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Black History and Blacks in U.S. History

American Music - 1800's

American Music - 1800's
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 7
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   9.33

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    best-known, ragtime, recombined, well-recognized, well-known, worldwide, popularity, refrain, various, jazz, musical, slavery, music, classical, gain, singer
     content words:    Southern United States, Down Moses, Low Sweet Chariot, United States, Harry Thacker Burleigh, Marian Anderson, Bessie Smith, Scott Joplin, Maple Leaf Rag

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American Music - 1800's
By Sharon Fabian 		  
1     American music, in most of its various forms, can be traced back to the music of the earliest African-Americans. Even though these Americans came here under the worst of circumstances, they still brought with them traditions, and developed new traditions of their own, that have grown into what is recognized around the world today as American music.
 
2     Musicians, like other artists, are usually quick to give credit where credit is due. Just as a writer quotes his sources, a musician credits those musicians who inspired him. In the case of the early African-Americans, that is not always easy. Many of the slaves who brought musical traditions from Africa will never be known by name. No one wrote their history. Many of the slaves who sang work songs in the fields will never be known by name. No one wrote their history either.
 
3     However, there is a lot that we do know.

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