1. Why Study American History?
To learn lessons for life
Hard work and creativity produce wealth.
Corrupt decisions lead to personal and economic hardships.
Treating others unfairly weakens society.
Those who ignore God are unprepared to face the trials of life.
Those who do not remember the past
Are condemned to repeat it.

2. Why Study American History?
To show God at work in history
History highlights the GLORY of God
The redemption in Jesus Christ is the goal of history.
To create cultural identity
A person’s memory gives him a sense of identity.
Choose not to suffer from cultural amnesia!

3. “What is today a matter of academic speculation begins tomorrow to move armies and pull down empires.” J. Gresham Machen, Bible scholar

4. Core American Values 1. Freedom 2. Individualism
Liberty, a condition in which a person can make his own choices without fear of harm
Types: religious, economic, and political
Secularism: the belief that religion has no place in government
2. Individualism
The belief that a human should think of himself as an individual and not a member of a group
Humans must depend on others and on Jesus Christ.

5. Core American Values 3. Equality
A social condition in which all people are treated in the same way
All humans are created in the image of God.
Republic: rule by law through elected representatives
Democracy: rule by law through majority opinion
Is the majority always right?
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Declaration of Independence

6. Core American Values 4. Growth
Achieving goals (gaining wealth, buying property, changing the environment, and enjoying new experiences)
Creation Mandate: exercise authority over creation
Genesis 1:28
Don’t forget man’s fallen nature!

7. Pre-Columbian time period. First Americans came from Asia
Crossed the Bering Strait during the Ice Age
Following a food source
Gradual migration

8. The First American Civilizations
Came after the Tower of Babel
Crossed from Asia to Alaska over a land bridge
People/Tribes were nomadic (constantly on the move).
Some were farmers and raised crops like maize (corn).
Often called Native Americans to distinguish them.

9. Central and South America
Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas- impressive civilizations, amazing builders, human sacrifice
Mayas- systems of writing and math, astronomy
Incas- metalwork, textiles, pottery

10. North American Indians
Fall into 5 main regions
Woodlands (Eastern and Southeastern
The Plains
The Southwest
The Great Basin and Plateau
The West Coast

12. The Woodlands Hunted, fished, farmed Permanent villages
Lived in wigwams (dome-shaped dwellings) or longhouses
Iroquois- peaceful confederation
Ceremonial mounds
Cahokia- largest city in NA (North America)

13. The Plains Hunted and followed the buffalo
Became more nomadic after the introduction of the horse
Lived in tepees
Sioux, Cheyenne, Blackfeet

14. The Southwest Farmed the desert
Lived in villages until droughts drove them away
Lived in adobe (dried clay and straw mixture) houses
“Cliff-dwellers”
Navajos

15. The Great Basin and Plateau
Lived in tepees, wigwams, or hogans (earth covered lodges)
Gatherers
Left behind petroglyphs (rock drawings)

16. The West Coast Sturdy cedar homes (permanent)
Gathered salmon and seafood
Carved totem poles

17. Early American Culture
Animism- the belief that spirits live in objects in nature and natural events
Priests and shamans
Their religion kept them from developing.

18. Early Explorations Phoenicians, Madoc (Welshman), Irish monks
Vikings (Norsemen)- Iceland and Greenland
Leif Ericson

19. Next Topic
European Exploration