Note: All notes for APUSH is from
The American Pageant, 12th Edition Textbook
Chapter 1 New World Beginnings
Peopling the Americas
- Ice Age 35,000 years ago
- Transformed sea into ice glaciers
- TF sea levels dropped, exposing a land bridge connecting Eurasia with North America.
- These small bands of nomadic Asian hunters gradually crossed that bridge, likely to have been following herds of game.
- Over 250 centuries, (25,000 years), they continued to trek across the Bering isthmus, peopling the American continents.
- End of Ice Age 10,000 years ago
- The sea levels rose, inundating the land bridge
- TF migration was terminated and the nomads were “isolated”
- HV the end of the ice age also cleared valleys of ice and allowed the migrants to eventually reach the far tip of South America.
- By 1942
- When the first Europeans arrived in America, around 54 million inhabited the Americas.
- The population is very controversial.
- The Peoples
- Incas in Peru and Mayans in Central America and Aztecs in Mexico shaped sophisticated civilizations.
- Agricultural practices based much on cultivation of maize
- Maize was Indian corn, which fed large populations.
- Well-developed commerce w/o wheels and animals incl. horses, ox.
- Aztecs developed human sacrifices
The Earliest Americans
- Sophistication of Native Civilization
- Agriculture, esp. corn, one a large scale.
- 7000 years ago civilization in Mexico changed wild grass to staple crop of corn.
- Makes complex, large scale centralized Aztec and Incan nation-states emerge.
- Pueblo peoples in Rio Grande Valley, by the time of contact in 16th century had:
- Had irrigation systems to water cornfields
- Multistoried buildings
- HV corn cultivation did not develop as fast through other tribes.
- There were no large populations comparable to Aztec Empire that existed in N America by European’s arrival.
- TF easily subdued Native Americans.
- Other civilizations had developed with corn planting and had risen to populations of near 25,000.
- HV due to possible prolonged drought, ancient cultures had fallen into decline at about 1300.
- Advanced Corn Planting
- Cultivation of maize in addition to beans and squash reached east coast of modern day America in A.D. 1000
- Allowed to be grown concurrently while aiding other plants’ growth.
- TF had high populations rise from this rich diet
- Includes the Creek, Choctaw and Cherokee peoples.
- The Iroquois
- Lived in NE woodlands
- Inspired by Hiawatha, legendary leader in 16th century.
- Created the closest N American nation-states compared to Mexico’s Aztecs and Peru’s Incas
- Iroquois Confederacy organized politically to sustain a military
- Military went against enemies of other tribes and Europeans.
- Occurred for over a century
- Native Americans in General
- Some in impermanent, scattered settlements
- Some in more permanent settlements
- Women tended crops
- Men hunted, fished, and cleared fields for planting.
- TF developed matrilineal cultures where power and possessions passed down female side of family line.
- Did not affect nature as much as Europeans
o Were few in number
o Worshiped the spiritual world and nature.
o Occasional forest fires used to create hunting habitats for deer.
Indirect Discoverers of the New World
- Early explorers
- Norse seafarers from Scandinavia chanced upon NE America in 1000.
- TF founded present-day Newfoundland; had named it Vinland then.
- HV no support from strong nation-states and weak settlements
- TF discovery soon abandoned/forgotten except in song.
- The Christian Crusaders
- 11th – 14th century
- Christians attempted to seize Holy Land from Muslim control.
- TF entered Asia, “discovering” silk for clothing, drugs for medicine, perfumes, draperies, and spices.
- A Hungry Europe
- Trade with the East
- Had to travel long distances from Spice Islands, India, China
- Via ship or Silk Road.
- Long, treacherous route from East to Eastern Mediterranean ports.
- Muslim middlemen charged heavy tolls.
- TF prices of goods from the East are high price when they reached Italian merchants in Venice/Genoa.
- TF Europeans wanted to find faster/easier route to East or find alternate sources of supply.
- Marco Polo
- An Italian traveler
- Returned to Europe in 1295
- Began spreading tales of his journey in China
- With evidence suggesting the contrary.
- TF stimulated Europeans to search for cheaper route to riches of China.
- Advanced technology
- Before 15th century
- Europeans refused to explore south of southwest Africa
- Could not sail home w/ north winds and south-flowing currents.
- HV soon in about 1450
- Developed a caravel
- Invented by the Portuguese
- Could sail closer into the wind
- HV could use westward winds to sail NW from African coast toward the Azores.
- Azores are a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic
- TF natural barrier of the Sahara overcome
- Europeans can now explore the Sub-Saharan Africa
· Increase import of African gold
o About 2/3s of European supply
o Previously on camelback.
· Explore the mysterious West African kingdom of Mali and Timbuktu
- TF the Portuguese had quickly set up trading posts along African shore for gold and slave trade.
- The slave trade
- Arab flesh merchants and Africans have traded slaves long before Europeans.
