New World Beginnings

American Pageant: Chapter One

The Shaping and Peopling of North

America Single supercontinent to North America over millions of years ago

Ice age until about 10,000 years ago

Most original inhabitants came by an exposed land bridge connecting Eurasia with North America between present day Siberia and Alaska

Aztecs and Mayans are descendants of these people

The Earliest Americans

Aztecs and Incas emerged once their ancestors developed corn

Transformed hunter-gatherers into farmers

Pueblos had “discovered” corn by 1200 B.C. and created irrigation systems

Other Native American people thrived for a time before declining by about A.D. 1300

Hopewell Mound, Ohio Valley

Motivation Christian crusaders from

Europe wanted to evict the Muslims from the Holy Land of Jerusalem

Developed a taste of Asia, craving silk, medicines, perfumes, draperies, and spices (especially sugar)

Muslims in the middle charged heavy tolls for traveling routes

Eager to find a less expensive route to Asia

European Exploration The Three Gs

God

Glory

Gold

The Portuguese were the first to sail along the coast of West Africa

Danger scared off others

Portuguese set up trading posts for gold and slaves

Slave trade was nothing new to Africa

Plantation system began with large Portuguese sugar plantations

Columbus and the New World

Renaissance mindset

Italian Columbus convinces Spanish monarchs to supply him for journey west

October 12, 1492: Sight of Bahamas

Called native people Indians because that was what he thought he had found

First Sighting of Tenochtitlan by

Diaz del Castillo

We came to a broad causeway and continued our march towards Iztapalapa. And when we saw all those cities and villages built in the water, and other great towns on dry land, and that straight and level causeway leading to Mexico, we were astounded. These great towns and cues [pyramids] and buildings rising from the water, all made of stone, seemed like an enchanted vision from the tale of Amadis. Indeed, some of our soldiers asked whether it was not all a dream. It is not surprising therefore that I should write in this

vein. It was all so wonderful that I do not know how to describe this first glimpse of things never heard of, seen or dreamed before. 

When we arrived near Iztapalapa we beheld the splendor of the other Caciques [chiefs or nobles] who came out to meet us, the lord of that city whose name was Cuitlahuac, and the lord of Culuacan, both of them close relations of Montezuma. And when we entered the city of Iztapalapa, the sight of the places in which they lodged us! They were very spacious and well built of magnificent

stone, cedar wood, and the wood of other sweet-smelling trees, with great rooms and courts which were wonderful sights and all covered with awnings of woven cotton.

 When we had taken a good look at all of this, we went to the orchard and garden, which was a marvelous place both to see

and walk in. I was never tired of noticing the diversity of trees and the various scents given off by each, and the paths choked with roses and other flowers, and the many local fruit trees and rose bushes, and the pond of fresh water. Another remarkable thing was

that large canoes could come into the garden from the lake, through a channel they had cut, and their crews did not have to disembark. Everything was shining with lime and decorated with different kinds of stonework and paintings which were a marvel to

gaze on. Then there were birds of many breeds and varieties which came to the pond. I say again that I stood looking at it, and thought that no land like it would ever be discovered in the whole world, because at this time Peru was neither known nor thought of.

But today all that I then saw is overthrown and destroyed; nothing is left standing.

The Spanish in Mexico Aztec population

initially revered Cortes and the conquistadores because they thought Cortes was Quetzalcoatl (Serpent God)

Spanish destroyed Tenochtitlan to build a Christian city over it

Spanish Conquistadores

The Spanish and Portuguese divided the New World with the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

Juan Ponce de Leon explored Florida, Vasco Nunez Balboa explored the Pacific, and Magellan sailed around South America to the Phillippines

Encomienda system created to convert natives to Christianity (in reality it was slavery)

Treaty of Tordesillas

When Worlds Collide Europeans brought

technology, animals, and foods to the Americas

Horses revolutionized the lifestyles of North American Indian tribes in the Southwest

Disease wiped out entire populations of native people across the New World

Pre-Columbian figure with

lesions

A male effigy dating from 200-800 C.E., found in a burial site in Nayarit, Mexico.