NEW WORLD NEW WORLD BEGINNINGSBEGINNINGS

THE BEGINNINGTHE BEGINNING► Cross from Eurasia via Cross from Eurasia via

Bering Bridge for Bering Bridge for 25,000 years, 25,000 years, although…..although…..

► 10,000 years ago – 10,000 years ago – became Bering Straitbecame Bering Strait

► 54 million in Americas 54 million in Americas by time of Columbus’ by time of Columbus’ arrivalarrival

► Sophisticated Indian Sophisticated Indian civilizations – why?civilizations – why? Cultivation of maize… Cultivation of maize…

turned nomads into turned nomads into settled peoplessettled peoples

MAYAN CIVILIZATIONMAYAN CIVILIZATION►500 B.C.►Yucatan

Peninsula (Belize, Guatemala…)

►System of numbers - concept of zero

►Calendar, Astronomy

►Temple Pyramids►Mostly wiped out

by the Spanish in the 1500s Mayan Ruins of

Tulum

► 11th Century► Peru & South America► Vast empire of > 12 million people;

longest empire in the world – Colombia to Chile (1,850 miles); totalitarian

► Very advanced engineers: 10,000 mile long road system; suspension bridges

► Reincarnation; cranial deformation

INCASINCAS

►13th Century►Central Mexico►Aggressive; warriors►Daily human

sacrifices►Valued gold highly –

why?►Advanced

architecture that used much gold

►Leader, Montezuma - destroyed by Spanish (Cortes) in 1521

►Spanish built Mexico City at that site

AZTECSAZTECS

AZTEC CITY OF TENOCHTITLAN

Religious center of the cityCity’s population was more than 300,000

10 sq. miles – larger than London, Rome or Venice

NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURE

►No dense populations like Aztecs Significance for Europeans?

►Became agricultural villagers with spread of corn cultivation from Mexico

►Reached southwest Anasazi, first 1200 B.C. Irrigation PUEBLOS

PUEBLOS are the oldest PUEBLOS are the oldest standing buildings in North standing buildings in North

America – located in the “Four America – located in the “Four Corners”Corners”

PUEBLOS, Mesa Verde, Colorado

North American Cultures developed North American Cultures developed

according to geographic regionsaccording to geographic regions::► Iroquois – NE farmersIroquois – NE farmers

Greatest American Indian “nation”

Hiawatha Iroquois

Confederacy Longhouses

► Creeks, Cherokees, Creeks, Cherokees, Choctaws, Seminoles, Choctaws, Seminoles, Chickasaw - SEChickasaw - SE “Three-Sister

Farming” “Civilized Tribes” Democratic; dense

populations

► Plains Plains Indians:Indians: Central U.S hunter-

gatherers buffalo

A CLASH A CLASH OF OF

VALUESVALUES

► PolytheisticPolytheistic ►MonotheisticMonotheistic

NATIVEAMERICANS

EUROPEANS

• Families defined by blood lines

• Families defined by marriage lines

• Women’s roles stronger• Male-dominated society• Valued prestige more than possessions

• Materialistic – high value on $ and possessions

• Believed the land belonged to all

• Strong belief in land ownership

First Discovers of North First Discovers of North AmericaAmerica

►Vikings / NorseVikings / Norse► 1200 A.D.1200 A.D.►NewfoundlandNewfoundland

a/k/a “Vinland”a/k/a “Vinland”► Eric the RedEric the Red► Leif EricsonLeif Ericson►No government No government

support….no support….no permanent permanent settlementsettlement

Other discoverers of the New Other discoverers of the New World:World:►Christian Crusaders…how?Christian Crusaders…how?►Marco Polo – book stimulated Marco Polo – book stimulated

European desires for cheaper European desires for cheaper route to treasures of the Eastroute to treasures of the East

►Portuguese create caravelPortuguese create caravel

& sail along West Africa& sail along West Africa Prince Henry the NavigatorPrince Henry the Navigator Become slave tradersBecome slave traders 40,000 slaves to sugar islands in last 40,000 slaves to sugar islands in last

half of 15half of 15thth century century

SHIFT IN SHIFT IN COURSE OF COURSE OF HISTORY:HISTORY:

►Fueled by:Fueled by:►Spain becoming modern nation-stateSpain becoming modern nation-state►Desire for more and cheaper Desire for more and cheaper

products from lands beyond products from lands beyond MediterraneanMediterranean

►Africa – a source of cheap slave Africa – a source of cheap slave labor for plantationslabor for plantations

►Portuguese demonstrated feasibility Portuguese demonstrated feasibility of long-range ocean navigationof long-range ocean navigation

►Spirit of the RenaissanceSpirit of the Renaissance

ENTER COLUMBUS …ENTER COLUMBUS …►Genoa, ItalyGenoa, Italy

Born in right place, right Born in right place, right timetime

► Financed by Spain…rulers?Financed by Spain…rulers? Devout Catholic, good Devout Catholic, good

salesmansalesman►What was he promised?What was he promised?

