[00:00.00] The First American Music

[00:04.28]The first Europeans came to American in 1492 with Christopher Columbus.

[00:12.64]Since that time people have come to America from all over the world,

[00:19.80]from Europe,Africa,and Asia,and they have brought their music with them.

[00:26.96]This mixing of people and music has created American music.

[00:34.80]Music is a very important part of our lives.

[00:40.65]Music is for dancing,drinking,eating,loving,and thinking.

[00:47.52]Some songs remind us of our childhood or youth.

[00:53.37]Others remind us of the people we love.

[00:58.02]Many important occasions,like weddings and funerals,have special music.

[01:05.07]Every nation has a national song

[01:10.11]like the American song"The Star-Spangled Banner".

[01:15.57]In the U.S..high schools and colleges have school songs too.

[01:22.34]Music is a part of the history of America.

[01:27.48]It expresses the problems and feelings of its people.

[01:33.23]As the years pass,the music grows and changes.

[01:39.19]Modern science has also changed music.

[01:44.33]Inventions like records,radio,movies,electric instruments,

[01:51.60]tape recorders,and videos have changed the way we play and listen to music.

[01:59.04]They have helped to make music

[02:02.80]and important form of international communication.

[02:08.65]American music,from the earliest folk songs to modern:"pop".

[02:15.21]is known around the world.

[02:18.95]Music in one fo American's most important exports.

[02:25.01]It brings the people of the world together.

[02:29.66]Even when people cannot understand the same language,

[02:35.40]they can share the same music.

[02:39.45]Many people learn and practice English by singing songs.

[02:45.38]Understanding American music can help you understand American people,

[02:51.81]their history and culture.

[02:55.75]So,as the song says,"Put a dime in the juke box,baby."

[03:01.81]Let's listen to the music!

[03:05.76]Native Americans lived in American before Columbus arrived.

[03:12.60]They had songs for many occasions

[03:16.96]and they used drums and other musical instruments.

[03:22.11]Dancing amd music was an important part of their life and their religion.

[03:29.16]You can still hear native American music

[03:34.02]and see dancing at special festivals.

[03:39.06]The first British people who came to American were very religious.

[03:45.83]They came for religious freedom.

[03:49.98]Their songs were simple

[03:53.53]and they did not use musical instruments in the church.

[03:59.07]Soon other people with different forms

[04:03.93]of the Christian religion arrived in America.

[04:09.00]They brought different kinds of church music from Europe

[04:15.63]and they used musical instruments,

[04:19.79]like the organ and the piano,in the church.

[04:25.53]Not all early music was church music.

[04:31.36]Some people liked to drink and dance.

[04:36.01]Many drinking places opened and fiddle(violin)music

[04:42.75]and European songs entertained the people.

[04:47.71]American farmers soon left the east coast to begin new farms further west.

[04:55.86]The farms were bog and far apart.

[05:00.90]There were not many towns or churches.

[05:05.27]Religious leaders,called preachers,

[05:10.02]rode horses around the country and brought religion to the farm people.

[05:16.26]To bring the country people together in a large group,

[05:21.72]these preachers held"camp meetings".

[05:26.48]These religious meetings were held in big tents.

[05:31.83]Sometimes thousands of people went to hear the preachers.

[05:38.08]Camp meetings often went on for several days.

[05:45.03]Popular religious songs were sung and the music was very lively.

[05:52.97]People clapped their hands and tapped their feet to the music.

[06:00.72]The first camp meeting was held in 1800 and they are still held today.

[06:08.67]Many pop stars,for example Elvis Presley,

[06:14.23]first learned to sing and to love music at these meetings.