· Higher prices for distant sources b/c could not run away
· Separated tribe members to prevent organized escape.
- TF Portuguese adopted this Arab/African practice.
· Built slave trade
o To work sugar plantations in African islands that belonged to Portugal, and later Spain.
o 40,000 Africans carried to sugar islands in late 1500s
o Was a catalyst to regional African cultures in addition to Arab/African trade before Europeans.
- Continued Portuguese Exploration
- Bartholomeu Dias, Portuguese
- Searched southwards for a water route to Asia
- Managed to reach southern route of Africa in 1488.
- Vasco da Gama
- Rounded the whole of Africa and reached India 10 years later
· Gave name “Indies” to all islands of Asia/the Orient
- Returned w/ small amt of jewels, spices enough to spur growing European appetite for Asian riches
- The Spanish
- In MW had united
- Previously had a disunited Spain from conflicts b/w Islam and Christianity
- Henry IV died in 1474, setting fight for throne of Castile
- Isabella I of Castile getting to the throne was supported by Kingdom of Aragon
- Soon Isabella I and Ferdinand II of Aragon married
- TF created the Kingdom of Spain.
- In addition with the expulsion of Muslim moors as Isabella/Ferdinand were Catholic.
- MW Portuguese controlled Africa in south and east
- TF also controlled water route to India
- TF Spanish accepted Columbus and looked westward.
Columbus Comes Upon a New World
- Immediate Causes
- Europeans fought for easier routes to riches in the East
- Africa est. as source of cheap slave labor for plantation agriculture
- Long-range sea routes now accomplishable via Portuguese inventions
- Spain est. as united national state
- Renaissance created optimism and thirst for adventure
- AR of having too much wealth from rich merchants benefiting from trade w/ East
- Printing presses had spread knowledge faster
- Introduced in 1450.
- Compass helped w/ sea navigation
- Possibly from trade w/ Arabs
- The trip granted by Spain
- Given 3 tiny but capable ships
- Troubles bought by the crew
- Was a diverse group
- Superstitious due to traveling towards the unknown west
- TF grew rebellious
- After 6 weeks, on October 12, 1492, Columbus discovered Bahamas
- TF unleashed convulsion of Europe, Africa, the Americas
- Had set a stage for an flatter global stage in terms of economy
- Slaves from Africa, raw materials from New World, Old World provided technology and the markets.
When Worlds Collide
- What the New World brought
o Native New World Plants
§ Tobacco, maize, beans, tomatoes and potato to Europe
· Would eventually become 3/5 of the crops cultivated in world today
· Potato heavily impacted European diet
§ Crops to Africa
· Resulted in a growth of population though it was to keep the numbers growing for slave trade.
o Gold, silver introduced
- What the Old Word brought
o Old World crops
§ Wheat, sugar, rice and coffee
o Columbus returned to New World’s present day Haiti and Dominican Republic
§ Unloaded 1200 men and horses, cows pigs
· Horses had soon reached across much of North American mainland and Mexico, soon to Canada
· N American tribes adapted horse into hunting culture
o Incl. Sioux, Apaches, and Blackfoot tribes.
§ Sugar seeds brought flourished in Carribean climate.
· TF sugar added into European diets
· TF more Africans sent to work sugar plantations and mills in New World
§ Diseases
· Bought seeds of various plants and flowers
· HV also bought smallpox, yellow fever and malaria germs.
o Major factor in devastating Native Americans.
o Within centuries, more than 90% of natives fell due to new diseases
§ Many never met a European.
· Indians had however bought syphilis to Europeans.
The Spanish Conquistadors
- Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)
- Secured Spain’s claim of Columbus’ discovery
- Divided Americas b/w Spain and Portugal
§ Portugal received territory in Asia and Africa and east South America.
- The Conquistadors (conquerors) in N America
- Vasco Balboa
§ Discovered the Pacific Ocean after reaching and crossing Panama
§ Accomplished 1513
- Ferdinand Magellan
§ One of his ships circumnavigated the world starting 1519 to 1522.
- Juan Ponce de Leon 1513 -1521
§ Reached Florida seeking gold
§ Killed by natives, but nevertheless navigated Florida
- Francisco Coronado
§ In quest of the mythical golden cities
§ Managed to find pueblos (special Native American houses)
§ Explored much of middle America and went as far east as Kansas
§ Found the Grand Canyon and Colorado River
· Along w/ river discovered bison (large herds of buffalo)
- Hernando de Soto
§ Another one who seeked gold 1539-1542.
§ From Florida and went westward to Mississippi River.
§ Had died from fever from conflict w/ Native Americans.
- The Conquistadors in S America
- Francisco Pizarro
§ Responsible for defeating Incas of Peru 1532
· TF added huge amount of riches towards home.
- Silver
§ A huge source in present-day Bolivia and Mexico.
§ Set off a price revolution of silver in 1600-1700s.