Political Control over islands Political Control over islands he discoveredhe discovered

10% of profits of trade10% of profits of trade Title: Title: Admiral of the Ocean Admiral of the Ocean

SeaSea► San Salvador, Bahamas, San Salvador, Bahamas,

Oct. 1492Oct. 1492►Made 3 more voyagesMade 3 more voyages

“…Columbus never allowed facts to stand in the way of theories”

“…Columbus did not ‘seize the times,’ rather he reflected the times and he was not especially learned.”

Columbus never recognized a new continent;he was convinced he was in India, China, Japan or Ethiopia.

Query: is it more important to find some place or to know what one has found?

Columbian Columbian ExchangeExchange

► MAJOR EFFECTMAJOR EFFECT of Columbus’ of Columbus’ “discovery”“discovery”

► Interdependent global Interdependent global economic system results from economic system results from Columbus’ voyagesColumbus’ voyages Europe provides markets, Europe provides markets,

capital, technology & New capital, technology & New World provides raw materialsWorld provides raw materials

► Major negative effect of Major negative effect of exchange is transfer of exchange is transfer of diseasesdiseases Syphilis to Old WorldSyphilis to Old World Smallpox to New WorldSmallpox to New World

►Entire cultures wiped out by Entire cultures wiped out by entry of the Spanishentry of the Spanish

TREATY OF TORDESILLASTREATY OF TORDESILLAS► To resolve dispute To resolve dispute

between Spain & between Spain & Portugal after Portugal after Columbus’ returnColumbus’ return

► 1494 Treaty:1494 Treaty: Spain gets all of Spain gets all of

New World but New World but BrazilBrazil

Portugal gets Brazil Portugal gets Brazil – continues to – continues to concentrate on concentrate on AfricaAfrica

► Line of demarcation Line of demarcation halfway between Cape halfway between Cape Verde Islands (already Verde Islands (already Portuguese) & islands Portuguese) & islands discovered by discovered by Columbus on 1Columbus on 1stst voyagevoyage

SPANISHSPANISHCONQUISTADORESCONQUISTADORES

► Their mission?Their mission? ““God, Gold and Glory!”God, Gold and Glory!”- to serve - to serve

God & King & get richGod & King & get rich► ““Conquistadors first fell on their Conquistadors first fell on their

knees & then on the aborigines.”knees & then on the aborigines.”► Indians saw Spanish as “gods”Indians saw Spanish as “gods”►Horses & gunpowder quickly Horses & gunpowder quickly

overpowered Indiansoverpowered Indians►New race of “mestizos” New race of “mestizos”

developeddeveloped Mixed Indian & EuropeanMixed Indian & European

► Spanish missions establishedSpanish missions established► ““Encomienda” system ….Indian Encomienda” system ….Indian

slaveryslavery

Other Spanish ExplorersOther Spanish Explorers►BalboaBalboa – discovers

Pacific, 1513►Ponce de LeonPonce de Leon – Florida

(“Feast of Flowers”)►CoronadoCoronado – AZ & NM,

Grand Canyon, buffalo►Hernando de Soto –Hernando de Soto – MS

River valley►PizzaroPizzaro – destroys Incas►CortesCortes – destroys Aztecs

HOW?

By end of the 16th century, Spain ready to colonize.

Ferdinand Magellan – first to circumnavigate the globe

Spanish Empire Grew SwiftlySpanish Empire Grew Swiftly ►Out of need to protect

against French, English encroachment

►Also to convert more Indian souls to Christianity

►Established St. Augustine, 1565►Oldest European settlement in U.S.►A move to block French ambitions in N. America and protect sea lanes to the Caribbean.

The Spanish in the The Spanish in the SouthwestSouthwest

►NEW MEXICONEW MEXICO►Brutal abuse of Indians►Roman Catholic missions

Missionaries suppressed Indian cultural practices

►Pueblo Revolt, 1680 Pope, leader Rebels destroyed all

Catholic churches in NM, killed hundreds of priests & Spanish settlers; drove out rest

Took more than 50 yrs. for SP to reclaim NM

► In TX by 1716 and establishing missions San Antonio

►CA not focused on until 1760s – why not?

Missions from San Diego to north ofSan Francisco

Father Junipera Serra

“Mission Indians”

THE BLACK THE BLACK LEGENDLEGEND

► Spanish conquerors Spanish conquerors tortured and tortured and butchered Indiansbutchered Indians

► Stole GoldStole Gold► Infected Indians with Infected Indians with

smallpoxsmallpox► Left behind miseryLeft behind misery►On the other hand….On the other hand….

Were empire Were empire buildersbuilders

Cultural innovatorsCultural innovators Merged their Merged their

culture with the culture with the IndiansIndians

► The French, English and Dutch are soon on their way to the New World to compete with Spain.

► How do their patterns of colonization differ? Location? Time period? Motives? Religion? Land ownership?