1. Who Are We? Americans All!

2. Native Americans Native Americans arrived in the Americas between 28,000 – 13,000 BCE
* The Land Bridge Theory…
Before Columbus arrived, it is believed over 300 tribes existed and between 20 and 100 million people lived in the Americas.
Most Native Americans were nomadic hunters & gatherers.
Eventually, a “Culture Clash” would develop between
Native Americans the Europeans which would result in the
destruction of the Indian way of life.

3. states Native
Americans crossed
the Bering Strait
and populated
North and South
America.

6. Most Native Americans would eventually die due
to diseases brought by the Europeans.
Contributions of Native Americans include agricultural
products as corn and tobacco.
Also, the Iroquois Federation created a Constitution.

8. Europeans The first Europeans to arrive
in the New World were the Spanish.
Led by Christopher Columbus in 1492,
The Spanish accidently discover a “New World.”
Gold , Glory & God became the chief
motivating factor for Spanish exploration of
the New World
The Conquistadors

10. 1500-Spanish Conquerors
Arrive in North America

11. In 1519, Spanish Conquistador, Hernan Cortez
Conquers the Aztec Empire in Mexico
In 1532, Francisco Pizarro conquers the Incas of Peru.

12. Hispanics are those people born in the Americas
in countries colonized by Spain. Largest minority
in US today – 37 million.
Contributions= Religion (Catholicism).
California’s mission system.
Introduced both the horse and cattle to the New World & thus the cowboy.

13. By the 1700’s
Spain had colonized
Florida, much of the
present-day
southwestern US,
Mexico,
and most
of Central and
South America.

14. English Colonization = 1607 Jamestown Va.
1st permanent English colony.
Jamestown has been called, The “Birthplace of America.”
English claimed the east coast of N. America
( New England ) and areas of Canada.
Contributions = Religion – Protestant
Democratic Principles
Commercial and Manufacturing endeavors.

16. French Colonization-1608 Quebec 1st French colony.
The French colonize eastern Canada and the
Mississippi River region.
The French Colonize
Contributions= Spread Catholicism &
establish fur trade with Native Americans.

17. African Americans- 1st introduced into Jamestown in 1619.
Only group not to come by choice- slavery l
“Middle Passage” brings slaves from Africa to
the Americas.
Contributions= Their labor help build
America into an agricultural power.
Jazz music is the basis for most all
kinds of American popular music.

18. 1840’s – 1860’s Old Immigrants- Northern & Western Europe.
Irish – A potato famine in Ireland sends hundreds of thousands to America beginning in the 1840's.
Their labor builds the industrial east and the eastern route of the transcontinental railroad following the Civil War.
Germans – Are America’s largest immigrant group (25%) They introduce Kindergarten to America.
Scandinavians - Farmers, Minnesota area
*Assimilation- The ability of an immigrant group to blend into the dominant culture.
“WASP’s”- White Anglo / Saxon Protestant

19. Most New Immigrants processed through Ellis Island.
New Immigrants – Southern & Eastern Europe -Italians, Russians, Slavic people & Jews ( Leaving Russia to escape persecution.)
Most New Immigrants processed through
Ellis Island. .
“New Immigrants” flock to the large eastern
cities and supply the labor to fuel
America’s Industrial Revolution.

26. Asian Americans
1860’s- Chinese help build Transcontinental Rail Road
1870’s Japanese – Pacific Coast -farming and fishing
Both groups victims of Nativism- Prejudice against immigrants
1882- Chinese Exclusion Act
1941- Japanese Internment during WW II
1970’s - Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians – arrive as refugees from the Vietnam War & political oppression. Some are nicknamed “Boat People”