Period 1

Period 1: 1491-1607

Learning Objectives

  • 1.1 Context for European encounters in the Americas (1491-1607).

  • 1.2 Native populations’ interactions with the natural environment prior to European contact.

  • 1.3 Causes of exploration and conquest of the New World by various European nations.

  • 1.4 Causes and effects of the Columbian Exchange post-1492.

  • 1.5 Impact of Spanish Empire growth on social and economic structures over time.

  • 1.6 Changes in European and Native American perspectives of each other.

  • 1.7 Effects of transatlantic voyages development (1491-1607).

Cultural Diversity and Exploration Motives

Cultural Diversity in the Americas

  • Varied native cultures based on geography and climate, resulting in unique societies.

  • Native adaptations included irrigation systems, forest burning, and cave living.

European Motives for Exploration

  • Competition for land among European powers.

  • Initial exploration by Spain and Portugal, followed by France, the Dutch, and England.

  • Goals: God, Gold, and Glory; establishing water routes, leading to fur posts and plantations.

  • Transatlantic Exchange: Trade of animals, plants, people, and diseases.

    • Improved European diets with crops like potatoes and maize.

    • Enslaved Africans were brought to replace dying native labor.

Cultures of Central & South America

Major Civilizations

  • The Maya (300CE-800CE) - Rainforest cities in Yucatan Peninsula.

  • The Aztecs (c. 1428) - Central Mexico, capital Tenochtitlan, highly populated.

  • The Incas (c. 1438) - Peru, vast empire in Western South America.

Cultures of North America

Population and Linguistic Diversity

  • Pre-contact estimates range from 1-10 million.

  • Diverse tribes with over 20 language families; major families include Algonquian, Siouan, and Athabaskan.

Settlement Patterns

  • Southwest Settlements: Hohokam, Anasazi, Pueblos; maize cultivation; downfall due to drought.

  • Northwest Settlements: Pacific coast; rich diet from hunting and gathering; totem poles.

  • Great Basin/Plains: Nomadic lifestyles; buffalo hunting; teepee dwellings.

  • Mississippi River Valley: Permanent settlements; Adena-Hopewell and Cahokia cultures.

  • Northeast Settlements: Iroquois Confederation; longhouses; agriculture affecting land usage.

  • Atlantic Seaboard: Cherokee and Lumbee; thriving around rivers.

Exploration Motivations and Developments

Technological Advancements

  • Innovations during the Renaissance: gunpowder, sailing compass, improved shipbuilding, and printing press.

  • Religious motives driven by Catholic and Protestant interests.

Dividing the Americas

  • Treaty of Tordesillas: Spain and Portugal's areas of control; growth of sugar plantations and slavery.

  • Early European explorations from England and France faced delays and conflicts.

Columbus and the Columbian Exchange

  • Columbus's voyages initiated significant cultural interactions.

  • Increased trade of goods, people, and technologies, resulting in diseases that decimated populations.

Rise of Capitalism

  • Transition from feudalism to capitalism; emergence of joint-stock companies.

  • Growth in trade relations among Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Labor and Slavery in the Spanish Colonies

Labor Sources

  • Indian Labor: Native incorporation into Spanish Empire; Encomienda system for tribute.

  • Enslaved African Labor: Developed a model for plantation economies, slavery replaced dying native workforce.

Treatment of Native Americans

  • Viewed as inferior; exploitation and forced conversion; narrative perspectives shifted over time.

  • Spanish Policy: Led by Bartolome de Las Casas; New Laws aimed to reduce indigenous exploitation.

  • French Policy: Less threat; economic relationships formed via fur trading.

  • English Policy: Intermarriage rare; coexistence initially but later conflict with natives.

Conclusion

  • This period set the stage for profound changes in social structure, economy, and cultural exchanges that shaped the future of both Europe and the Americas.