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American history

Lectures & Lessons

By Mark GrahamPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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(image from Pixabay)

I hope there are some teachers both old and new and even student teachers out there that might like some blackboard notes for an American history class that could be either 9th or 10th grade. I am a person who has studied teacher education, but decided to become an educational writer after working for 15 years in the nursing field. As an educational writer I plan on writing and sharing various lectures and lessons dealing with all the subject areas that I have studied from courses in early and elementary education through the high school years, and I am also thinking about offering some of my own lectures for the courses I had in undergraduate and graduate education. The fields that I have studied were Human services/counseling; Practical nursing; Humanities with all the subjects that will entail and I hope that some of these lectures will come in handy if only for research purposes.

American History from the text 'Rise of the American Nation' Volume One

Chapter One - Colonization

The teacher will write on the blackboard these terms: Europeans, Spaniards, and British. These were the three groups of people who were trying to colonize a new world. The building of the colonies started with what was called the 'Invincible Armada' this term is written on the blackboard along with the date Saturday, July 30, 1588 which was the first battle of the New World between the Spaniards and the British out on the ocean.

(The teacher could find pictures of various kinds of ships and start a discussion of the British lighter type vessel and the Spaniards larger ships.) (The teacher could also start a discussion on battle strategy for how confident the Spaniards were feeling, but how the English were able to move more swiftly out of range of the Spaniards guns and boats. They wanted hand-to-hand combat, but the English knew they were outnumbered and outgunned and they did not want a frontal attack.

(Now the teacher can mention a few famous people of the time period and write them on the board.)

1. Sir Francis Drake who had contempt for the Spaniards but was only the second in command.

2. Lord Howard of Effingham who was Drake's leader and who scorned Drake's tactics.

(Study help- The teacher can have the students start a list of famous people starting with Sir Francis Drake and Lord Howard of Effingham.) Going on with the lecture the teacher can also teach a little geography and using map skills. There is a running battle that lasted almost a week and the teacher can have a student come up to the map and find the 'Harbor of Calais (kay-al) off the coast of France. Back to history this is when the Spaniards were terrified at the sight for fire ships were bearing down on them. (Now on the blackboard the teacher can write- Englishmen and the Invincible Armada is when the English gunners paired broadside to broadside. The results showed what was left of the Spanish fleet who fled to the north around Scotland turned South for a storm came up and wrecked many of the remaining vessels and then returned to Spain.

This is when history makes a turn and defeat the Spaniards 'Spanish Armada' (another term to write on the blackboard) by the Englishmen which was a decisive moment in world history. (With this discussion the teacher writes the date '1588' and states this is when a conflict between the England and Spain erupted in the 'English Channel' that was a turning point in Spain's fortunes in the New World.

Europeans search for an all-water route to far-off Asia

The teacher writes 'Columbus'- reasons for? on blackboard - success finds riches and honors.

1. trading routes were needed for the importance of trade. On the blackboard write a list of countries and what they trade.

Asia- various products

Damascus- sugar, glass and cutlery

Persia- rugs

India- pepper

East Indies/Spice Islands- cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg

China- porcelain, silks

These were products for they could not produce themselves. Another reason is they needed to use these materials for their homes to be more livable. There was an item they called 'Black gold' or pepper to make food taste better. Another question that could be asked is 'Why is trade difficult?' The old trade routes which were always difficult, dangerous and expensive. Why? It took months and even years to deliver from Asia to Europe or from the East Indies across the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea to reach Genoa or Venice and merchants had a 'monopoly' (a new term to define on blackboard) how products reached Europe.

Search for new routes

To get materials more cheaply to Frenchmen, Englishmen, and Dutchmen. Bearing on the discussion of America Portugal and Spain resented the virtual control of east-west trade that the Venetian and Genoans enjoyed. This all started when Columbus was young and playing around the wharves. This expansion of trade out of the Mediterranean Sea into the world was known as the 'Commercial Revolution' (write on blackboard).

Portugal finds a way

(Write on blackboard the name 'Prince Henry of Portugal' aka 'Prince Henry the Navigator') - exploration was his forte and he had built a shipyard and a school for learning navigation. What was taught and learned? They experimented with new types of ships and sails, building vessels seaworthy enough to brave the open Atlantic Ocean as well as newer methods of navigation, newer maps, and newer instruments for determining latitude, longitude and direction. (Write these terms on the blackboard along with these two terms 'compass' and 'astrolabe'.)

Explorations sent by Prince Henry

These explorations went down along the unexplored coast of Africa, but Prince Henry died but the trips continued and in 1488 Bartholomew Diaz and crew rounded the southern tip of Africa and he continued toward Asia, but his crew did not. Why? Too fearful of the unknown and he turned back. The year was 1498 and Vasco Da Gama of Portugal followed Diaz's routes around the Cape of Good Hope and did continue across the Indian Ocean to Calicut, India. (The teacher could have a student come up and find Calicut or India on the world map.) This was the new all-water route to India and the Spice Islands. The year of 1494 there was a treaty between Portugal and Spain that established the 'Line of Demarcation' - 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. Lands west of this land belonged to Spain and lands east belonged to Portugal. (As an activity the teacher could have a student go up to the world map and locate this line of demarcation as well as the various countries and trade routes.) (Write the definition of the Line of Demarcation on the blackboard.)

To be continued....

I am having fun writing these lectures for teachers who could use them as guides in writing their own lessons or just using these. I would really appreciate tips and hearts for I am trying to start a column that will allow me to save some extra money for my retirement years when the time comes.

high school
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About the Creator

Mark Graham

I am a person who really likes to read and write and to share what I learned. Also, I'm a person who likes to learn who has gone to college and graduate school and received my degrees in learning how children's lit can help in many ways.

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