The Boston Tea Party wasn’t a social event. It was an act of rebellion and it helped start the movement for the U.S.A. to become independent from Britain. In 1773, Boston was the capital of Massachusetts, one of 13 British colonies in the future United States. For several years, the British government, in financial trouble, … Continue reading “Starting a Revolution with Tea in Boston”
On 16 December 1773, an event took place that went on to spark the American Revolution: citizens of Boston, Massachusetts, dumped hundreds of crates of tea into the sea to protest against British “taxation without representation”. This December, the city is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. This article paired with two … Continue reading “250 Years of U.S. Democracy: The Boston Tea Party”
This 4-minute video is a simple explanation of Thanksgiving, designed for young learners in the U.S.A. It would work well in an ESL classroom. We’ve indicated the content of the sections if you don’t want to use the whole thing. The voiceover is slow and understanding is helped by the images. You could use sections … Continue reading “Simple Thanksgiving Video”
Based on the best-selling book by David Grann, Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, delves into a dark chapter of American history. The story unfolds in 1920s Oklahoma, where a series of mysterious murders takes place in the Osage Nation’s reservation. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, the film … Continue reading “Killers of the Flower Moon”
The “Black Indian Tribes” or crews are some of the most colourful participants in New Orleans’ famous Mardi Gras celebrations. A new exhibition at the Musée du quai Branly features their intricate, flamboyant costumes and explains the history of African Americans in Louisiana. Till 15 January 2022. There are more than 40 Black Indian tribes … Continue reading “Black Indians from New Orleans”
Festival America is usually a bi-annual celebration of the literature of the Americas in Vincennes (94). After two years of COVID cancellations, the festival is finally having its 10th edition celebrating 20 years from 22 to 25 September. The festival attracts large numbers of authors: 61 this year, mainly from the U.S. but also from … Continue reading “Festival America is Back!”
This year sees the 400th anniversary of the ancestor of today’s Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.A. 400 years after the meal shared by Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in Massachusetts, efforts are gaining ground to see the event from the points of view of both communities. When the Mayflower brought 102 Puritans to New England in … Continue reading “400 Years of Thanksgiving”
For many years, the Native Americans at the first Thanksgiving dinner were reduced to generic “Indians” in the national story. Today, the Plimoth Patuxet living-history museums at the site of the original Thanksgiving have created an online game to help school children learn about both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag. The former Plimoth Plantation had … Continue reading “Thanksgiving with Wampanoag and Pilgrims”
This inspiring documentary features teen activists around the world who see a problem and try to fix it. From Malawi to Colorado they are fighting pollution, opposing child marriage, supporting education, freedom of speech and sustainable agriculture and demanding rights for the planet and indigenous people. Melati Wijsen and her sister founded Bye Bye Plastic … Continue reading “Bigger Than Us”
A retrospective exhibition of Georgia O’Keeffe’s long career at the Pompidou Centre is a great opportunity to work with pupils on her depiction of the U.S.’s wide open spaces. O’Keeffe was born in Wisconsin in 1887 and lived to the age of 98. Her career spanned many of the movements of modern art, at first … Continue reading “America Seen by Georgia O’Keeffe”
