Introduction

Exploring the United States: Timelines, Critical Thinking, and Map Work Volume 2 explores the states of New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, and Mississippi. It’s ideal for 9th-12th grade. A short introduction to each state is provided along with 20 facts that the students must arrange in a timeline. Five critical thinking questions are also included for each state, challenging the students to do independent research and form their own conclusions regarding important issues and events in the state’s past as well as current events.

Each state’s map work includes an outline of the state on which students can draw the location of major cities, bodies of water, mountains, and bordering states or bodies of water. The location of these places does not need to be exact; the exercise is meant to help students become familiar with the approximate location of the places and their relation to each other.

Each book concludes with 10 additional state chronology projects that combine timeline information for all 10 states covered in the unit.

Get ready for a deeper look at the history of ten of our United States!

SAMPLE

When studying New York, it is sometimes hard not to get overwhelmed by New York City. With its many museums, theaters, restaurants, and more, it can seem the state is one large, urban center. It is hard to think of New York as having mountains covered in beautiful forests; clear, sparkling lakes; sandy beaches; and many areas of wilderness. There are areas where people enjoy outdoor sports such as fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating, and more. There are also many areas of historical interest, as New York has been deeply involved in the history of the nation since its beginning. Even during the American Revolution, about one-third of the battles were fought in New York. Many famous people are from New York, including Sojourner Truth, Donald Trump, Lou Gehrig, Barbara Bush, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rudolph Giuliani, Grace Hopper, L. Frank Baum, Grandma Moses, Eleanor Roosevelt, E.B. White, Almanzo Wilder, Emma Lazarus, Nancy Reagan, Julia Ward Howe, Norman Rockwell, Walt Whitman, Theodore Roosevelt, Gertrude Ederle, Martin Van Buren, and William Seward.

Look at the map of New York on the next page. Add the capital of New York to the map. Locate the cities of Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Yonkers, Syracuse, Ithaca, Malone, Cooperstown, Ogdensburg, Saratoga Springs, Amsterdam, Troy, Poughkeepsie, Monticello, West Point, Olean, Jamestown, Utica, Binghamton, and Tarrytown, and add them to the map. Next, add the Appalachian Mountains, Taconic Mountains, Adirondack Mountains, Catskill Mountains, Shawangunk Mountains, Mount Marcy, Algonquin Peak, and Hunter Mountain. Also, locate the Hudson River, Mohawk River, St. Lawrence River, Oswego River, Seneca River, Susquehanna River, Lake George, Finger Lakes, Chautauqua Lake, and Lake Placid, and add them. Lastly, label the states, provinces, or bodies of water that border New York.

SAMPLE

New York

SAMPLE

Use the facts on the following page to complete the timeline.

1609

1624

1664

1725

1777

1785

1788

1789

1818

1825

1836

1901

1917

1918

SAMPLE1941

1946

1959

1961

1964

2001

2. New York becomes the eleventh state in the Union

3. The United Nations chooses New York City as the site of its headquarters

4. Fort Orange (now known as Albany) is founded

5. A Pan American Exposition is held in Buffalo

6. The New York State Canal System is completed

7. The first newspaper in the state is established

8. The World Trade Center in New York City is attacked by terrorists for the second time

9. The Erie Canal opens

10. The Niagara Power Plant opens

11. George Washington is inaugurated in New York City as the first United States president

12. The St. Lawrence Seaway opens

13. The area of present-day New York is claimed for the Netherlands by Henry Hudson

14. The Battle of Saratoga is fought

15. Many military personnel leave from the port at New York City to fight in Europe in World War I

16. The English take control of present-day New York

17. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opens

18. New York City becomes the capital of the United States SAMPLE 19. America’s first commercial television station begins operations in New York

20. The New York State Library is founded in Albany, New York

Research the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair. What types of attractions were presented? What new foods did people attending the fair “discover”? Is anything from the fair left standing at the area used for the fairgrounds? What might be displayed as futuristic in a World’s Fair today that could be part of everyday life in twenty years?

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Research the Erie Canal. When did it open? How did its use help the economy and growth of New York state and, in time, the rest of the nation? What advancements in transportation remain to be made?

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Research the history of the Statue of Liberty. Who had the idea for the statue? Who designed the statue? When did construction begin? How was it constructed? What was the first part completed? When did Americans get to see this part of the statue? When was the statue officially presented to the United States? When was reassembly completed and the dedication held? Why do you think it remains a powerful symbol today?

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During the War of 1812, Sackets Harbor in New York was used extensively by American naval and military persons who were stationed there to defend the United States-Canadian border, plan a possible invasion of Canada, and stop the smuggling of food and other items across the border to British troops stationed in Canada. Research the problems with smuggling at this time. Why would American citizens want to help the enemy during the war? How did Colonel Zebulon Pike try to stop the smuggling, and what was the outcome? What is your impression of how the people acted toward the American military and the problem with smuggling?

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In the early days of the settlement of North America by the French and British, the area occupied by Old Fort Niagara was very important for anyone who wanted to control large areas of the new world. What were some of the reasons the area of Fort Niagara was so important? What were the major obstacles for any nation who wanted to control this area? How did the area help those who controlled it during the French and Indian War? What brought about the conflict known as “Pontiac’s Uprising”? How was Fort Niagara used during the American Revolution? What was the response of the colonial military under George Washington? How was Fort Niagara involved in the War of 1812? What is your overall view of the importance of Fort Niagara to history?

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