The Great Seal of the United States, Part 2

The Great Seal of the United States, Part 2

The document pictured here is a blazon -a description of a coat of arms. It is the description that was used to create the Great Seal of the United States. The Great Seal, which was created from this blazon, is also pictured here. The front of the seal shows an American bald eagle with a constellation of stars over his head, and a shield of red, white, and blue on his chest. In his left talon he holds an olive branch, and in his right talon he holds a bundle of arrows. In his beak, he has a ribbon that says "E Pluribus Unum," which means Out of many, one.' The back of the seal has an unfinished pyramid, with an eye floating over it, and Roman numerals for 1776 at the base. The ribbon at the bottom says "Novus Ordo Seclorum," which means The new order of the ages,' and refers to the new era of America, which began in 1776. The other Latin phrase, "Annuit Coeptis" means He (God) has approved our undertakings.' Each part of the Great Seal of the United States is symbolic of something important to our country. The American bald eagle is the official bird of the United States, symbolizing liberty and freedom. The shield on his chest represents how the thirteen original states (the red and white vertical stripes) and Congress (the large blue horizontal stripe) depend on and support one another. The constellation over the eagle's head has thirteen stars and represents how the new nation had risen to take its place among the great nations of the world. The olive branch and the bundle of arrows symbolize war and peace, both powers of Congress. The pyramid on the reverse side symbolizes the strength of America, and that God is watching over the new nation with favor. 1. What is a blazon? A. A man's short coat B. A burst of fireworks C. A decoration used to symbolize flames D. A description of a coat of arms 2. What did the eye on the pyramid represent? A. Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals. B. The bright future of the new nation C. The watchful eye of the government D. God watching over the new nation

3. In what language are the mottoes that appear on the Great Seal? A. Greek B. French C. Latin D. British 4. Which of these best describes the main idea of the Great Seal? A. America will win all wars. B. America represents religious freedom. C. America will be a strong united nation, favored by God. D. The American people are all alike. 5. What two things represent the original thirteen states of the United States? 6. Whose eye is pictured on the back of the seal? 7. Why was the bald eagle chosen to be on the Great Seal? 8. Which branch of the government is represented on the Great Seal? 9. The bundle of arrows and the olive branch represent war and peace, which are both powers of Congress. Explain how these are powers of Congress.

10. The Great Seal was designed just after the United States became a country, and most of the symbolism alludes to the new nation and the new government. If you were designing a seal for the United States today, what would you include, and what would it represent?

The Northwest Ordinance

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was the act that created the Northwest Territory, the first territory of the new United States. It created a plan of government for that territory and also laid the groundwork for creating new states from future territories. It was used during the westward expansion of the United States to the Pacific Ocean over the next century. The principal provisions of this ordinance were 1) that no fewer than three and no more than five states be created from the Northwest Territory, 2) a territory could draft a constitution and request statehood when the population reached sixty thousand (free male inhabitants of full age), and 3) individual rights such as freedom of religion were protected, education was encouraged, and slavery was forbidden.

1. What is an ordinance? A. something very plain B. a law or a rule C. something related to bird watching D. a badly behaved child 2. Where was the Northwest Territory located, according to the document? A. near Canada B. Northwest of the Ohio River C. no location is given D. in the Northwest part of the United States 3. What was the purpose of this document? A. to create a plan of government for new territories B. to outline a way for territories to become states C. to encourage a plan for education in the territories D. all of the above 4. How many states could be created from the Northwest Territory? A. as many as they wanted B. five to ten C. three to five D. one 5. What were the requirements for statehood specified by the Northwest Ordinance? 6. In what year was this ordinance written? 7. Was the plan outlined in the Northwest Ordinance ever used again? 8. What did the Northwest Ordinance say about slavery?

9. The Northwest Ordinance was written two years before the U.S. Constitution was adopted. The third provision of the Northwest Ordinance included some things that were left out of the Constitution and later had to be remedied. What specifically can you see that was left out of the Constitution?

10. In later years the issue of allowing slavery in the territories became a primary focus in the country. Using your knowledge of U.S. history, tell how this issue affected the Missouri Compromise and how it affected the founding of the Republican Party.

