the americas and europe objectives: 1. describe the ancient cultures in the americas. 2. identify...
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The Americas and EuropeObjectives:1. Describe the ancient cultures in the Americas.2. Identify the diverse Native American groups in North America.3. Understand European societies of the 1400’s and the forces
that led them to undertake exploration.
Ancient Cultures in the Americas Where did the first Americans come from?
The first Americans arrived around 22,000 years ago Bering-Strait Land Bridge Theory
How did the first Americans survive? The first Americans were nomads who survived by hunting big game
If the first Americans were nomads, how did civilization begin? Around 12,000 years ago, temperatures began to warm
As the climate grew warmer, large animals no longer thrived Early Americans became hunter gatherers
Between 10,000 and 5,000 years ago, agriculture developed in central Mexico Early Americans began to plant crops
The development of agriculture allowed peoples to settle in one place
Native American Societies Early empires develop in the South
Maya – Yucatan Peninsula Aztec – Mexico Inca – South America
Societies arise in North America Anasazi – Southwest US
Native American society was characterized by diversity Tribes adapted their way of life to the environments they lived
in Pueblo - Built multi-story homes out of adobe Iroquois - Lived in the forest and hunted fish and game
Native American Societies What were some of the common
characteristics that existed between Native American tribes? Land was not a commodity to be traded or sold Nearly all Native American tribes viewed the
natural world as filled with spirits The family was the basic unit of organization in
Native American tribes
European Societies of the 1400’s European societies were based on social hierarchy
Feudalism Very little social mobility
Christianity shaped the outlook of the European world The power of the Church influenced politics
The Crusades The Crusades had two important consequences that encouraged European
exploration: Opened up trade routes to Asia exposing Europeans to luxuries from
the East Weakened the power of European nobles allowing monarchs to
consolidate power
European Societies of the 1400’s During the 1400’s, four major nations were taking shape in
Europe: Portugal, Spain, France, and England Interested in finding an alternative to the overland route to Asia
Fueled by stories of wealth from the East Marco Polo (1200)
Prominent Explorers of the Age of Exploration Prince Henry the Navigator – Monarch of Portugal who
financed voyages of discovery Bartolomeu Dias – Portuguese explorer who was the first to reach
the southern tip of Africa Vasco da Gama – Portuguese sailor who reached India by sailing
around the southern tip of Africa
European Societies of the 1400’s What were some of the factors that helped to fuel the Age
of Exploration? Christianity
Strong desire to spread the teachings of Christ The Renaissance (1400’s)
Spirit of inquiry influenced European explorers Desire for Wealth Sailing Technology
Arab navigation Cartography Astrolabe Compass
Caravel – A lighter more maneuverable ship that was able to sail against the wind
Spanish North AmericaObjectives:1. Describe the Spanish exploration of the Americas and its
effects on Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans.1. Describe the pattern of conquest used by the Spanish.2. Summarize the goals of Spanish explorers and settlers and
to understand why Native Americans resisted.
Columbus Crosses the Atlantic Christopher Columbus – Italian mariner who
hypothesized that a person could reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Columbus was motivated by the promise of fortune and fame First expedition embarked in August of 1492
Financed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain Fleet of three ships: Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria
In October of 1492, Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas Claimed the island for Spain and renamed it San Salvador Columbus’s later voyages
Impact on Native Americans Europeans used local peoples for forced labor
Were able to dominate these peoples due to superior weaponry
Native Americans were devastated by European diseases With the decline of the native workforce, Europeans
eventually turned to Africa for slaves
Impact on Europeans Many Europeans began to cross the Atlantic in
search of new lives Overseas expansion inflamed national rivalries as
countries battled over who would rule the New World Treaty of Tordesillas – Agreement between Spain and Portugal
in which the Western Hemisphere would be divided between the two
The Columbian Exchange – The global transfer of living things that took place between the Eastern and Western hemispheres
The Spanish Claim a New Empire Conquistadors – Spanish explorers who sought to establish
colonies for Spain in the New World Hernando Cortes – Spanish Conquistador who landed in Mexico in
1519 and came into contact with the Aztecs Cortes marveled at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and the vast amounts
of gold and silver the Aztecs possessed Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, believed Cortes was a god and agreed to
give Cortes a share of the empire’s existing wealth Unsatisfied, Cortes forced the Aztecs to mine more gold and silver
In the Spring of 1520, the Aztec people revolted and drove out the Spanish Montezuma was stoned to death as a traitor
In 1521, Cortes launched a counterattack and defeated a weaker Aztec force that had already been ravaged by disease
Francisco Pizarro Ponce de Leon
The Spanish Pattern of Conquest In building their empire, the Spanish lived amongst the
native people and sought to impose their culture upon them Settlers tended to intermarry with native women
Mestizo – Person of mixed Spanish and Native American descent The Spanish also oppressed the native peoples they lived amongst
Encomienda System – System in which Native Americans were used as forced labor by Spanish landlords who received the rights to their labor from Spanish authorities In 1542, the Spanish monarchy abolished the encomienda system and
began to use enslaved Africans to meet their labor needs
Spain Explores the Southwest and West Throughout the mid-1500’s, the Spanish also explored and settled in what
are now regions of the Southwest and Western US Francisco Vasquez de Coronado – Explored the American Southwest in
search of another wealthy empire to conquer In addition to obtaining wealth, the Spanish also sought to convert native
peoples to Christianity Established a long string of Catholic missionaries throughout the American
Southwest and West Resistance to the Spanish
The Spanish missionary system negatively affected Native Americans in many ways Spanish missionaries often forced Native Americans to abandon their own
customs and adopt European ones The Spanish also forced Native Americans to provide labor for farming and
construction