AP US History: Culture
Sylvia Lee, Caitlyn Crowe, Jonathan Cummings,
Anthony Overton, Sarah Shahabi
p.1 4/23/15
Warm Up-not turn up
“Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine Providence has found for you; the
society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so and confided themselves
childlike to the genius of their age, betraying their perception that the Eternal was stirring at their heart, working
through their hands, predominating in all their being. And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the
same transcendent destiny; and not pinched in a corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution, but redeemers and
benefactors, pious aspirants to be noble clay plastic under the Almighty effort, let us advance and advance on Chaos and
the Dark.”
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“Self-Reliance” Ralph Waldo Emerson excerpt
Period 1 (1491 - 1607)
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Before the arrival of Europeans native Americans developed a wide variety of social, political, and economic structures
based on their interactions with the environment and one another.
○ Fairly nomadic
○ Native American religion (especially in North America)- nature is sacred.
○ Gender roles: women shared a more equal role in labor and society, except for hunting.
○ Lived off only what they needed and believed that all land was sacred and could not be owned, shared instead.
African Americans were viewed as uncivilized by European settlers but had elaborate and mostly matrilineal societies
○ Worshiped ancestors and elderly usually had positions of influence (much like the Native Americans)
○ Had temporary slaves which made it easier for Europeans to permanently enslave them and see them as savages
French and Dutch settlers also began to settle in North America although they took a slightly different approach due to
their smaller numbers
The French went further into the interior of North America and got into the trade of fur trading and trapping
○ Tended to be Jesuit missionaries but were open to adapting to native ways and even inter-marriage
Columbian Exchange - European settlers brought Catholicism, new goods, and diseases
Most who began settling were escaping from religious persecution or to gain riches
In the beginning they tried to stay isolated from the natives for a “pure” English culture as much like their ways back in
England as they could get.
Period 1 (1491 - 1607)
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European expansion altered their views of social, political, and economic relationships among white and nonwhite
peoples from equals into less than human allowing for a dramatic increase in slavery and abuse
European attempts to change American Indian beliefs and worldviews on basic social issues such as religion, gender
roles and the family, and the relationship of people with the natural environment led to American Indian resistance
and conflict.
Began to develope crash crops and encroach further on to Native American lands
Period 2 (1607 - 1754)
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Transplantations - English tried to transplant their society into the new world. Puritans,
Quakers, and others that migrated to flee religious persecution were the exception - different
religious beliefs
New England colonies - more successful transplantations, Families moved, Community
through shared religion
o John Winthrop’s Model of Christian Charity, Massachusetts will be like a “City upon
a Hill”
o Initially, had better relations with natives
Chesapeake colonies - Initially unsuccessful transplantations, Predominantly male
population, no semblance of home, no community.
New Amsterdam- Dutch colonies set up a trading post in modern day Manhattan. English,
French, German, Swiss, Portuguese, and Dutch joined together in this cultural hub. It was
the center of commercial activity not only trading goods, but culture as well even after
English King James the II seized the community. They often took part in parties and social
events intertwining their heritage.
Period 3 (1754 - 1800)
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Enlightenment (1714-1818) - An intellectual fervor that put high value on human reason as the solution to many
issues. Famous enlightenment authors included John Locke whose Two Treatises on Government helped shape the
formation of the American republic with values of natural rights.
○ This movement based on reason and intellect questioned many elements of the Christian faith, especially those
that seemed
○ This movement caused literature to emphasize reason over emotion which was eventually rejected by Thomas
Paines emotional rhetoric in Common Sense
That Revolution Thingy (1775-1782) - American won independence from Britain with foreign aid, military
leadership and high war morale.
○ The role of women was still viewed as a domestic sphere, and women more often than not worked in their own
house, but the status was improved slightly as property rights for women were bettered.
The Second Great Awakening (1790-1840) - The second wave of religious fervor to come over early America. The
movement was centralized in the “Burnt Over District” of New York
o This revivalism was a reaction to the rationalism of the Enlightenment
o Belief was that society could be bettered by social reform
o Revivalism was participated in by both women and African-Americans
Period 4 (1800-1848)
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War of 1812 - This war between the US and Britain brought what was known as the Era of Good Feelings to follow,
when a high sense of nationalism surged through the country.
o This Era of Good Feelings was also around the time of Monroe’s presidency
o “Mutual Butt-Kicking” -Mr. Owens
This era also showed a highly popular belief that American government would play an active role in national
prosperity, despite the recent dissipation of the Federalist party.