George Washington's Farewell Address The following text contain excerpts from George Washington's thirty-two page presidential farewell address, written in 1796 when he decided not to seek a third term of presidency. Friends and Fellow Citizens: The period for a new election of a citizen to administer the executive government of the United States being not far

distant, and the time actually arrived when your thoughts must be employed in designating the person who is to be clothed with that important trust, it appears to me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more distinct expression of the public voice, that I should now apprise you of the resolution I have formed, to decline being considered among the number of those out of whom a choice is to be made. For this you have every inducement of sympathy and interest. Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes....after deliberate examination, with the aid of the best lights I could obtain, I was well satisfied that our country, under all the circumstances of the case, had a right to take, and was bound in duty and interest to take, a neutral position. Having taken it, I determined, as far as should depend upon me, to maintain it, with moderation, perseverance, and firmness....the duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred, without anything more, from the obligation which justice and humanity impose on every nation, in cases in which it is free to act, to maintain inviolate the relations of peace and amity towards other nations. The inducements of interest for observing that conduct will best be referred to your own reflections and experience. With me a predominant motive has been to endeavor to gain time to our country to settle and mature its yet recent institutions, and to progress without interruption to that degree of strength and consistency which is necessary to give it, humanly speaking, the command of its own fortunes. 1. This document can best be described as a A. journal entry. B. legal document. C. speech. D. letter. 2. Who wrote this document? A. Benjamin Franklin B. George Washington C. James Madison D. George Bush 3. When was this document created? A. 1976 B. 1781 C. 1796 D. 1776 4. What was the purpose of this document? A. to inform the public that Washington would not be running for reelection B. to eulogize George Washington C. to welcome George Washington as president D. to warn the public about other politicians who might want to be president

5. What did Washington say in the second paragraph about being American? 6. Why did he think they should stick together as Americans? 7. Washington mentions a "common cause" that Americans fought and triumphed for. To what was he referring? 8. What position did Washington think America should take in regard to other nations? 9. Washington recommended that the United States not get involved with other countries. His reason for this recommendation had more to do with the United States than it did with other countries. Why did he think the United States should stay neutral?

10. Washington's recommendation of neutrality influenced our country's foreign policy for many, many years. Using your knowledge of American history, tell how this policy affected America, especially in regard to the Monroe Doctrine, and the first and second World Wars. Is neutrality still our policy?

Eli Whitney's Patent for the Cotton Gin Citation: Eli Whitney's Patent for the Cotton Gin, March 14, 1794; Records of the Patent and Trademark Office; Record Group 241, National Archives. The cotton gin is a simple machine for removing the seeds from cotton. Eli Whitney's machine of 1794 was the first to clean short-staple cotton, and a single device could produce up to fifty pounds of cleaned cotton in a day, as opposed to

about one pound per slave per day before its invention. This made cotton a profitable crop for the first time. Instead of reducing the manpower needed to produce cotton, the cotton gin increased the amount of cotton grown and increased the need for slaves. After the invention of the cotton gin, the amount of cotton grown doubled every ten years after 1800. 1. Who invented this machine? A. Cotton Gin B. Eli Whitney C. George Washington Carver D. Benjamin Franklin 2. What is the date of this patent? A. 1865 B. 1800 C. 1974 D. 1794 3. What does this machine do? A. plays music B. washes cotton C. removes the seeds from cotton D. shuffles cards 4. Look at the picture and tell what powers this machine. A. It uses batteries. B. It uses wind power. C. It is hand cranked. D. It uses electricity. 5. How much cotton could Eli Whitney's cotton gin clean in a day? 6. What is a patent? 7. Why was this invention important to the South? 8. How much more cotton could be cleaned by the cotton gin than by a slave?

9. Slavery was beginning to die out at the end of the 1700s. The cotton gin meant that not as many slaves were needed to clean cotton, so it should have brought about the end of slavery. Instead the opposite was true. Why did the cotton gin increase slavery instead of reduce it?

10. What was the impact of the cotton gin on the amount of cotton grown and on U. S. exports in the 1800s?