Period I: 1491-1607 A Collision of Cultures

Pre-Columbian America

!   Already had complex societies in the Western Hemisphere !   Peru – Incas !   Mexico and Central America – Mayas !   Mexico – Aztecs

!   North of Mexico !   Complex tribal societies (not large cities)

!   Eskimos !   Pueblos !   Societies based on agriculture and/or hunting

Southwest: Pueblos

Great Plains: Apache, Arapaho

Northeast: Iroquois Confederation

Age of Discovery

!   Most Europeans ignorant of the existence of North America !   Little motivation for exploration during the Middle

Ages

!   Changed in the 15th century for several reasons: !   Population growth – reawakened trade, commerce,

prosperity

!   New, more powerful governments begin to form in Europe – centralized authority – tax systems

Portuguese – Age of Discovery

!   Prince Henry the Navigator !   Explored western coast of Africa

! Bartholomeu Dias !   Rounded Cape of Good Hope

!   Vasco Da Game !   Rounded cape and made it to India

Spanish Take Over

!   Christopher Columbus !   Believed Asia could be reached by heading west across

the Atlantic

!   Two misconceptions: !   Believed the world was smaller than it was

!   Believed there was nothing between Europe and Asia to the West

!   Portugal wouldn’t sponsor journey, turned to Spain (Ferdinand and Isabella)

Columbus

!   Landed in the Bahamas thinking that they were the East Indies !   Brought back “Indian” slaves as proof of

accomplishment

!   Conducted more voyages – realized that the region probably wasn’t Asia

!   Spain invests more money into exploration – surpass Portugal

The Columbian Exchange by Alfred W. Crosby

1.  Define, in your own words, what the Columbian Exchange was.

2.  Create a chart. Label one column “effects on the ‘Old World’” and the other “effects on the ‘New World’”. List as many effects of the Columbian Exchange that you can find for each.

3.  What part of the Columbian Exchange most led to the decline of Native American populations?

4.  In your own opinion, what was the most profound effect of the Columbian Exchange? Why?

Crash Course Video

Eastern and Western Hemispheres Meet

!   Columbian Exchange !   Exchange food, culture, disease, etc.

!   Intermarriage between Spanish and natives !   New class of people: mestizos

!   New class system: Spanish at the top, natives at the bottom, mestizos in between

Spanish Explorers

!   Vasco De Balboa !   Crosses isthmus of Panama – first European to see the

Pacific

!   Ferdinand Magellan !   First to circumnavigate the globe

!   Turning point !   New World no longer seen as an obstacle to get to Asia

!   Becomes an untapped resource from which to create wealth

Conquistadors

!   Hernando Cortes !   Heard stories of gold and treasure in Mexico – decided

to pursue

!   Ran into Aztecs and their leader Montezuma

!   Assaulted Tenochtitlan – failed at first

!   Francisco Pizarro !   Conquered the Incas in present-day Peru

!   Spanish establish empire through colonization

Pueblo Revolt

!   Concentrated efforts to convert to Catholicism in what is now SW United States (New Mexico) !   Many converted, but still practiced tribal rituals

!   Spanish attempted to suppress – led to revolt led by Pope

!   Spanish temporarily expelled from region

!   Returned to the SW !   Intensified efforts to assimilate Indians

!   Permitted Pueblos to own land, stopped forced labor (encomienda), increased tolerance of Pueblo religious rituals

Early English Exploration of the New World

!   John Cabot – Italian explorer under English contract !   Explored Newfoundland in 1497

!   English preoccupied with religious crisis – Henry VIII

The Commercial Incentive

!   The Enclosure Movement !   Demand for wool led to the conversion of farmland

!   Left serfs and tenants unemployed

!   The growth of chartered companies and mercantilism !   Find markets for exports while limiting imports

!   Colonies could become a source for goods

!   Colonies could help solve unemployment and overpopulation problems

The Religious Incentive

!   Roots in the Protestant Reformation !   Puritans and Separatists demanded reform of the

Anglican Church !   Simplify worship, reform power of the clergy – “Purify” the

church

!   Began to look outside England’s borders to get what they want

Challenges From the French and Dutch

!   Spanish did not make serious effort to colonize

!   French settled in the North (present day Canada) !   Influence in the New World was based on close ties to

Indian populations

!   Formal alliance with the Algonquins and others

!   Dutch settled near the Hudson River (New York)

Failed Attempts Under Elizabeth I

!   Humphrey Gilbert attempts to colonize Newfoundland !   Storm sank his ship – lost at sea

!   Sir Walter Raleigh attempts (twice!) to settle Roanoke Island – 1585 and 1587 !   Second group of colonists vanished – the “Lost Colony”

Renewed Effort Under James I

!   James I divided America between two groups: !   Plymouth Company – North

!   London Company - South