My History Teacher Told Me

In writing A Voyage Long and Strange, Tony Horwitz’s goal is clear, to educate others on early America and debunk ignorant myths. Horwitz’s reason for wanting to achieve this goal is because of his own ignorance that he sees while at Plymouth Rock. “Expensively educated at a private school and university- a history major, no less!-I’d matriculated to middle age with a third grader’s grasp of early America.” Horwitz is disappointed in his own lack of knowledge of his home country, especially with his background history and decides not only to research America’s true beginnings, but to also follow the path of those who originally yearned to discover America.

Life in Colonial America was different for all those involved, which were the settlers of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay colony.. Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay had similarities and differences. They each had their own unique leaders, form of government, economics, and ways of life, although all the settlers in these colonies had a deep dependence on God.

n Lies My Teacher Told, James W. Loewen discusses how American students who enter college are less knowledgeable about their own history than any other subject. He claims that American history is the least liked and worst remembered subject in the American curriculum. High school students hate history and see it as “boring and irrelevant” (Loewen 2). Loewen argues that the uninteresting, Eurocentric treatment of history bores most elementary and high school students, who also find it irrelevant to their lives. To make learning more compelling, Loewen suggests that authors, publishers, and teachers should make history appealing and be engaging to the students. By presenting students with different viewpoints and stressing that history is

After reading Native Americans and the “Middle Ground,” I realized how narratives of historians are quick to shame and blame Native Americans in history. This article begins by revealing how European settlement presented the Indians as obstacles. Recent historians, such as Gary Nash, show the Native Americans as being conquered by the Europeans. Author of The Middle Ground, Richard White, seems to be one of the first to examine the culture of Native Americans and the relationship between colonists. White writes about the “middle ground” of the politics and trade that is eventually established. As I look back at some of my history classes, I noticed how little Native American history was taught. I’m not sure if it’s because of the lack of written

The first chapter of both A​People’s History of the United States (​Zinn, 1980) and​A Patriot’s History of the United States​(Schweikart and Allen, 2004) tells the story of the discovery of the New World. Beginning with the landing of Columbus in the Bahamas, these accounts are told from two separate perspectives. Zinn often refers to the telling of history as a tale between victims and executioners, saying that in the “inevitable taking of sides which comes from selection and emphasis in History” he prefers to stand on the side of the victim, whereas Schweikart and Allen tend to stand behind the executioner. Much of A​Patriot’s History​is spent arguing the accuracy of the number of natives murdered by invading European entities, attempting to minimize the blame reflected on these executioners. However, Schweikart and Allen have access to more modern technology and theory seeing as A​Patriot’s History​was

This journal, “Of Plymouth Plantation”, which was from Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vol. 1, written by William Bradford between 1630 and 1651, and edited by Samuel Eliot Morison in 1953, describes the story of the pilgrims who sailed from Southampton, England, on the Mayflower and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. Those pilgrims were English Christians in the 16th and 17th centuries and religious separatists who saw no hope of reforming the Church of England from within; therefore, they hoped to separate from the Church of England and form independent local churches in another place. In order to , those pilgrims overcame many obstacles. The author had used the power of rhetoric, especially in the use of the three rhetorical

The arrival of the first Europeans in the Americas is dramatically captured through the many writers who attempted to communicate what they saw, experienced and felt. What is more, the very purposes of their treacherous travel and colonization are clearly seen in their writings; whether it is poetry, history or sermons. Of the many literary pieces available today, William Bradford and John Winthrop’s writings, even though vary because the first is a historical account and the second is a sermon, stand out as presenting a clear trust in God, the rules that would govern them and the reason they have arrived in the Americas.

Jamestown colony and Plymouth colony have are two similar colonies but at the same time are so very different. One similarity is that each colony had a large number of deaths after winter. One difference is that Plymouth colony had a good relationship with the Native Americans and Jamestown didn't have a good relationships with them. A second difference is that the two colonies came for different reasons.

