Hi! This review guide will be centered around APUSH’s first unit, based off on the material in the AMSCO AP book, AP classroom, individual notes, etc. I code my guides using the following system:

red = important information

blue = relevant vocabulary

underline = keep in mind

bold = the beginning of a new point of conversation

Happy studying!! You can do anything if you put your mind to it 🌟

Beginning Notes:

The first people to arrive to the Americas arrived about 10,000 years ago, dating a presence of human life in these lands pre-Columbus. They had already established civilized societies and practices of living. When Columbus arrived, the impact of the voyage would transcend decades, and would bury the history existing before the encounter, which we will dive into from here on out.

Contextualizing

Why were European countries voyaging anyways?

• Because of the recent tax spikes empires between Asia and Europe would impose on traded goods, those in Europe were looking for a way to save their pockets and avoid those added taxations. Finding a new route to Asia (particularly India and China) was the ideal manner around this conflict. Spain and Portugal led the way, and Spain would send off the voyager Christopher Columbus to voyage towards a new route to India. Of course, we now know that events ended up playing out in another manner…

Factors to Consider

• Technological Advancements: a spike of advancements and inspiration occurred within European society during the Renaissance, and this included great technological advancements. Said advancements would be a key factor in supporting the voyage, most notably, the adoption of the usage of the compass, along with growth in other areas of maritime technology, such as advanced shipbuilding and mapmaking, would be imperative to the ability to conduct such a voyage and achieve (somewhat) success. Other advancements such as the print press also existed, but that would be more so in relation to the spread of news of the encounter, and post-encounter, to European civilians, rather than a direct impact on Columbus and his voyage.

• Religious Conflict: after the Renaissance where a surge of innovation and inspiration for classical study resulted in a period of growth (as listed above), ‘intense religious zeal and conflict,’ would occur, by the once western European ruling Roman Catholic Church, and the new and upcoming religion of Islam, led by Ottoman Turks. Conflicts between Catholicism and Islam would not cease, as a group of West African Islamics named Moors, would invade Spain in the 8th century, and claim most of the land that is now modern day Spain. A back and forth for the land existed for years, and essentially, Spanish Christians would get back their original land. What is relevant to Columbus’ voyage though is the capture of the final Moorish stronghold, Granada, by then Lady Isabella and her King Ferdinand. The capture of Granada occurred in tandem with the events of sailing off Columbus (Isabella and Ferdinand funded the voyage) and would inspire a deal of hope, power, and religious strength within the country. This would motivate the country and Columbus himself to what awaited him, hoping to spread Christianity wherever the wind took him (not India!). Familiar sounding, right? Because this would be a justification towards the actions taken against Native Americans post-encounter.

Post Encounter

Native American Societies: were divided into the central/south america, north america, each with their own subdivisions of native populations. To prefice, Native American socieities were developed in their own manner. These societies valued interaction with the nature surrounding them and the community aorund them as well. They took great respect for the outdoors, animals, etc, and it was woven into their everyday living (ex: houses built out of pure wood, clothes made out of boar’s skin).

• Central and South America: was composed of three main empires, the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas

  • Mayas: existed between 300AD-800AD, in the rainforests of the Yucatan Peninsula in Southern Mexico.

  • Aztecs: formed several centuries after the decline of the Mayas, in central Mexico, developed a powerful and populous nation, with the main capital of Tenochtitlan housing around 20k people, the equivalent of the largest cities in Europe back then

  • Incas: formed in Peru, existed during the same time period as the Aztecs, vast empire throughout South America

    • What connected these three distinct societies were their social organization, extensive trading activities, creation of scientifically accurate calendars, and their cultivation of an adequate supply of crops to keep their nations going (corn/maize for Mayas and Aztecs, potatoes for Incas).

• North America: was divided into many subcategories of populations based on region, we will cover some of them, those to note.

  → North American native populations were said to be at a level of development that did not reach that of the populations within central and south America, due to factors such as the slow growth of crops such as Maize up North, and natural barriers that prevented Native societies from interacting with one another through trade, or with environments outside of their settlements. Native settlements seldom exceed 300 people.

  • Southwest Settlements were known for their evolved ‘multifaceted’ societies driven by farming and irrigation systems. People had fixed lifestyles.

  • Northwest Settlements housed a lifestyle of permanency, where people permanently lived in longhouses, with lifestyles and diets supported by hunting, fishing, and gathering. They experienced natural barriers and thus had barriers to development.

  • Midwest Settlements were permanent settlements supported by hunting and agriculture, prospering with food supply

  • Great Plains Settlements were composed of nomadic hunters or sedentary people who farmed and/or traded. These settlements were in touch with the nature around the, using mostly Buffalo skin for their clothes, decor, etc. Actively traded.

  • Northeast Settlements were people of hunting and farming.

European Exploration in the Americas

→ This quote from the AMSCO book encapsulates European Exploration very well, “They (Europeans) used their power to search for riches abroad and to spread the influence of their version of Christianity to new overseas dominions,” (7).

Native Peoples

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