4-2 History of the Region

4-2 History of the Region

Early America

Native American peoples were the first humans to settle in North

America. Each group had its own language, religion, and lifestyle.

The Cherokee, the Iroquois, the Miami, and the Shawnee settled

east of the Mississippi River. They are considered indigenous to

the region, meaning that they were descended from the first

people to live there.

Multiple Choice

What does "indigenous" mean?

• originating in a particular place

• traveling from another region

Native Americans satisfied their needs by using the plants, animals, stones, water, and soil around them. Their ways of life were shaped by the environment. Peoples who lived in wooded areas made homes of bark and wood. They burned wood for heat. They hunted for food and used animal skins for clothing.

Native peoples built shelters suited to the climates where they

lived. People who lived in hot climates built open-air homes. Other

groups built solid structures and mound cities.

For most of their history, Native Americans lived isolated from

people of other parts of the world. They lived off the land for

thousands of years. They had little impact on the natural

environment. Suddenly, the land they relied on was taken from

them. When the first Europeans arrived, native peoples’ ways of

life changed forever.

People across the Atlantic Ocean, in Europe, grew interested in

the Americas. They heard tales of these wild, rich lands. Explorers

told of endless forests, rivers full of fish, and mountains filled with

gold and silver. European kings and queens wanted to claim land

in North America and control the natural resources.

The first English colonists settled along the Atlantic Coast. Over the years, more Europeans came to America. By 1760, an estimated

1.7 million colonists lived in America. Large cities such as Boston and New York City started as small settlements. By 1750, there were thirteen English colonies in North America.

Open Ended

Where did the first Europeans who settled in what is now the United States come from?

Open Ended

How did the arrival of European settlers change the life of the indigenous peoples east of the Mississippi River?

These colonies were controlled by English rulers thousands of

miles away. The colonists did not like the laws and taxes the British

government forced on them. In 1776 American colonists declared

their independence and fought the Revolutionary War. The war

ended in 1781, when the British surrendered. The 13 colonies were

free. They called their new country the United States of America.

Settling the Land

The new nation stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi

River. However, little was known about the land west of the

Appalachian Mountains. As more settlers arrived, people began to

move inland. They wanted to claim land and build new lives.

Between 1700 and 1800, thousands of people settled along the

Mississippi River. The Mississippi formed a natural boundary. The

U.S. government wanted to claim as much of America’s land as

possible. Laws such as the Land Ordinance of 1785 governed

settlement in new lands. Native Americans living on lands in the

Ohio Country were forced to leave.

Farms in this region produced much of our country’s fruits,

vegetables, grains, and cotton. Good soil and frequent rain made

the area good for agriculture. Planting and harvesting crops was

hard work, done mainly by hand. Over the years, machines began to

replace human workers. Farmers could plant and harvest more

crops. However, fewer people were needed to work on farms.

Thousands of people moved to cities looking for work.

New technology led to jobs in factories for millions of people.

This is known as industry. Industry is an important part of the

economy of this region. Thousands of factories have been built.

They produce many goods, including cars. Some factories process

foods and bottled drinks. This has been one of the world’s leading

industrial regions for over two hundred years.

Multiple Choice

Why did the American

colonists declare

independence from

Great Britain?

• They didn't like the laws and taxes required by Britain.

• They wanted the Native Americans to give them the land.

• They wanted religious freedom.

• They didn't speak English.

Multiple Select

Which of the following were part of the Land Ordinance of 1785?

• The United States could claim land in the Ohio country

• Settlers could buy land for $1 an acre

• Land was set aside for schools

• Land was given to the Native Americans

Farms in this region produced much of our country’s fruits,

vegetables, grains, and cotton. Good soil and frequent rain made

the area good for agriculture. Planting and harvesting crops was

hard work, done mainly by hand. Over the years, machines began to

replace human workers. Farmers could plant and harvest more

crops. However, fewer people were needed to work on farms.

Thousands of people moved to cities looking for work.

New technology led to jobs in factories for millions of people.

This is known as industry. Industry is an important part of the

economy of this region. Thousands of factories have been built.

They produce many goods, including cars. Some factories process

foods and bottled drinks. This has been one of the world’s leading

industrial regions for over two hundred years.

Multiple Select

What does agriculture mean?

• farming

• machines

• cities

• buildings

Multiple Choice

Which is an important part of an industry?

• travel

• farms

• factories

• buildings

People came to America to be free. They sought jobs, education,

and other opportunities. Immigration has led to an amazing variety

of languages, religions, cultures, and customs east of the Mississippi.

These traditions have made America a unique and diverse nation.

In the 1830s, gold was discovered in the Southeast. Settlers

poured in. Most did not find gold, but many stayed to start cotton

farms. U.S. citizens wanted these lands. The government forced

the Cherokee to leave these lands, which had been their home.

In 1838, the Cherokee were forced to migrate to Indian Territory

in Oklahoma. This was far west of the Mississippi River. Thousands

of Cherokee died as a result of the journey. This event became

known as the Trail of Tears. This was one of many forced

migrations in America’s history. As America gained territory, Native

Americans lost their lands and ways of life.

After the Civil War, slavery became illegal in all states. Yet many

states passed laws to take away the new rights of the freed

Americans. During the late 1800s, thousands of African Americans

moved to states in the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and the

Midwest. This relocation of people from the South to the North is

called the Great Migration.

Multiple Choice

During The Great Migration people (especially African Americans) moved

• from Africa to the United States

• from the East to West

• from the South to the North

• from the North to the South

Rural to urban migration increased during the 1900s. Millions of people moved to cities to work in factories. It was one of the largest migrations in America’s history.

Multiple Choice

Why did people move to the cities?

• to be closer to their relatives

• to work in factories

• to see skyscrapers

• to eat in restaurants

Open Ended

How did the invention of farm machinery lead to unemployment in the eastern United States?

Open Ended

What similarities are there between the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Trail of Tears?