Jump Start to U.S. History
Mini-Unit
Tuesday-Thursday: Notes & Video Clips
Quiz Friday
We are covering the basics of U.S. History
to:
1) Preview U.S. History for next year
2) Prepare for STAAR Social Studies Test next year
2) Provide context on how the American Revolution
inspired the Texas Revolution
Jamestown
• 1607
• First permanent English
settlement in North
America
• Location-along the
James River in Virginia
Declaration of Independence
• Written by Thomas Jefferson
• July 4, 1776
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Declared independence from
Great Britain which is also
sometimes called England.
Declaration of Independence
• Listed grievances or problems
the 13 colonies had with
British king, King George III
• Colonists had unalienable rights (God-given rights that belong to every
person) these include:
1. life
2. liberty
3. the pursuit of happiness
U.S. Constitution
• Written in 1787
• In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
U.S. Constitution
• States the laws and principles of our
government
• Explains how our country should
operate…who does what?
• 3 branches
Write these
down on 1-3!
James Madison
• Delegate at the Constitutional Convention
• Kept VERY detailed notes about the convention
• Known as the “Father of the U.S. Constitution” for
his contributions to the creation of the Constitution.
Bill of Rights
• First 10 amendments to the
U.S. Constitution
• These amendments protect our individual rights
like:
•
•
•
•
Freedoms of…
religion, assembly, press, petition, speech (RAPPS)
right to bear arms (own guns)
no illegal search and seizure
no cruel and unusual punishment
1803
• Louisiana
Purchase
• Pres. Thomas
Jefferson buys
Louisiana from
France
• Doubles the size of
the U.S.
1861-1865
• The Civil War
• The war between
the North and
South
• Abraham Lincoln
was the 16th
president