I’m Feeling Icarus

You need to let your brain recover.  Unless you were training for an Ironman, you wouldn't follow one marathon with another one the next day.  

And, on behalf of teachers and tutors everywhere, I'm sorry someone rained on your parade.  Seriously - how can someone be a tutor with an attitude of "I'm a genius and you're an idiot"?????

Wow.  That's a pretty ugly email you got there.

Here's the thing:  there are people who do find the math easier than you find it.  Maybe they have more natural talent in that area.  Maybe they have had a better education.  Who cares?

There are other people who learn to dance easily.  Who can pick up a new language or a new musical instrument in a few weeks and with what looks like ease.  Who cares?  Same thing with sports.  Really, same thing with every human endeavor.  You have chosen to battle this particular weakness with an intense effort over a long time and in a very public way.  For this you should be mocked?  I must be missing something.

I especially liked the part about how me-and-the-likes-of-me don't want to be in class with your ilk.. That was nice.

You are now a kind of public figure.  You are going to get some negative feedback.  Like a bad review on Amazon.  Or some unpleasant on-line comment.  (Teachers deal with this all the time.)  You cannot let it ruin your day.  And you did have a good day.  So congratulations and good luck as you carry this project wherever it takes you.

Exploration, Discovery, and Settlement, 1492-1700 Q: What makes the culture of North America unique and note its differences.A: Most Native Americans lived in semipermanent settlements. Most spent time making tools and hunting for game. A few tribes developed large complex cultures. The Pueblos in the Southwest lived in multistoried buildings and irrigation systems. In the Northeast, Iroquois tribes formed political confederacy, the League of the Iroquois to withstand attack. Q: What cultures of Central and South America are composed and its locations?A: Mayas built remarkable cities in rain forests of the Yucatan Peninsula. Aztecs in central Mexico and Incas in Peru ruled over vast empires. Aztecs’ captial is Tenochtitlan. Q: Why did the Europeans start to explore in the late 15th century and not before?A: It can be attributed to improvements in Technology. Columbus and other explorers lived in an era of artistic and scientific activity, known as the Renaissance. Its height was during he 1400s and early 1500s. There was a gradual increase in scientific knowledge and technological change. The invention of the sailing compass and printing press aided in the spread of knowledge. As well as improvements in shipbuilding and mapmaking. Q: Describe the catholic victory and conflict in Spain.A: The once dominant Roman Catholic Church of western Europe were attacked by the Ottoman Turks and by a Protestant revolt against the pope. During the Middle Ages, Spain had been partly conquered by Muslim invaders. Only one Moorish stronghold remained in that country when Isabella, queen of Castile, and Ferdinand, king of Aragon, united their separate Christian kingdoms. In 1492, the year Columbus set sail, Isabella and Ferdinand succeeded in defeating the Moors of Granada. The union of Spin under Isabella and Ferdinand was a sign of hope in the Roman Catholic faith. Q: What is the Protestant revolt in northern Europe and its significance in motive to explore the Americas?A: In the early 1500s, certain Christians in northern European countries revolted against the pope. This is known as the Protestant Reformation. Conflicts between Catholics and Protestants led to religious wars. It caused countries to want their own versions of Christianity. Thus, a religious motive for exploration and colonization was added. Q: Why are Europeans heading to Asia at these time in terms of economics and what conflict was involved in the original route to Asia?A: Motives for exploration grew from fierce economic competitions among European kingdoms for trade with Africa, India and China. Past trade went from Venice and Constantinople to China. However, this route was blocked in 1453 when the Ottoman Turks seied control of Constatinople. Europeans needed to find another route to Asia. Voyages sponsored by Portugal’s Prince Henry the Navigator opened up a long sea route around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. In 1498, Portugues sea captain Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India by this route. Columbus attempted to a shorter route to Asia, but he was wrong by finding route to Americas.  Q: How was Europe monarchs politically changing in the 15th century and what does this entail in terms of economy for survival?A: Monarchs were gaining power in nation-states (common culture and political loyalties) in Spain, Portugal, France, England and the Netherlands. The monarchs depended on trade for revenues and justification of the Church for their right to rule. Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain and PRince Henry of Portugal used their power to search for riches abroad and spread the Roman Catholic influence overseas.  Q: Why was Columbus seen with a negative view?A: Columbus was seen as a failure because he was unable to find the route to Asia while finding the ‘New World’ named after Amerigo Vespucci. His poor treatment of the Native Americans was noted as well.  Q: Although Columbus was criticized, what marked the importance of his voyage?A: It was the first time in history where he enabled a permanent interaction between Europeans and Native Americans. Q: What was brought through the European exchanges with Native Americans?A: Native Americans introduced Europeans to many new plants and foods. Also infected Europeans with syphilis. Europeans brought farm animals and the wheel, and guns. But they also brought the smallpox disease that decimated the Native American population.  Q: How was the settlement issues of the New world decided between Spain and Portugal?A: Catholic monarchs of both countries turned to he pope in Rome. In 1493, a vertical line was drawn giving Spain all lands west and Portugal all lands east. In 1494, the two disputing kingdoms signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, moving the line a few degrees to the west.  Q: How was Spain’s dominance made in the Americas through their explorers and conquistadors?A: Journey across the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean by Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the circumnavigation of the world by one of Ferdinand Magellan’s ships, and the conquests of the Aztecs in Mexico by Hernan Cortes and of the Incas in Peru by Fracisco Pizzaro.  Q: How did the conquistadors contribute to the wealth of Spain?A: The conquistadores sent ships loaded with gold and silver back to Spain from the New World. Increasing the gold supply and making Spain the richest and most powerful nation in Europe. After seizing the wealth of the Indian (Native American) empires, the Spanish turned to an encomienda system, with the king of Spain giving grants of lands and Indian (Native Americans) to individual Spaniards.  