Unit 2 – When Cultures Collide

Unit 2 – When Cultures Collide

Mayan ruins

Incan ruins Machu Picchu

Arriving at Jamestown

French furtraders

Spanish Explorers

The Aztecs

Migration of people from Central Asia dates back 13 to 16,000 years ago, during the last great ice age. At that time, the Bering Strait was a

land bridge connecting North America and Asia. The migration of people from the East across this land bridge in search of food, began the

slow development of the Western Hemisphere.

North America

Over a period of thousands of years, North and South America

became inhabited with people of the Earth. Although there were many

great civilizations and empires, this marking period we focused on the Mayan, Aztec and Incan Empires.

The empires had their share of differences but shared many things in common. The most notable was their strong belief in religion which required

human sacrifice.

The first empire of

note was the Mayan

Civilization. It was located in present day Guatemala and

Mexico.

The Mayan Civilization was not only the FIRST empire, but it lasted the

longest from 250 – 900 CE.

The Mayan form of writing was known as hieroglyphics.

This is a form of graphic writing, using signs and symbols instead

of letters, as we do.

An important contribution from the Mayan

Civilization was the concept of zero, by giving it a place value when used

in math .

THE MAYAS ALSO

STUDIED THE STARS AND PLANETS.

They were extremely

accurate with their

observations of the planets, sun and moon.

This skill helped them create two

types of calendars.

On the bottom right is a daily calendar. The calendar above is

for holidays, ceremonies and religious rites.

The AztecEmpire

The Aztec Civilization began in the Valley of Mexico.

They settled on an island in Lake Texcoco, in 1325. It took time to

develop, but lasted through the early

1500s.

The Aztec people were able to change a swampy lake into a

great city, which was called Tenochtitlan. This was its capital

city.

The Aztecs, just as the Mayans did, built pyramids and used their own style of hieroglyphics.

The Incas - People of the Sun!

Peru

Ecuador

Columbia

Bolivia

CHILE

South AmericaDescendants of the Incans can be

found today along the west coast of South America in:

Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and

Columbia.

The Incan empire came to an end by way of the Spanish,

which is similar to the Aztec’s demise.

The Incan government was

able to take census and collect taxes

because of the large scale

road system that they built.

A Census is an official count of all people living in an area. Quipu was a knotted string used by the Incas as a method of keeping records

_____

3,643

Another great achievement of the Incas was a series of canals and pipes known as aqueducts. They would bring water

to dry land.

MEANWHILE IN EUROPE

When Europeans heard of Marco Eeast. Columbus began the journeys by traveling west, not realizing that two continents and two oceans would stop him and his crew.

ArabiaSahara Dessert

China

India

Eastern Europe

Pacific Ocean

Marco Polo’s Journey

Although others made it to the Western Hemisphere first,

Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492. He traveled across the Atlantic, hoping to find

a shorter route to East Indies and Asia.

The Age of Explorers 1492 – 1630This was a time of exploration and discovery. Columbus, Hudson,

Magellan, Balboa and countless other explorers left their homelands in Europe to find shorter trade routes, at first. There is evidence that Leif

Erikson and other Vikings reached North America around 1000 A.D.

Henry Hudson sailing up the Hudson River, of all places

Balboa reaches the calm Pacific shores

Christopher Columbus

Spain and Portugal took the lead in exploration, sending conquistadors across the ocean in search of riches for their home country. In time England, France and the

Netherlands would join the exploration.Our review will begin with the

Spanish conquistadors.

Conquistadors would search the New World for riches and claim the land for Spain. They were merciless and deceptive in their treatment of the Native Americans,

killing and enslaving as they conquered.

Cortez was a conquistador. When he arrived in Mexico, he found many of the

local tribes were willing to assist him overtake Moctezuma and the Aztec

people.

By 1521, the Aztecs were defeated by Cortez!

Although Cortez and his Spanish army had many less soldiers, approximately 500 compared to the

hundreds of thousands of the Aztec empire,

The Spanish had horses, armor, guns, swords to use in battle. They also had allies in the Aztec’s enemies to increase their troops, but just as important (to be continued!)

The Spanish had something more powerful. Unexpectedly, they

brought disease to America, which the Native Americans had never experienced and had no immunity

against, especially small pox.

Meanwhile in western South America, the Incas were minding their own business.