American literature rose tremendously after the War of 1812 with authors such as Washington Irving, William Cullen
Bryant, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan Poe
o Poe wrote psychological thrillers, a genre that had almost been previously non existent
o Irving’s most famous piece was The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
o Bryant was a romantic poet
o Feminore Cooper particularly represented American Literature very well as his most well known piece The Last
of the Mohicans was reminiscent of old native and frontier americaT
Transcendentalism - a philosophical and cultural movement in the 1820’s and 1830’s that placed on emphasis on
spirituality and experience that transcends reality
o Popular authors of transcendentalist poetry include Thoreau, Emerson and Fuller
o These often very emotional pieces focused on individual thought and experience
Period 5 (1844 - 1876)
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American Romanticism 1800 - 1860 : Primary trait of this writing style was an obsession with the individual.
This style of writing brought all [white men] to the same playing field. Romanticism embodied the belief that everyone
was entitled to maximize their own worth.
Manifest Destiny reinforced these ideals
Romantic Books: - Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter 1850
- Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852
- Henry David Thoreau, Walden; or, Life in the Woods 1854
Realism became the popular writing style come the 1860’s. Realist artists and painters saw to depict the world as it is,
and did not favor a side ( such as glorifying a situation).
The Civil War greatly impacted American culture.
photography exposed the public to the horrors of war.
popular culture began to reflect the new “hardened” mindset of the public.
Notable Works: - Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1885
-William Dean Howells, The Rise of Silas Lapham 1885
Period 6 (1865 - 1898)
Results of the Civil War
Slavery ended, hate groups formed (KKK), Lots of Deaths (almost every family had a relative who was a casualty
of the war), Patriotism, Free slaves did not know where to go
WOMEN: had to take over many of the jobs that their husbands once had; later encouraged push for suffrage and
rights; volunteered as nurses and soldier aids- Clora Barlon founded the American Red Cross (opened the
position to women)
● MINORITIES: Civil Rights: many Acts and laws were formed in this Period
-Native Americans. African Americans, and Latinos: attempts are made to
better their situations (However things such as Jim Crow Laws also introduced)
Chinese couldn’t catch a break during this period.
Chinese Exclusion Act 1882- banned immigration into the US
● Economics and Industrialization affect culture
-Before the Industrial Revolution, over 50% of jobs where agrarian-related. Took America on the path to becoming a
world superpower. However many workers lives became consumed by the factories due to almost no regulations.
Promoted city living- Urbanization.
-Panic of 1893: many in bankruptcy- MONOPOLIES- consolidated control under banker J.P. Morgan
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Period 7 (1898 - 1945)
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Progressive Era - Political and urban reform. Muckrakers - crusading journalists,
sensationalists trying to expose corruption. (How the other Half Lives by Jacob Riis)
Harlem Renaissance - result of the Great Migration of African Americans to northern industrial
cities during WWI.
o Black Artists and Musicians flock to Harlem post WWI (Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes,
Louis Armstrong, Josephine Baker etc)
o Jazz night clubs (the Cotton Club)
o “New Negro” Movement - cultural, racial pride
Roarin’ Twenties - Highly contrasted with the horrors of WWI. Time of relative prosperity.
Alcohol was in high demand despite prohibition. Speakeasies, movie palaces, Baseball
o Generally, higher wages, less hours, due to mechanization
o Culture of consumerism and excess
o Countered by the Lost Generation (Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald) criticized
Americans for materialism. Disillusioned after WWI. Americans had forgotten about and
disregard the horrors of WWI
o “New Women” - “Flappers” and “Vamps” challenged Traditional views and roles of women.
