I. What is learning in the digital age?
August 27 |
Crosby, additional E-readings from course e-mail. "The American Character" |
Wiki or electronic journal entries for your reactions to & questions from readings |
Journal entry electronically submitted on Wiki |
Class Method
Write for five minutes without stopping:
What six habits or behaviors did the crops grown since colonial times contribute to the character of America?
Prompt
Does Crosby attribute any ideals to the widespread existence of farming demanded by a certain specific crops grown here that instilled recognizably different habits in America's early settlers from their European cousins?
Internet
Alfred Crosby, Germs Seeds, & Animals. pp. 167-179.
- pdf file sent to you.
- available on Blackboard™.
- Post a rsponse to on class Wiki
Backgrounds
By nature, North America is huge, diverse beyond simplification, filled with extensive forests, prairies, mountain ranges and shorelines. The geography is one basis of understanding environmental history.
Does Crosby suggest there is background information to keep in mind such as character traits and then three or more exceptions to those uniquely American characteristcs in pre-industrial (1800), colonial English and Spanish America?
The focus reading is Germs Seeds, & Animals. pp. 167-179.
What are Americans obsessed with and what evidence does Crosby give?
pp. 167.
Concepts to look for:
The Native American Presences & skills
Nationalities of Native and Immigrant peoples
European frontier
"faith in progress"
wood and water as primary resources
population change.
What was the heaviest imprint on the landscape?
p. 167
