The American Colonies: The Settling of North America1
Advanced Placement United States History
Mr. Wiley
Summer Reading Assignment
The American Colonies: The Settling of North America
By Alan Taylor
From Publishers Weekly
First in Viking's new five-volume series the Penguin History of the United States, edited by noted Columbia Alan historian Eric Foner, this book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Taylor challenges traditional Anglocentric interpretations of colonial history by focusing more evenly on the myriad influences on North America's development. Beginning with the Siberian migrations across the Bering Straits 15 millennia ago, Taylor lays out the complicated road map of ownership, occupation and competition involving the Native Americans, African slaves and Spanish, Dutch, French and English colonists. He covers settlement and conquest from Canada to Mexico and from the West Indies and mainland colonies to the Pacific islands. "The colonial intermingling of peoples and of microbes, plants, and animals from different continents was unparalleled in speed and volume in global history," he writes. Taylor delves deeply into topics given scant mention in most histories: the crucial role of the West Indies in the 17th-century economy and the particular brand of brutality that supported it; cultural disparities among the many Native peoples that influenced their mutually dependent relations with the various colonizers. An extensive, chapter-by-chapter bibliography lists further reading. The book offers a balanced understanding of the diverse peoples and forces that converged on this continent early on and influenced the course of American history.
***This summer reading assignment will also serve as a part of your study guide for the AP exam, which you will take in May of your Junior Year.***
Directions: You are to carefully read the book by American Colonies. You will read ONLY the chapters noted. Chapters: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 14.
*****Please note that for some chapters you are only required to read parts of the chapter. Payattention to the headings. If the heading does NOT appear on this paper, you do NOT have to read that section.*****
Each chapter will have alist of topics for which you should develop an understanding.
Follow the topics (which are headings throughout the book) the book discusses and explain why they are historically significant and what impact they had on colonial development. You should have at least two to three points made on each topic listed below.The goal is to seek a critical understanding of what the topics are about. Direct quotes from the book should not be used.
Part One:The Encounters
Chapter Five: Canada and Iroquoia:
- The Fur Trade (94)
- Canada (99)
- The Five Nations (102)
Part Two: The Colonies
Chapter Six: Virginia 1570-1650
- Promoters (118)
- Roanoke (123)
- Powhatan (125)
- Encounter (127)
- Jamestown (129)
- Violence (131)
- Tobacco (133)
Chapter Seven: Chesapeake Colonies
- Commonwealths (140)
- Labor (142)
- Prosperity (144)
- Rebellion (146)
- Great Planters (150)
- Slaves (153)
Chapter Eight: New England:
- EnglandPuritans (160)
- The Great Migration (164)
- Religion and Profit (166)
- Land and Labor (170)
- Family Life (172)
- Commerce (174)
- Bible Commonwealth (178)
- Declension? (185)
Chapter Nine: Puritans and Indians:
- Natives (188)
- Property (192)
- Tribute (193)
- Pequot War (194)
- Praying Towns (197)
- King Philip’s War (199)
- Victory and Defeat (202)
Chapter Twelve: Middle Colonies:
- The Dutch Empire (248)
- New Netherland (251)
- Navigation Acts (258)
- New Jersey (262)
- Pennsylvania (264)
- Diversity (271)
Chapter Fourteen: The Atlantic [1700-1780]
- Trade (304)
- English Emigrants (314)
- Scots (316)
- Germans (317)
- Pluralism (320)
- Africans (323)
- New Negroes (329)
- African Americans (333)
- Conclusions: What are they? (337)
Summary/Conclusion:
Answer the following questions in the space below.
- What was the colonial period like?
- What did you learn that you did not know before about American colonial history?