Double standard. (Traditionalism) Women’s rights took a huge leap forward w/ 19th
Amendment
o Art Deco - fusion of art and technology (Chrysler Building)
o Radio - 1st broadcast in 1920, 10 million and 800 stations by 1930, mass culture
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spread of ideas and beliefs
Period 7 (1898 - 1945)
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Great Depression (1929 - 1941)
o Millions of Americans lost their savings and their belongings. Shantytowns, hoovervilles,
Soup kitchens
o Thousands roamed in search of jobs, rode the rails
o WPA - provided jobs to artists to capture the images of the Depression
o Realism
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Expose reality
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Books (John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath), Music (folk, blues, Woody Guthrie)
o Escapism
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Escape reality
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Radio, books, comics, music (jazz, swing, Cab Calloway), movie
World War II (1941 - 1945)
o Unemployment eliminated
o Popaganda
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Rise in patriotism
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Depicted Japanese and Germans as barbarians and savages much like Germans in
WWI, buy war bonds, enlist
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“Pin up Girls”
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Women
● “Rosie the Riveter” while men were away, it was up to women to keep the
country moving and make the goods needed to win the war
Period 8 (1945 - 1980)
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Popular films included film noir such as Casablanca and the Twilight Zone
Art included Dada, Surrealism, abstract expressionism with artists (ex. Jackson Pollock)
WWII ends with its unified patriotism and America is forced to try to re-adjust to post-war
problems and society
At first there were strikes and social unrest but that was quickly quieted with the Servicemen’s
Readjustment Act (or GI Bill of Rights)
Soon (along with the baby boom) came a growing sense of peace and prosperity to much of
American society and a growth of consumerism (especially with cars)
A shift also occurred with the job market through automation.
○ women began to work mostly in white collar jobs like secretaries
○ there was a shift from predominantly blue collar work to white collar
○ an increase in organized labor also greatly decreased the number of strikes on jobs
The Cold War New enemy for the public to focus on, added an undercurrent of fear for an ever
imminent attack
McCarthyism sparked another “red scare” by spreading rumors of communists in the State
Department which added to the already growing fear and mistrust of the American people
Brinkmanship stained the era of prosperity America had been growing with the constant threat
of an attack from communists that continued in the background for most of the 1950s- 1980s
Increase in televisions bought, mass audiences, Televangelism (Born again Christians)
Period 8 (1945 - 1980)
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1950’s teen culture (Baby boomers) emerged which rejected the strictness of their parents generations through race music,
rock’n roll, and movies like “Rebel Without A Cause” and “The Wild One”
Elvis Presley (nuff said)
A growing change in society’s behavior and views toward sex, increasing the acceptance of premarital sex, extramarital affairs
Beat Generation (or beatniks), social critics, heavy drug use, and works like “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg, and “The Lonely Crowd”
by David Reisman
Similarly in the 1970s came the rise of Hippies and Counterculture through dress, hair, drug use, rock and folk music, increased
spirituality, and sexual openness
“The Other America” with 30 million living under the poverty line
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Movement into to cities, increased racial tensions already present
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“White Flight” to the sunbelt and Suburbia (with it’s increase in conformity cultivated by war mentality as well as the red
scares
Civil Rights! With the growing racial tensions, increased discontent in youth with society, and more open sexuality came the
Civil Rights movements to create equality for everyone (although arguably not as successful as it should have been it opened
society up to the ideas of equality and started a path towards acceptance rather than hate)
Loss of faith in the government, lies told about CIA involvement in other countries and about the Vietnam War
Push for the creation of birth control pills, a want for equal pay, and less traditional roles for women in society
At the very end of the 70s also came a growing conservative backlash from all of the radical changes taking place and the general
feeling that through change, unrest, violence, lies, opposition, and war was coming the end of America.
Period 9 (1980 - present)
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Internet - Easy communication, helps globalization
Televangelism - Preachers turned to television to relay their messages, “born again” Christians
Reagan Years
o Return to 1950’s prosperity, conformity, safety, and peace, Silent majority, moral majority
o Increased divorce rates
o Backlash against affirmative action
o Hardline anti-communist
9/11
o Rise in patriotism, enlistment
o Huge deficit spending, debt
o United country, similar to when Kennedy was assassinated
Quiz
“The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years
in the minds of American women. It was a strange
stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that
women suffered in the middle of the twentieth
1) What was the “problem” that Friedan refers to specifically in the excerpt on
the left?
A.
The large wage gap between working men and working women
B.
The call for a woman to stay content with domestic duties
C.
The rising number of women who stayed at home as opposed to a career
D.
The dread of repetitive housework
century in the United States. Each suburban wife
2) All of the following was evidence of growing discontent among women
struggled with it alone. As she made the beds,
EXCEPT:
A.
Increasing number of anti-depressants
B.
Growing reports of alcoholism
ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children,
C.
Increasing number of working women
chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside
D.
ERA movement in the 1950’s
shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material,
her husband at night — she was afraid to ask even
of herself the silent question — "Is this all?"
-Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan
3) The author of this passage might disagree most with
A.
Sigmund Freud
B.
Eugene V. Debs
C.
D.
Phyllis Schlafely
George Washington