Religious Freedom?: Salem Witch Trials

You should know by now that not every colony started in America was founded for religious freedom.  Most people think the thirteen original colonies were all about freedom from religious oppression in Europe, but people also came for adventure, profit, to escape a rocky past, for cheap land etc.  All of that being said, Massachusetts was known for its religious background.  Unfortunately, it was not always positive.

Massachusetts, well actually most of New England, was founded by Puritans.  This religious group took their spiritual life very seriously.  In fact, only church members were allowed to vote in Massachusetts.  Visit this website for a brief description.

The Puritans strict beliefs about the way life should be lived, coupled with their very paranoid attitude about the Devil, led to the infamous Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s.  Salem was not the only Massachusetts town that experienced a witch hunt, but it has become the most notorious due to Salem's tourist industry, a recent revival of interest in witchcraft and a famous play called The Crucible about the trials.

I visited Salem, MA this summer and spent some time at this museum.  When you visit this website, please look at three of the sections on the left side of the screen: 1692 Salem Witch Trials, FAQ & Kids' Questions.  Be sure to watch all of the videos in the Kids' Questions section.

For the comments section this week, reflect on the lifestyle and beliefs of the Puritans, as well as all you learned about the Witch Trials, and discuss whether or not the Salem Trials were legitimate.  Do you think there were witches in Salem?  If not, why do you think the Witch Trials happen?  Can you think of any modern examples where people get caught up in a mass hysteria movement and are blamed/accused of things that are not true?

Thirteen British Colonies: The End Of An Era & The Beginning Of A New One

So France, England and Spain are all competing, albeit in different regions for the most part, for ownership of North & South America.  As you know, England began to lay claim on the Atlantic Coast of North America starting in 1607.  By 1733 all thirteen of her colonies had been established.  Many myths and misinformation are often spread about why these colonies were founded and what life was like for the Europeans who traveled across the ocean to live in them.

For this week's blog, watch this video.  In the comments section, discuss some of the things you thought were true about the original thirteen colonies that maybe you were wrong about after seeing the video?  What did the video teach you that you never knew before watching it?

Jamestown & Plymouth: England's First Two Successful North American Colonies

So America, as we know it, is beginning to take shape.  European rivals are not competing for the land and resources of a "New World": The Americas.  England has taken her place on the Atlantic Coast and by 1733 will establish her original thirteen colonies-which will eventually become the first thirteen American states.

For this week's blog, you are going to take an in-depth look at England's first two successful colonies: Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth (1620).  These two sites will be your main sources of info: Jamestown & Plymouth. Be sure on the Jamestown site to focus on the Jamestown info only by selecting the "Jamestown Settlement" tab on the left side of the page.  On the Plymouth site be sure to look at all the links under "Important Sources" and "Children of Plymouth".

For the comment section this week, please compare and contrast Jamestown with Plymouth.  How were these settlements similar? In what ways were they different?  Think about geography, motive for settlement, religion, politics and the many other things that might separate OR link together these two places.  I'm looking for some advanced analysis here.  Give it some real thought!

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca: A Conquistador Survivor Story

Cabeza de Vaca was one of four survivors of an exploratory crew led by Panfilo Narvaez in the early 16th Century.  De Vaca wandered throughout the southern regions of America for years before he left North America.  His surviving journals are the seminal (this means most important or the authoritative) documents about the goals, findings and misconceptions of the early Spanish conquistadors.  What I find most interesting about such documents is what attracted future explorers was often misinformation about the continent (like lots of gold, oceans in the middle of North America etc.).  People in Spain would read these records and rush over here, only to find they had been misled.

For this week's blog you are going to read a brief synopsis of De Vaca's travels on this website.  Then you will visit this website and choose ONE of the four journals written by De Vaca about his time spent roaming through America trying to survive.  In your the comments section this week, write about something that surprised you or that you thought was particularly interesting about De Vaca's experience.

Columbus: Hero, Villain or Heroic Villain?

Now that you have your feet wet, let's dig in deeper into this Columbus fellow.  Did you guys know he is one of the most hated men in history (if you ask descendants of Native Americans at least)?  People often ridicule the fact we have a national holiday to celebrate this guy.

Of course, nothing in history is a simple as "This guy is bad" or "This guy was good" etc.  Events are complex and every side usually has some merit/value.

Here's what you are going to do this week.  Watch this video, this video and read this article about the different view points about Columbus.  Consider what you watched last week and the twenty facts you recorded in the comments section (you may want to revisit that post to refresh your memory).  After two weeks of study, what is your opinion on the legacy of Christopher Columbus?  Should we have a national holiday for him? If so, what did he do that deserves such praise?  If not, why not?