such as Charlie Chaplin, advertised the Liberty Loans. -
The Kaiser: The Beast of Berlin
This film was one of many released by the CPI, or Committee on Public Information. The movies produced by this agency aimed to convince Americans that they should go to war, and tried to pit citizens against Germany. The information was often exaggerated and tainted by bias, but effective nonetheless. -
Phonograph
A very popular luxury item of the time was the phonograph, as it had recently been improved to be more convenient for home use. Many songs of the time were released on phonograph records, such as the waltz "Till We Meet Again" or "Oo-La-La Wee, Wee". There was also a great amount of pro-war songs, such as the patriotic "Over there" and "America, I Love You", which played an important role in propoganda. -
Essays, Magazines, and Books supporting war
Many authors showed their support through the war through essays, magazines, and books. These were usually very popular pieces of literature. A prime example of a magazine that wholeheartedly supported the war was the New Republic. -
Harlem Renaissance
It was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City
The Harlem Renaissance was a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that started a new black cultural identity. Many writings, and artwork were very popular during this time period.
The center of the movement included Jean Toomer, Langston Hughes, Rudolf Fisher, Wallace Thurman, Jessie Redmon Fauset, Nella Larsen, Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen, and Zora Neale Hurston. -
American Mercury magazine
H.L. Mencken (journalist and critic)
championed writers
ridiculed politicians -
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
informs his readers about the colorful society of the ‘20s by placing a relatable plotline within the context
captures the idea of the ‘20s and the American Dream -
The Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A novel based on the post WW1 era, a young (women) graduate from Princeton is dabbling with writing along with struggling with love, greed and status seeking. -
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
Tells a story of a young women named Carol Milford who was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota to be a liberal and free spirited women. She marries a doctor and is faced with social situations that go against her beliefs, she tries to stand up to them. Will she? She tries her best for s women during this time, and she never feels defeated. -
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
This Nobel Prize winner (1930) was a satire of American culture, behavior and society. It critiqued American's pressure towards conformity along with emptiness of the middle-class. Was a controversial best seller. -
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
An modernist novel, that received mixed reviews. Americans and a few French friends travel to Pamplona and experience the native culture, bullfighting. -
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Set during the Italian campaign of WW1, the protagonists Frederic Henry, an American Lieutenant part of the ambulance corps in the Italian Army. -
Artists Helped by the WPA
The WPA, or Works Progress Administration, aimed to give jobs to Americans to help them through the depression. This particular agency focused on artists and authors and others, greatly contributing to the cultural, artistic aspect of life during the bleak Depression. Also, it proved to be very valuble for historians later on to better understand life during this time period. -
Women in the Workforce
During the Depression, the amount of married women in the workforce greatly increased, as they all needed to help support their families. -
Low-Cost Budgets
Magazines and advertisements of the period often contained ways to cut back on costs and fit smaller budgets. This shows qute a bit about the culture of the time period, in contrast to the 1920s when women were reading their magazines in search of fancy products and ways to spend money, while in the Great Depression years they were trying to save money. It overall summarizes the feel of the time- save what they could to get by. -
Radio
With the hard times of the Depression, the radio provided a great escape for Americans struggling to make it through daily life. Comedians such as Jack Benny, George Burns, and Gracie Allen had very popular radio shows, and 15 minute soap operas were also regular occurances in households where housewives enjoyed the distraction from regular life. -
Movies
Movie tickets were very cheaply priced at this time, so the movies were a great escape for Americans. In fact, they were wildly popular, with about 65 percent of citizens going to the movies at least once a week. From comedies to dramas to gangster films to musicals, the movies were a popular pastime for ALL Americans. The beginning of color, sound, and animation also contributed to the appeal of the cinema. -
Journalism, Plays, and Composers (oh my!)
Photographers such as Dorothea Lange and James Agee/Walker Evans highlighted the strength of Americans through haunting photos. Popular plays were also created during this time, such as Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" and William Saroyan's "Time of Your Life". Additionally, composers were swept along with the cultural movement, producing folk melodies that would live on for many years. Jazz was still popular as well, along with cultural/folk paintings and other mediums of art. -
Literature
John Steinbeck's famous Depression time novel, the Grapes of Wrath, depicted a family uprooted by the dust bowl, and other authors such as Ernest Hemmingway also became more well-known. -
World's Fair
The world's fair took place in New York City, and contained many exhibits, something fun and new to brighten the lives of financially stressed New Yorkers. It had modern designs and inventions, interactive events, and more. -
Animal Farm by George Orwell
allegorical and dystopian "novella" orginally published in England but was brought over to America and became extremely popular -
The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care - Dr. Spock
This historic book was a parent's ultimate guide to raising kids, as it proposed a more gentle, loving method of upbringing. It was the first to do this, and therefore resulted in the baby boom generation often being considered "spoiled". -
The Diary of a Young GirlBook by Anne Frank
A common and amazin story known to many today. This book is about Anne Frank and her experinces of hiding from the Nazi's in the Netherlands. For two whole years! -
Death of Salesman PLAY
A playwrite written by Authur Miller an Americam. Won a Pulitzer Pirze for drama along with a Tony!
742 performances -
Levittowns
Levittowns were housing complexes in the suburbs that consisted of identical homes, over and over. These were built as a result of the mass movement of families from the cities to the suburbs, and were very efficient. -
Television!
This time was the real beginning of television, as it became more and more common in homes and shows, such as I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, Looney Toons, the Roy Rodgers Show, and What's My Line?, became popular across the country. -
The Sunbelt
The Sunbelt was a stretch of states going from Virginia, south to Florida, West to Texas, and northwest through California. Many families moved here during the 50s, attracted by its warm climate, lower tax rates, better job opportunities, and more. -
Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was a nickname for a widespread literary movement started soon after the end of WWII by students questioning the materialism of society, who saw over-the-top capitalism, consumerism, and conformity as terrible and restricting and fought against the strict, uptight opinions of their parents' generation. This resulted in bold, straightforward, expressive, rebellious literature and scandalous art/music. -
J D Salinger
Wrote "Catcher in the Rye" in 1951. This book spoke to teenagers through the lens of rebellion and alienation
-realted and influenced many teenagers
was a reaction to the conformity of the 1950s.
This book was hated by many -
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
by Sloan Wilson,
highlighted the conformity of the 1950s
told the story of a World War II vet and his battle with demons from the war and the quest for material satisfaction in the 50s
very relatable -
Grammy Awards
The beginning of the Grammys! The first ever Grammy Awards show was on May 4, 1959, and had music icons such as Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, and more! -
The Other America - Michael Harrington
This informational book was a description of part of America that was often pushed aside and forgotten during this time of economic prosperity - the poor. It was part documentation and part analysis, and was wildly popular. -
Slient Spring
Rachel Carson
Environmental book!
About the use of pesticides in the environment.
Sparked the modern environmental movement and helped lead to the passage of the Pesticide Control Act of 1972. -
"The Feminine Mystique"
Betty Friedan
During the beginning the modern women's movement.
She questioned the 1950s idea that a woman's place was that as a homemaker and mother.
Pro women! -
The Ashcan School
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William James: Pragmatism
A philopher.
Pragmatism: Rejected of the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. More so the function of thought is as an instrument or tool for prediction, action, and problem solving.
Was one of the first American Philopshers very influncial -
The Chicago School
a style of architecture led by Louis Sullivan
He virtually invented the skyscraper. His idea: form follows function.
