Global Education Sequence Two: American Studies
Unit One: Culture, Colonialism, and Government
Length: 4 weeks
Social Studies Standards
Essential Questions: History
-What cultures are involved in any period of
U.S. history? F1
-How do cultures “blend” or “clash”? F1
-What is government? What is its purpose?
F2; 6.2.1
-How is government related to culture? F2
-What are the purposes and values behind
exploration? 6.2.1; 6.2.2
Common Essential Questions
Essential Questions: Language Arts
-What is culture? F1
-What are the primary genres used by
-How does culture shape a people? F1
Native American authors and early
-How does the environment shape culture? European explorers? What are the
F1
characteristics of these genres?
-What are the unique cultural traits of the: -What mythical or folktale qualities does
Iroquois Confederacy, the Five Civilized
Native American and early colonial
Tribes, Hopi? F1
literature reflect?
-What are the unique cultural traits of the : -How does early American literature
Spanish, British, and colonial Americans?F1 characterize Native Americans, Europeans,
-What is the result when two very different and colonial Americans?
cultures share the same “place”? F2; 6.1.8; -What techniques do modern Native
6.2.1; 6.3.1; 8.3.5
American authors employ that are linked to
-What is the continuing impact of the
the traditional Native American oral
historical subjugation of Native Americans? tradition?
8.3.5
History Terms and Skills
colonialism
colonization
mercantilism
joint stock company
charter colony
exploitation
migration
immigration
matrilineal
elements of civilization
conquistadors
encomienda
confederation
autocracy
parliamentary
anarchy
theocracy
monarchy
democracy
republic
authoritarian
totalitarian
communism
oligarchy
Common Terms and Skills
Language Arts Terms and Skills
ethnocentrism
assimilation
acculturation
culture
matriarchal
patriarchal
genocide
indigenous
characterization
setting
myth/folktale
description: imagery
allusion
alliteration
metaphor
simile
hyperbole
personification
rhetorical questions
Reading primary source documents
Identifying author bias
Drawing an opinion/conclusion
Supporting opinion/conclusion using text
Organizing ideas and supporting evidence
Review Grammar, Usage, Mechanics:
capitalization, apostrophe, italics,
underlining, use of quotation marks
Review Exposition:
organizing ideas
beginning, middle, end
Writing descriptively through memoir and
poetry
History Sources
Textbook:
America the Glorious Republic (1990)
Chapters 1 and 2; pages 308-311
Common Sources
Language Arts Sources
Film:
Textbook:
Adventures in American Literature
Last of the Mohicans Directed by
(1989) Background of the literary and
Michael Mann, 1992 Daniel Day-Lewis
historical era (2).
Chapters and Articles:
Equaino’s Travels Chapter 3, pages 22-25 Text Selection/Primary Document:
Journals/Diaries:
The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal
“The Iroquois Constitution” in The
Excerpt from the journal of Columbus
Diaz pages 34-40,120-125
United States in Literature page 19
(“Spectacle", United States in Literature
Voices of America: The Motives of Prince
8).
Henry the Navigator; A Christian African Journal/Article
Excerpts from de Vaca, Coronado and de
Ruler Complains to the Portuguese King
Excerpt from the journal of Columbus
Soto (Adventures 14).
“Examining the Reputation of
(“Spectacle", United States in Literature
Christopher Columbus” by Jack
8).
Memoir/Story/Myth:
Weatherford
“Examining the Reputation of
The New York Times: “A New Theory
Christopher Columbus” by Jack
An excerpt from Blue Highways, as well
Puts Chinese Fleet Ahead of Columbus”
Weatherford
as both the traditional and modern
“A Newspaper Account of the Death of
The New York Times: “A New Theory
versions of Deer Woman. (The Language
Sitting Bull” by L. Frank Baum (1890)
Puts Chinese Fleet Ahead of Columbus”
of Literature 108; 53)
Excerpt from The Absolutely True Diary
Film:
of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
500 Nations: Episodes, 3, 6, 8
Online Sources:
Poetry:
Modern college student story:
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?stor Traditional Native American poems (United
yId=68456552
States 17 ). Diane Burns’ modern poem
“Sure You Can Ask Me a Personal
Health Issues Facing Native Americans
Question” (Language 1020)
today:
www.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/american
indian.html#II