Notes for Chapter 4 Social Studies – pages 48-69

A Train Tour of the Northeast

~West Quoddy Head, ME (Maine)

~most eastern point of land in U.S.

~sun rises here before anywhere else in U.S.

~rocky shore along coast

~many harbors for ships and boats

~Mount Washington, NH (New Hampshire)

~tallest peak in Northeast

~severe weather, very windy

~part of White Mountains, which are part of Appalachian Mountains

~Plymouth, MA (Massachusetts)

~Pilgrims aboard Mayflower landed here in 1620 in search of religious freedom

~agreed on the Mayflower Compact to set up government for the good of everyone

with a governor elected by the people to lead (this is called a democracy)

~Boston, MA (Massachusetts)

~one of America’s oldest cities

~fighting between colonists and British troops began near here as part of the

American Revolution (colonists wanted to be free of British rule)

~Revolutionary War lasted six years and the colonists won

~two historic trails: Freedom Trail takes you to places where American Revolution

began, and Black Heritage Trail teaches you about African American history

~Erie Canal, NY (New York)

~a 340 mile long waterway across New York connecting the Hudson River to the Great

Lakes

~built in early 1800s as a way to move goods from Northeast to Midwest more quickly

and cheaply than by horse and wagon

~to get the boats up and down mountains, a series of locks were built to raise and lower

boats in the water

~New York City, NY (New York)

~largest city in America; over 8 million people live there

~city of immigrants with many languages and cultures

~skyscrapers; famous Empire State Building has 102 floors

~Hershey, PA (Pennsylvania)

~America’s first factories in Northeast because of water power (rivers and rushing water

helped make the machines run) and people power (workers in factories)

~Milton Hershey used mass production as way of making large quantities of his candies

~Hershey bar was America’s first mass-produced candy bar

~Hershey’s factory is largest chocolate factory in the world today

~Philadelphia, PA (Pennsylvania)

~July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence signed in Independence Hall informed the

world that Americans had formed their own nation

~1787: Constitution written in Independence Hall outlined new government for our

nation based on democracy

~Washington, D.C.

~nation’s capital (home of national government where laws and rules are created)

~government protects each person’s rights, works for common good, treats all people

fairly, based on democracy (rule by the people)

~three branches of government:

~legislative branch makes laws, headed by Congress in the Capitol building

~executive branch enforces laws and makes sure they are carried out, headed by

President in the White House

~judicial branch settles disagreements about laws, headed by Supreme Court

~many landmarks and monuments

~Reading Further – Lowell, MA (Massachusetts)

~textile mills in early 1800s made cotton cloth

~two rivers at Lowell provided water power for factories

~women and girls provided people power as workers

~women and girls took jobs for money, independence, and a better life

~working in the mill was difficult

~same task repeated for 13-14 hours per day

~few breaks allowed

~machines caused constant noise

~strong heat and smells

~some women tried to force owners to improve their wages and working conditions