Period 1 Reading Guide - Key Concepts and Historical Evidence

Key Concept 1.1: Native Societies and Environmental Adaptation

• Native populations migrated across North America and adapted, leading to distinct societies.

• Examples of adaptation:

  • Innovations in agriculture, resource use, and social structures.

• Historical Cultures (1491 - 1607):

  • Mayan, Incan, Aztec Empires: Highly organized, extensive trade, scientific calendars, stable food supply.

  • Mayans and Aztecs cultivated corn.

  • Incas focused on potatoes.

  • North American Cultures: Smaller, less complex than Mesoamerican societies with semi-permanent settlements.

  • Men hunted and made tools; women gathered or farmed corn, beans, and tobacco.

  • Languages: 20 language families with approximately 400 distinct languages.

Regional Settlements

• Southwest:

  • Hohokam, Anasazi, Pueblos (Current New Mexico and Arizona):

  • Farming supported by irrigation; lived in caves and multistoried buildings.

  • Faced drought and conflicts weakening populations.

• Northwest:

  • Settlers lived in longhouses; diet consisted mainly of hunting, fishing, and gathering.

  • Created totem poles for storytelling and cultural significance.

  • Isolation due to mountain ranges limited interactions between tribes.

• Great Plains:

  • People were either nomadic or sedentary; reliance on buffalo for food, tools, and clothing.

  • Built tepees for mobility; tribes reorganized as conditions changed with trade introduced by horses.

• Midwest Settlements:

  • Rich in resources; Adena-Hopewell culture known for earthen mounds.

  • Cahokia: Largest settlement near present-day St. Louis, Illinois.

• Northeast Settlements:

  • Iroquois Confederation: Political organization of five tribes in Mohawk Valley, significant from the 16th century to the American Revolution.

• Atlantic Seaboard:

  • Settlements built by descendants of Woodland mound builders with homes near rivers providing food.

Key Concept 1.2: The Columbian Exchange

• Contact among Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans led to major cultural exchanges and shifts.

• European Expansion (1491 - 1607):

  • Advances in technology unlocked transatlantic exploration (gunpowder, compass improvements, better shipbuilding).

  • The Protestant Reformation instigated religious conflicts with power struggles among European nations.

Demographic, Economic, and Social Changes due to the Columbian Exchange

• Exchanges:

  • Europeans gained crops (beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes) but also diseases (syphilis).

  • The introduction of livestock and disease (e.g., smallpox) devastated Native populations.

• Division of Land:

  • Disputes among Portugal and Spain resolved by the Pope’s Line of Demarcation (Treaty of Tordesillas).

• Spanish Conquest:

  • Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizzaro conquered Aztecs and Incas, boosting Spain’s wealth significantly via gold/silver exports.

  • Encomienda system enacted for labor exploitation.

• French and Dutch Claims:

  • Early French settlements established by Samuel de Champlain; Dutch economy-driven policies led to territorial claims in the Hudson River area.

Divergent Worldviews

• Europeans and Native Americans had different views on religion, land, and social structures.

European Policies:

• Spanish Treatment of Natives:

  • Suffered from forced labor leading to high mortality rates.

  • Bartolomé de Las Casas advocated for native rights, resulting in New Laws of 1542.

• English Treatment of Natives:

  • Initially involved coexistence but later land appropriation disrupted native societies.

• French Approach:

  • Viewed natives as allies; engaged in trade without heavy military interventions.

  • Established trading posts in regions rich in resources.

European Exploration Causes and Effects

• Social:

  • Religious and cultural motives led to discrimination and enslavement of Natives.

  • Enacted New Laws of 1542 to cease slavery; social hierarchies arose.

• Political:

  • European powers pursued expansion leading to Native displacement and the spread of diseases.

  • Treaties like the Treaty of Tordesillas established territorial claims, drastically reshuffling power dynamics.

• Economic:

  • Nations sought economic gain from New World resources, resulting in colonial exploits.

  • Spanish wealth surged, prompting European rivals to explore further, leading to increased competition and settlement.