Age of Exploration…or Age of Invasion? Pre-Columbian Societies, Transatlantic Encounters and Colonial Beginnings 1492-1690
Jan 19, 2018
Age of Exploration…or
Age of Invasion?Pre-Columbian Societies,
Transatlantic Encounters and Colonial Beginnings
1492-1690
In the beginning…
Beringia: mankind’s gateway to America
Small Diomede islands are all that remain above sea level today
Early inhabitants of the Americas
►Who were the earliest Americans?►What/who do you know?►Pre-conceived notions?►Civilized societies? (GREEL)
Early inhabitants of the Americas
►Civilizations in Central/South/Northa) MIA’s (Mayans, Incas, Aztecs)b) Mound Builders (MS Valley)-Cahokiac) Great Plains-nomadic (Sioux, Pawnee)d) NE-Iroquois (League of the Iroquois)e) SW-Pueblo (intricate irrigation,
stone/mud buildings)►1490s pop. in the Americas=50-75
million;1492 U.S/Canada=10 million
Mayans: Yucatan rainforests Incas: Peru
Aztecs: central MexicoCapital: Tenochtitlan
Mayans: A.D. 300 & 800
Centuries later: I&A
•Extensive trade•Calendars•Extensive size
Cortes/Aztecs►Tenochtitlan-over 200,000 inhabitants
when Cortes invades►Makes Montezuma II his puppet►Took Aztec gold, forced Indians to
provide labor to mine more►Disgruntled Aztecs stoned Montezuma
to death and attacked Cortes►Smallpox infected Aztecs and led to
their demise; leaders were hung by Cortes, per his orders
Cahokia/mound builders Pueblo
Sioux/nomadic Plains Iroquois/longhouses
Etowah-local site
Etowah-cont.
Indirect Discoveries►Norse (Vikings)
985: Eric the Red, Greenland1000 AD: son, Leif Ericsson, Newfoundland; probably first European to reach N.A.
►Norwegian legends say Leif was followed by another expedition that stayed in Newfoundland for 3 years until being driven out by Natives. The colonists didn’t return and for the next 4 ¾ centuries, there was no known contact between Europeans and North Americans, until the late 1400s-1500s when a series of voyages took place.
►Why was this accomplished in the late 15th century and not before?
Moves toward exploration►Renaissance: intellectual, artistic,
scientific, creativity, technological change, attitudes, religious zeal/conflict (1350-1600, height late 1400s, early 1500s)
►Technological growthgunpowder (Chinese)sailing compass (Chinese)improvements in shipbuilding, mapmakingprinting press-1450, Johannes Gutenberg
Reasons To Sail► Political power► Urbanization► Economic (competition for trade: Africa, India,
China), greed, NW Passage?► Religious zeal (Catholic vs. Protestant) (Protestant
Reformation, Calvinism-1500s vs. Catholic Spain)► Curiosity► Advances in technology and knowledge
► BUT…Expensive, dangerous and time consuming
Early ExplorationsColumbus’ Legacy
►Seeking sea route to the Indies►Desiring success: enrich family, gain
honor/fame, convert people to Catholicism, trade spices and herbs (food, medicine), rivalry with Portugal (better route)
►1492-Isabella and Ferdinand (Spain)► Landed October 12-San Salvador in the
Bahamas►Brought gifts, including “Indians” back►3 subsequent trips►Died believing he found a western route to
Asia
Columbus
Columbus
Columbus’ Legacy►Positives vs. Negatives?
► Negatives:failure-didn’t find a new route, found a “New World”erroneously named “Indians”land discovered not even named after him, but rather another Italian, Amerigo Vespucciexchanges-germs/diseases
► Positives:skills as a navigatordaring/commitmentpermanent interaction between Europeans and Native Americansexchanges: new era of trade (Columbian Exchange)
Columbian Exchange
Americas to E,A,A: syphillis; from E,A,A: wheel, guns
Spanish Successes►Owed power in the New World to
explorers and conquistadores (conquerors)-see h.o.
►Secured initial supremacy►Gold supply up 500%; richest and
most powerful nation in Europe=competition
►1565-first city in present day U.S.-St. Augustine-had over 100 shops and homes, a fort, church, fish market, etc.
St. Augustine
Juan Ponce De Leon
Spanish Successes►Used religion as an instrument of
control►Catholic missions taught Christianity to
Indians
San Francisco Missions
Spanish Successes►The spread of the horse in America►“horses changed everything”
French Successes► 1st to pose a threat to the Spanish►Canada/Great Lakes region►Quebec► Fur trapping
And the English…to come