Back to the Beginning August 2013

Native American Creation Stories

1. Native Americans/Indians – people who lived in the United States before Europeans arrived; many tribes still exist today

Native American Creation Stories

2. Oral Tradition – stories passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation; never written down

Native American Creation Stories 3. Creation Stories – a traditional story that explains how life began; also known as origin myths

Native American Creation Stories 4. Features of Creation Stories

Native American Creation Stories 4. Features of Creation Stories a. refer to a god or higher power

Native American Creation Stories a. refer to a god or higher power b. involve some type(s) of animal(s)

Native American Creation Stories c. often uses anthropomorphism – animals or nonhuman things that are given human qualities *examples: talking animals, an angry ocean, etc.

Native American Creation Stories d. nature – nature was one of the most important things in Native American cultures and usually plays a central role in the creation stories

Native American Creation Stories e. culture – creation stories reflect the values of the people who tell them *examples of values: honesty, hard work, importance of family, etc.

Colonial Period What happened in 1492? Christopher Columbus

Colonial Period What happened in 1492? Europeans arrive in the Americas.

Colonial Period *1492 – Christopher Columbus “discovered” the Americas

Colonial Period *1492 – Christopher Columbus “discovered” the Americas *Colonial Period: the time between the arrival of Europeans and 1776; the U.S. was not a country yet, only a group of British colonies

Colonial Period *Colonial Period: the time between the arrival of Europeans and 1776; the U.S. was not a country yet, only a group of British colonies : Declaration of Independence

Colonial Period 1. History of Puritans a. left England in the 1600s to escape religious persecution

Colonial Period 1. History of Puritans a. left England in the 1600s to escape religious persecution b. b. created a colony in America at Plymouth Plantation

Colonial Period 1. History of Puritans b. created a colony in America at Plymouth Plantation c. celebrated first Thanksgiving in 1693 when they received supplies and new colonists from England

Colonial Period 1. History of Puritans c. celebrated first Thanksgiving in 1693 when they received supplies and new colonists from England d. considered the first “Americans”

Colonial Period 2. Religious Beliefs a. people should live a simple life of hard work, modesty, and religious devotion

Colonial Period 2. Religious Beliefs a. people should live a simple life of hard work, modesty, and religious devotion b. resisting evil and demonic forces was a daily battle

Colonial Period 2. Religious Beliefs b. resisting evil and demonic forces was a daily battle c. the Puritans were God’s chosen people - it was their job to be an example to the world

Colonial Period 2. Religious Beliefs c. the Puritans were God’s chosen people - it was their job to be an example to the world d. community was more important than the individual

Colonial Period 3. Puritans and Native American People a. Puritans believed that Native American people were savages or inferior

Colonial Period 3. Puritans and Native American People a. Puritans believed that Native American people were savages or inferior b. Puritans also believed that Native American people needed to be converted to Christianity

Colonial Period 3. Puritans and Native American People b. Puritans also believed that Native American people needed to be converted to Christianity c. the arrival of Puritans led to the destruction of Native American people

Colonial Period 3. Puritans and Native American People c. the arrival of Puritans led to the destruction of Native American people - diseases, theft of land, and eventually wars

Colonial Period 4. Puritan Literary Terms Puritan Plain Style – simple writing style used by the Puritans; relies on short words, direct statements, and discussion of everyday objects and experiences