United States and Canadian History

2.1 Exploration and Colonization

• 1400’s – Native American lived on North American

continent– Adapted to their environment • Eastern U.S. and Canada – hunted deer , small animals

and farmed• Midwest – Hunted large herds of bison on Great Plains• Southwest & West – hunted and gathered• All pushed off of their land, died from disease and

fighting the whites

European Colonization

• 1500s – Spain – settle Florida- St. Augustine– Sweden- settled what today is Delaware– France- settled along the St. Lawrence River today

this area is Quebec– England- Jamestown, Virginia and Plymouth,

Massachusetts

What were settlements like?

• Small• People usually farmed, traded furs or did craft work• Most had strong religious beliefs• Slavery is brought to colonies because they needed

workers• European nations began to compete and this

caused colonist to fight for control• Great Britain eventually controls most of North

America, except Mexico

2.2 Settling Quebec

• New France- 1534– Founded by Jacques Cartier in the St. Lawrence

River valley– Montreal becomes a major trading post– Set up fur trade with Native Americans- very

profitable- beaver hats and fur coats– 1600 Samuel de Champlain built Quebec, becomes

1st major settlement of New France– 1672 – Louis Jolliet & Jacque Marquette explore

Mississippi River

What got in their way?

- Most people were farmers- Climate – cold with a short growing season- Soil was not rich and very rocky- British competed for land and profitable trade- Problems cause New France to be a small

settlement with mostly men( voyageurs)- Missionaries sent to convince the Native Americans

to accept Christianity SO- British eventually gain control, but let Quebec

retain its French culture

Great Britain in New France

What did they want- to control a larger area- established a major settlement – Quebec-Wanted profits from the fur tradeWhat got in their way?-Needed French loyalty in colonies to off set problems in

their own colonies- Didn’t have good relations with Native AmericansSO- British use French to trade with natives, but also let

them keep French culture in Quebec (Quebec Act)

2.3 Revolution & Independence

Trouble in the Colonies

• 1760s – British government passes a laws requiring colonist to

pay taxes– Colonist angered, no representation in the government

• 1773– Boston Tea Party- colonist dump tea into Boston harbor– British government passes intolerable acts

• 1775– Violence erupts at Lexington and Concord– Revolutionary war begins

Independence

• 1776– Declaration of Independence is written– Explains why they are declaring independence– List grievances against the King– Asks France for help

• 1781– British surrender at Yorktown– Washington surprises the British by surrounding

them on land and by sea(French navy)

Treaty of Paris- 1783

• Recognized the United States as an independent nation

• Sets borders of U.S.-– Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River– Border between Canada and U.S.– Border to the South –stops at Florida– Ends the revolutionary War

Lasting Effects of our Revolution

• France suffered economic trouble because of aid given to U.S.

• American revolution becomes the example for revolutions in Haiti, Central America and France

• Many loyal British subjects move to Canada• Strained relations with the British government

United States Constitution

2.4 U.S. Constitution

• Based on 5 Principles– Federalism

• Certain powers to the federal government and certain powers to the states

– Separation of Powers• Power divided among the 3 branches

– Checks and balances• Each branch has certain powers and can check the power of the other

branches

– Limited government• Individual rights and state governments can limit the federal governments

power

– Democracy• Government based on the rights and equality of every citizen

U.S. Government

• 3 Branches– Legislative• House of Representatives- 435 members • Senate- 100 members

– Executive• President• Vice president• Cabinet- 15 departments

– Judicial• Chief Justice and Associate Justices- 9 members