When who should stop by, but Francisco Pizarro, another

Spanish conquistador who’ll stop at nothing

for riches like gold.

This doesn’t bode well for the Incan Empire.

Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who sailed to

South America, in 1531.

By 1535, Pizarro had conquered most of the Incan empire, which

included the capitol of Cuzco.

It only took 15 years for the Spanish to defeat 2 powerful empires in the Western Hemisphere. The Spanish had powerful weapons, and they brought disease to America, which the Native Americans had never

experienced.

The world got a little closer and shared its wealth as a result of the age of exploration. It was known as the Columbian Exchange. Up to that time, Europe

was without tomato, corn (maize) and cacao bean (the source of chocolate). The new world got grapes, bananas and horses to name just a few items.

Canada Europe

America

Caribbean Africa Islands South America

The Spanish were not alone in the exploration of the New World. Holland,

France and England joined the exploration.

Religious Freedom

Political Oppression

Indentured Servant

Escape PovertyEnglish settlers came to America for

a variety of reasons – mostly to escape problems they faced in England

In short, they wanted tostart a new life!

The first permanent English settlement was Jamestown, Virginia.

-had its own government-had the support of England

For instance, Roanoke was earlier but did not have any survivors when supply ships returned from England.

Jamestown was considered a success because it:

-was the first settlement to survive beyond settlement and continue as a colony

French settlers were interested in

fur trade.

Unlike the Spanish, French explorers treated Native

Americans fairly. They knew the natives were essential to survival in the New World.

- Review -The French treated the natives fairly.The Spanish were cruel and betrayed their trust and enslaved those not killed.

B. They both tried to convert the Native Americans

A. They both needed Native Americans to survive.

Similarities of French and Spanish treatment of Native Americans:

C. They both brought diseases to the Native Americans

Map Skills Application

Las Vegas, located in southwest USA is located between which two lines of latitude? Answer: What are 30 and 40 degrees north latitude?

Answer: What are 70 and 80 degrees west longitude?Albany, located in northeast USA is located between which two lines of longitude?

_?_degrees north latitude goes through central New Jersey. 40 degrees north latitude

1524 Giovanni da Verrazano

returns to France claiming a New

World for France.

1492 Columbus lands in

Caribbean for Spain

1519 Cortez ends Aztec

Empire.

1438 Pachacuti becomes

ruler of the Incas

1513 Vasco de Balboa

reaches the Pacific Ocean.

1440 Johannes Gutenberg

invents printing press.

1497 – 1498 Vasco da Gama sailed from

Portugal to India

Time Line Review

Which came first – Columbus’s arrival in the New World or Balboa reaching the Pacific ?

Answer: Columbus arrived first in 1492, but even without a time line, we should know that Columbus began the modern European exploration of the New World.

How many years after DaGama arrived in India did the Aztec Empire End?

Answer: What is 21 years?

List in order the following people/events from first to fourth: Cortez, Pachacuti, Balboa and Verrazano.

Answer: Pachacuti, Balboa, Cortez and Verrazano.

When Europe expanded into the Americas, an exchange of animals and plants got under way. It was widespread and included diseases as well. The Western Hemisphere (the New World) received animals like the pig, chicken, horse and cow, and grains like wheat, rice and oats. A morning favorite coffee and sugar also came from the east to the New World. The development of corn, potatoes, beans Cocoa made their way from the Western Hemisphere to Europe, Africa and Asia, along with turkeys and silver. This was known as the “Columbian Exchange,” and it benefited both hemispheres.

After reading the passage above and using the graphic

to the right as a guide, answer the sample question

on paper at home. Remember to use the RASC

model when writing your response.

Sample Question: Do you think one hemisphere benefitted more from the Columbian Exchange than the other

Sample Question: Do you think one hemisphere benefitted more from the Columbian Exchange than the other? RASC = Restate the question, Answer the question, Support your answer, Conclusion Restate (example): One hemisphere benefitted from the Columbian Exchange. Answer: I think that the Western Hemisphere benefitted more from the Columbian Exchange. (The choice of Western Hemisphere is only used as an example – it does not mean it is the correct answer. The student makes it correct by supporting it with facts.) Support: This is where the student uses information from the graphic and passage to show an understanding why Western Hemisphere or why Europe and Africa were chosen. Conclude: It is for these reasons I believe the Western hemisphere benefitted more from the Columbian Exchange.