Americans celebrate so many holidays and enjoy their days off without truly knowing the history behind the events leading up to the creation of these “sacred” days. Elementary school students all around America learn the rhyme “in 1492 Columbus sailed the Ocean blue” and celebrate his “discovery” of America. Columbus Day has been celebrated for two hundred years. Although the American population does not know all the details about Columbus. He was a greedy person and essentially started slavery in the United States. People should not celebrate Columbus Day because Christopher Columbus is not the heroic and courageous man many believe him to be.

Being the first two well-known places in which the English would set out to colonize in 1607 and 1620, Jamestown, Virginia and Plymouth, Massachusetts hold very separate set of beliefs, standards, and outlooks on life then and the future to come. While paving the way for things such as slavery, taxes, ownership of land, inclusion of women, tobacco and government assemblies, John Smith and the people of Jamestown became a classical foundation for new life and economic growth for the new world that is, the United States. On the other hand, William Bradford and his people began to realize the intentions of the Church of England were unholy and had strayed away from God’s teachings from the Bible. With this in mind, the Pilgrims set on a voyage to the new world to seek religious freedom. As we know it, the Pilgrims sought for peace and a new way of living that was fair, just and free from religious corruptions. While both settlers were met with Natives of the new land, each had two profound differences as to how they went about communicating and living with them.

The world has glorified many historical people especially early explorers. One such explorer is Christopher Columbus. Historians have discovered that perhaps Columbus Was given honor prematurely.

“Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress”, chapter one of “A People’s History of the United States”, written by professor and historian Howard Zinn, concentrates on a different perspective of major events in American history. It begins with the native Bahamian tribe of Arawaks welcoming the Spanish to their shores with gifts and kindness, only then for the reader to be disturbed by a log from Columbus himself – “They willingly traded everything they owned… They would make fine servants… With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.” (Zinn pg.1) In the work, Zinn continues explaining the unnecessary evils Columbus and his men committed unto the unsuspecting natives. The argument that seems to be made (how Columbus

Looking back to the 1500s, the English had been situating settlements in Ireland and used a familiar model in the New World. The early years of Jamestown were difficult for the settlers. The land was hot, humid, and mosquito-infested, and the settlers were mostly aristocrats and artisans that spent much of their time searching for gold. Those who didn’t die on the trip, died once they arrived from diseases and starvation. In 1607, about 3 ships-each holding more than 100 English passengers, arrived on the Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia. Settlers were excited, given that they would be the first permanent colony in the New World. Most settlers were in search for riches and others in search of a new home. Settlers ranged from the ages of 17 to 35 years old. The first years for the English settlers were harsh and devastating. By 1611, two-thirds of the settlement had died and all hope was lost for the settlers. The 3 main circumstances that caused a majority of English colonists at Jamestown to lose their lives were the environment, the social and religious conflicts with the Natives, and the lack of survival skills.

Colonial America laid the foundation for the complicated country we call the United States. Historians debate many questions about that critical time period before the thirteen colonies declared and won independence from Great Britain. One of the most interesting questions is: What was the most significant major event preceding the founding of the nation? There is no ‘correct’ answer to this question. There are many possible responses, but the facts show that some arguments are stronger than others. After learning about it in class and researching it on my own, I argue that Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the ‘New World” is the most significant event because, while the eventual discovery of the Americas was inevitable, Columbus’ immediate cruelty towards the Native Americans set the

Every year on the second Monday of October America celebrates one of its oldest “patriotic” holidays, Columbus Day. Columbus Day is a day to commemorate the discovery of the Western World by Christopher Columbus. Columbus landed in the New World on October 2, 1492 and is ultimately credited with and remembered for discovering the Americas. The United States of America, itself, has always been comprised of immensely patriotic citizens making it no surprise that the so called discoverer of such a beloved country has a holiday dedicated to him. The idea of a holiday for the man who ‘found’ the ‘New World’ from afar, does not seem all that unusual. However, when one begins to understand the kind of man Columbus really was,