Isaac Willis Larison, Ph. D.Fulbright Roving Scholar: Norway 2011 - 2012

History, Society and Culture in the United States of America:A Snapshot of the History of USA –

significant historical events since 1950.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

America the BeautifulWords by Katharine Lee Bates,

Melody by Samuel Ward

Louisville, KY was named in honor of King Louis XVI of France. It has a larger population than Oslo. The population of Kentucky is 8 million.

Kentucky became a state on June 1, 1792 when George Washington was president. It was the fifteenth state and Isaac Shelby, was elected the first Governor.

The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,'Tis summer, the darkies are gay;The corn-top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom,While the birds make music all the day.

The sun shines bright on the old Kentucky home'Tis summer, the people are gay;The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom,While the birds make music all the day;

The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,All merry, all happy and bright;By 'n' by Hard Times comes a-knocking at the door,Then my old Kentucky home, goodnight.

Chorus:Weep no more my ladyOh! weep no more today!We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,For the Old Kentucky Home far away.

Original Lyrics for “My Old Kentucky Home”by Stephen Foster

1. There are more than 300 million people living in the USA.

2. More than 90 percent of people in the USA speak English as their first language.

3. The MODERN Civil Rights Movement in the USA began after the Civil War in 1865.

4. Eastern Native American people were given lands in Oklahoma in exchange for their original land in the east in 1910.

5. Unemployment in the USA is more than 8% today - higher is you are African American or a woman.

ANTICIPATION GUIDE - FACTS about the USADisagreeAgree

History Timelines

http://www.animatedatlas.com/timeline.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history

Trail of Tears – Forced Relocation of Native Americans from the Southeast USA to Oklahoma

The Trail of Tears refers to the forced relocation of Native American people from the southeastern parts of the USA to present day Oklahoma following the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

The removal included many members of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, and Choctaw nations, among others in the USA. The phrase, “the Trail of Tears” originated from the description of the removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831.

Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease and starvation en route to Oklahoma. Many died; including 4,000 of the 15,000 relocated Cherokee people.

The Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears

Trail of Tears Information from the state of Georgiahttp://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/trailpst.htm

The Trail of Tears

Native Americans were forced onto reservations and made to conform to European values. Children were denied access to their original languages and culture. This had a devastating impact on them.

Language informationhttp://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/che1/cherokee_language.htm

In the early 1800's, Sequoyah Guess invented a syllabary for writing Cherokee. The syllabary consists of 84 characters which represent the 84 different syllables used in speaking the language. Within days, Sequoyah taught his daughter to read and write her native language, and within months, hundreds of Cherokees were able to write and read their own language.

Make a list of the 10 most significant things to happen in the USA since 1950.

• The Cold War – The Berlin Blockade “Berlin Wall” – The Iron Curtain

• The Korean War – The Forgotten War• The Rise of the “White” Middle Class –

Advances in medicine with the Polio vaccine, increase in the minimum wage, urban sprawl – THE GOOD OLD DAYS! – Urban and Rural Poverty

• McCarthyism – The Communist Network

Significant Historical Events in the USA from 1950–1970

• The Civil Rights Movement – Challenges to public school education – Separate is not equal

• Kennedy and Johnson – The Great Society – Camelot

• The Space Race to the moon• Civil Rights Act Passes – Antidiscrimination laws

– Indian Civil Rights Act, United Farm Workers, ADA, Women’s Rights,

Significant Historical Events in the USA from 1950–1970 continued

• The Hot Wars - Vietnam Conflict – Kennedy, Johnson, MLK – guerrilla warfare, war spreads in Southeast Asia

• The Cuban Crisis• The rebirth of the Environmental Movement –

Result in Clean Air, Clean Water Acts in the 1970…80s

• War Protests, Assassinations, Moon Walks• The beginning of the Nixon Years - New Federalism

Significant Historical Events in the USA from 1950–1970 continued

• Nixon visits China• Oil Embargo• Nixon Resigns• Hostages in Iran• USSR in Afghanistan• AIDS• Iran Contra Affair• Space Shuttle Challenger • Student Protests in China / Berlin Wall is torn down

The 1970s and 1980s in America

• ***Americans with Disabilities Act passes 1990• Nelson Mandela released from prison in South Africa• Operation Desert Storm• Breakup of the Soviet Union• NAFTA• Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing 1995• Clinton Impeachment• Election 2000• 911 and the War on Terror begins – 2001• Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq• Katrina• Barack Obama Elected President in 2008• Financial Crisis 2008

The 1990s and 2000 in America

The Civil Rights Movement

• What causes racism?

• Does racism still exist in America?

• How are (or what kind of) limitations (racism, classism, etc.) placed on Americans today?

• Do Norwegians experience the same kinds of issues regarding race, class, gender, etc.?

• What can Americans and Norwegians learn from each other about racism?

Today in America… What are your impressions?

We shall overcomeWe shall overcomeWe shall overcome some day

CHORUS:Oh, deep in my heartI do believeWe shall overcome some day

We'll walk hand in handWe'll walk hand in handWe'll walk hand in hand some day

We Shall Overcome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCbSf1OtCM&feature=related

A little over 50 years ago, a federal __________ decreed that Monday, November 14, 1960 would be the __________ black children in New Orleans would go to __________ with white children. There were six of us chosen to __________ the city’s public school system. Two decided to __________ in their old schools. The other three were assigned to McDonough. I would be going to William Frantz __________ . The morning of November 14 __________ marshals drove my mother and me the five __________ to William Frantz. In the car one of the men __________ that when we arrived at the school two marshals would walk in front of us, and two would __________ behind us, so we’d be __________ on both sides. 

Sure enough, people __________ and shook their fists when we got out of the car, but to me it __________ any noisier than Mardi Gras, I held my mother’s hand and followed the marshals through the crowd, up the steps into the school.

CLOZE PROCEDURE

Explained Day School Federal Integrate Shouted Stay Alone Blocks Walk Protected Judge Wasn’t

The Little Rock 9 1957

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xERXusiEszs

The Daily Show with John Stewart

Newt Gingrich’s Plan for poor Black children

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-december-13-2011/newt-gingrich-s-poverty-code