Q: What were England’s claims to America and why did they fail to embark further?A: Under contract with King Henry VII, John Cabot explored the Newfoundland in 1497. However, England could not follow up with further expeditions because of issues at home. Henry VIII’s break with the Roman Catholic Church led to tumult. In 1570s and 1580s under Queen Elizabeth I, England challenged Spanish shipping in the oceans. Sir Francis Drake, attacked Spanish ships and seized their gold for example. Q: How and why were  the French develop interests gradual and claims int he Americas?A: In 1524, the French monarchy sponsored a voyage by Giovanni da Verrazano. He hoped to find a northwest passage leading through the Americas to Asia. French claims to American territory was based off Jacques Cartier who explored (1534-1542). Like the English, the French were slow to devlop colonies in the New World. During the 1500s, the French monarchy was preoccupied with European wars as well as with internal religious conflict between Roman Catholics and Protestant Huguenots.  Q: What were the French claims?A: In 1608, the first permanent French settlement in America was established by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 at Quebec. In 1673, Louis Jolliet and Jacque Marquette explored the upper Mississippi and in 1682, robert de La Salle explored the Mississippi basin naming it Louisiana. Q: How did the Dutch make claims in the Americas.A: During the 1600s, the Netherlands began to sponsor voyages. Dutch hired Henry Hudson to seek a northwest passage. In 1609, Hudson sailed up river and made claims to what would become New Amsterdam. Later, the Dutch West India Company, was given privilege of taking control of the regions for economic gain. Q: Why was there a sudden rise in English interest of Americas in the early 1600s?A: England was finally in position to colonize after defeating teh Spanish fleet - the Spanish Armada- in 1588, England became a major naval power. Also England’s population was rapidly growing while in economic depression. This condition gave rise to large number of poor and landless people attracted by idea of economic opportunities in the Americas.  Q; How did England successfully finance the expedition to settling colonies in the Americas?A: Joint-stock companies pooled savings of people and supported trading ventures that seemed profitable.  Q: How did England’s Jamestown financed to be settled?A: England’s King James I chartered the Virginia company, joint-stock company, that established the first permanent English colony in America at Jamestown in 1607.   Q: What were the early problems of Jamestown?A: First settlers of Jamestown suffered great hardships from Indian attacks, famine, and disease. The settlement’s location in swampy area led prone to disease outbreaks. Many settlers were also not used to physical labor. Food supplies dwindled and colonists starved. Q: How did Jamestown manage to survive despite harsh conditions?A: The prosperity of Tobacco led by Captain John Smith and the establishment of a tobacco industry by John Rolfe. ROle and his wife, Pocahontas, which became popular in Europe and brought financial prosperity.  Q: How did the tobacco industry form a labor force for Jamestown’s plantations?A: They combined forced and free labor consisting of indentured servants and slaves. Q: Why did Jamestown transition to becoming a royal colony?
A: Virginia Company made poor financial decisions that put them in debt. The bankrupt company came under direct control of King James I. Thus Virginia became England’s first royal colony.   Q: How did the Puritan colonies form and what were their motivations?A: Religious motivation was the principal force for two other English colonies, Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. Both were settled by English Protestants influenced by John Calvin’s predestination. Under James I who controlled the Church of England, many did not like its ceremonies and hierarchy so they wanted to purify their church of any Catholic influences. These puritans were a threat and James arrested them.  Q: How did the plymouth colony form and what were the people’s motivation to settle there?A: Separatists wanted to organize a completely different church, independent of royal control. They left England in search of religious freedom. Known as the Pilgrims, they first migrated to Holland. But the economic hardship and cultural differences in Holland made many Pilgrims to seek another haven for religion. In 1620, small group of Pilgrims set sail for Virginia by the Mayflower. Most in the ship were for economic motives and only few were separatists. Pilgrims established a new colony at Plymouth rather than going to Jamestown.  Q: How did Massachusetts Bay Colony form and what were the people’s motivation to settle there?A: In England, the persecution of Puritans increased as a result of the policies of king, Charles I. A group of Puritans gained royal charter for new colonization by the Massachusetts Bay Company (1629). By 1630, John Winthrop and puritans sailed for Massachusetts. Later in the 1630s, a civil war in England drove many settlers to the Massachusetts Bay colony - known as the Great Migration.  Q: What were the different types of political Institutional rule of the England American colonies? A:Majority rule in Plymouth - Pilgrims signed a document to make decisions by majority. Known as the Mayflower Compact, it represented an early form of colonial self-government and a early form of written constitution. 
Representative government at Jamestown- Virginia Company sought to encourage settlement in Jamestown by guaranteeing colonists the same rights that they had in England, including right to be represented int eh lawmaking process. In 1619, Jamestown organized the first representative assembly in America, the House of Burgesses.
Representative government in Massachusetts - All free men-male members of the Puritan Church- had the right to participate the yearly elections of the colony’s governor.
All colonies - A sizable part of the colonial population was excluded from the political process. ONly male property owners could vote for representatives. It was limited colonial democracy coexisting with antidemocratic practices such as slavery and widespread mistreatment of Native - Americans Q: Why did Spanish Settlements in North America develop slowly?A: Due to limited mineral resources and strong opposition from Native Americans.  Q: Name the different Spanish settlements in North America?A: Florida 
New Mexico
Texas
California Q: What was the Spanish, English and French policy in treatment of Native AmericansA:Spanish - Approach was to conquer, rule and intermarry with Aztecs, Mays and Incas.English - Occupied the land and forced the small tribes to move away from the coastFrench - Looked for for furs and converts to Catholicism, and treated Native Americans as economic and military allies.