· May have fed the growth of capitalism
§ Filled up in vaults of bankers in European nations
· A material for coin currency
· TF stimulated commerce and manufacturing
§ Was a valuable asset to Asian traders whom previously had little interest in European goods.
- Use of the “West Indies” or islands of Carribean Sea
§ Name again a result of Columbus’s errors
§ Used as offshore bases by the Spanish before invading mainland.
§ Used weakly organized native communities on islands
· As laboratories for testing techniques that would later be used on the many advanced natives of Mexico and Peru
- Encomienda
§ The alias was that it allowed government to “give” Indians to certain colonists in return for the colonists’ attempt to Christianize them.
· HV was but a slavery.
Conquest of Mexico
- Hernan Cortez invades the Aztecs and gives way to Spanish Rule
§ 1519 Cortez traveled from Cuba to Mexico.
§ Was able to rescue a Spanish castaway enslaved by Mayan Native Americans and a Native American slave Malinche.
· Malinche knew both Mayan and Nahuatl
- Nahuatl = the language of Aztecs.
- Eventually learned Spanish
· Enabled effective communication w/ Aztecs
§ Cortez had also superior firepower
§ MW Aztecs were dealing with unrest among people under tribute.
· Cortez had also heard of Aztec’s riches, TF approached the kingdom.
· Had burned down the ships to quell rebellious troops and not allow for retreat.
§ Montezuma believed Cortez to be a god
· Due to legends of the Aztec and the entrance of riding on the mysterious “deer”.
§ Conflict arises
· Aztecs treated the Spanish hospitably at first
· HV due to greedy intake of gold and power, Aztecs soon attacked and drove the Spanish down into a retreat.
- On noche triste (sad night) of June 30, 1520
§ Fall of the Aztec Empire
· TF Cortez, through superior fire power, destroyed the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan on August 13, 1521.
· MW smallpox epidemic spread throughout Mexico.
§ Changes made for the Spanish
· Temples of Tenochtitlan destroyed for Christian cathedrals.
· Native population dwindled immediately from 20 – 2 mil.
§ What the invaders bought
· Crops, animals, language, laws, customs, and religion.
- Were adapted by the natives of Mexico.
· Cortez intermarried w/ surviving Indians
- TF created special culture of mestizos
§ Those of mixed Native American/Euro heritage
· TF there was contradictions yet pride among the new race of people.
The Spread of Spanish America
- Developing Spanish states
- Centered around silver-producing states in Mexico and Peru
§ Had subjugated (brought under control) many native Americans
§ Cathedrals, printing presses, and distinguished universities built.
- “Threats” to Spanish colonialism
- Included English John Cabot
§ Sent to explore NE coast of N America in 1497 and 1498.
- French King sent Giovanni da Verrazano to explore east coast of N America in 1524
- French Jacques Cartier journeyed up St. Lawrence River (NE PD America)
- TF northern settlements fortified
§ To protect claim of the lands in Americas and spread Christianity among natives.
§ TF buildings such as St. Augustine in Florida, 1565 built.
· Blocked French ambitions and protected sea routes to Carribean.
§ Coronado’s 1540s exploration to Rio Grande/Colorado River were a motivation for others to continue upwards.
§ French sent Robert de La Salle down Mississippi in 1680s.
· TF Spanish began in 1716 to settle in Texas.
· HV presence in NE Spanish-Mexican Empire remained weak for another century +.
- Don Juan de Onate led group across Sonora Desert (northern Mexico) and into Rio Grande Valley in 1598.
§ Abused the natives, esp. in Battle of Acoma 1599. (one foot cut off)
§ AR claimed province of New Mexico in 1609, w/ capital at Sante Fe a year later.
- Spanish in New Mexico
§ Little gold, but a lot of natives for conversion into Christianity.
§ Roman Catholic missions became center of efforts to convert
· HV in retaliation to suppression of native religions there was the Pope’s Rebellion in 1680.
- Destroyed every Catholic church in region, killed priests and hundreds of settlers
- Had built a kiva, a ceremonial religious chamber in Santa Fe.
· Approx 50 years later Spanish was able to reclaim New Mexico from natives.
- Spanish in California
§ Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo explored California in 1542
· HV no interesting finds
· AR California free from Europeans for around 200 years.
§ HV Spanish missionaries led by Father Serra in 1769
· Determined to Christianize 300,000 natives of California
· Indians adapted some of European culture and Christianity.
· HV lost native religion, and lost lives due to diseases.
- The Black Legend
§ The false concept that Spanish Conquistadors only tortured/killed natives “for Christ”, stole gold, infected them w/ small pox and left them.
· The false part is the “only”
§ As they had also est. large empire and integrated/spread religion into native culture.
· The Spanish est. were larger and richer than Anglo-Saxons (NW European tribes)
· Had also intermarried w/ many natives and integrated two cultures rather than isolating/shunning native culture like the English would soon do.
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