U1:Early Contact with the New World (1491-1607)

European Powers

The main countries competing for resources and trade routes during early exploration were England, Spain, Portugal, and France.

Columbus's Voyage (1492)

Christopher Columbus was seeking a westward route to Asia but ended up discovering the Bahamas.

Consequences of Columbus's Voyage

The revelation of the 'New World' spurred a wave of exploration by European powers.

Conquistadors

Spanish explorers and soldiers, such as Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortés, who sought gold and silver through force.

Aztec and Inca Empires

Powerful civilizations in Mexico and Peru that were conquered by Spanish conquistadors, leading to wealth for Spain and devastation for natives.

Advanced weaponry and diseases

Factors that led to significant loss of life among Native populations during the Spanish conquests.

The Columbian Exchange

The widespread exchange of plants, animals, ideas, and diseases between the Old World and the New World.

New World exports

Key products that were introduced from the Americas to Europe include potatoes, corn, beans, and tobacco.

Old World imports

Key products that were brought from Europe to the Americas include wheat, rice, sugarcane, and various livestock.

Joint-Stock Companies

Early businesses created by English and Dutch investors to fund colonies and search for wealth.

Roanoke

The first English colony that mysteriously vanished.

Jamestown (1607)

The first permanent English colony in the Americas, established primarily for tobacco production.

Encomienda System

A Spanish labor system that forced Native Americans into labor for mining and agriculture.

Caste Systems

Social hierarchies based on lineage and ethnicity, prevalent during colonization.

Shift to African Slavery

The transition from using Native Americans as laborers to enslaving Africans due to the failure of the Encomienda system.

Spanish Missionaries

Individuals like de las Casas and Sepulveda who sought to convert Native Americans to Catholicism, sometimes through violent means.

Religious Justification

The use of religious beliefs to rationalize the exploitation of both Native Americans and Africans.

Causes of European Exploration

Motivations for exploration included the desire for God, Gold, and Glory, as well as curiosity.

The Black Legend

A term describing the harsh treatment and exploitation of Native populations by the Spanish.

Key Timeline of Exploration

Significant dates include 1492 for Columbus's voyage, 1587 for Roanoke's founding, and 1607 for Jamestown's establishment.