Rise of the Atlantic World pt 1

The Expansion of Spain's Empire

• Overview of Spanish Exploration

  • Spain as a key European nation in exploration and colonization of North America.

  • Previous colonization of the Caribbean and the fall of the Aztec Empire in Mexico.

  • Expansion toward a northern frontier including Texas, Florida, and New Mexico.

  • Exploration efforts driven by the desire for gold and rumored wealth in cities.

Key Explorers

• Juan Ponce de León

• First to reach the mainland of present-day United States in 1513.

• Initially believed Florida to be an island, later confirmed as part of a larger landmass.

• The myth of the Fountain of Youth developed around his legend.

• Cabeza de Vaca

• Shipwrecked in Texas near Galveston in 1528 while on his way to Florida.

• Joined by Esteban, considered the first enslaved African to reach the territory.

• Lived with Native Americans for 8 years, documenting their culture and practices.

Spanish Systems of Control Over Native Americans

• Encomienda System

  • Land grants awarded to wealthy Spaniards, allowing for indigenous labor exploitation.

  • Although not technically slavery, it imposed harsh labor regimes on indigenous people.

  • Linked to forced conversion to Catholicism.

• Mission System

  • Created by the Catholic Church to spread Christianity among Native Americans.

  • Initially rudimentary structures evolved into stone missions; e.g., Mission Concepcion in San Antonio.

  • Cultural assimilation led to loss of indigenous identities as natives converted and changed their appearance and customs.

Social Hierarchy in the Spanish Empire

• Peninsulares

  • Native-born Spaniards at the top of the hierarchy.

• Mestizos

  • Individuals of Spanish and Indigenous ancestry.

  • Rapid population growth through intermarriages, often involving single Spaniards and native women.

• Mulattos

  • Individuals of Spanish and African ancestry.

  • Resulted from relationships between enslaved Africans and Spanish men.

• Ranking Dynamics

  • Below mestizos are indigenous peoples, and at the bottom are enslaved Africans.

The Columbian Exchange

• Overview

  • A 200-300 year period of trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

  • Facilitated cultural exchange of plants, animals, goods, diseases, and human beings.

• Trade Dynamics

  • Manufactured goods (guns, alcohol) sent to Africa; enslaved people transported to Americas.

  • Raw materials (tobacco, sugar) extracted from the Americas to Europe.

• Middle Passage

  • Horrific journey of enslaved Africans transported from Africa to the Americas.

  • Described as traumatic, with around 12.5 million enslaved individuals enduring this route.

  • Notable accounts, such as Olada Equiano's, recount the suffering and conditions aboard slave ships.

French Exploration and Colonization

• French Response to Spanish Wealth

  • France begins funding expeditions to explore North America around 1504.

• Jacques Cartier

  • Sought a Northwest Passage; made expeditions from 1534 to 1542 around present-day Newfoundland and the Saint Lawrence River.

  • Failed to establish a settlement due to resistance from the Iroquois.

• Establishment of New France

  • Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec in 1608; slow growth due to harsh conditions and hesitance among French settlers.

  • Developed fur trade relations with local tribes like Hurons and Algonquians, though faced hostility from the Iroquois.

Rise of Great Britain

• Queen Elizabeth I’s Era

  • England's stability and recognition as a growing power during her reign (1558-1603).

  • Elizabeth strengthened British navy, leading to the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, shifting naval dominance.

• First British Colony Attempts

  • Roanoke established but abandoned by 1590.

  • Mystery surrounds the disappearance of its settlers, believed to have integrated with local tribes.

• Jamestown Settlement

  • First permanent British settlement founded by the Virginia Company in 1607, named after King James I.

  • Jamestown struggled initially with leadership conflicts and lack of resources, leading to a period called the Starving Time (1609-1610).

• Key Figures

  • John Smith instilled discipline; John Rolfe introduced a profitable tobacco crop and married Pocahontas to strengthen ties with local tribes.

Indentured Servitude

• System of Labor

  • Indentured servants were contracted laborers who worked in exchange for land after a determined period (typically 4-7 years).

  • Essential for the growth of the Virginia colony, but experiences were often harsh and dangerous.

• Tobacco Brides

  • Women sent as potential wives to settlers, stabilizing the colony by encouraging family development.

  • Often from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, aimed at boosting the population.

• Headright System

  • Land grants of 50 acres per individual to incentivize immigration and agrarian development.

Pilgrims and Early New England Settlements

• Separatists

  • Pilgrims separated from the Church of England, seen as outsiders.

  • Exiled to Holland prior to stowing away on the Mayflower.

• Mayflower Compact

  • Created legitimacy for settling outside of the Virginia Company's jurisdiction.

  • Not democratic, governed by Pilgrims.

• Survival Influences

  • Relied heavily on the support of Squanto and the Wampanoags for farming lessons and trade.

  • Acknowledgement of mutual benefit yet simultaneous exploitation and disrespect.

Dutch Colonization

• New Netherlands

  • Established by Dutch West India Company, following their independence from Spain in 1648.

  • Henry Hudson's 1609 expedition laid the foundation for New Amsterdam (present-day New York City).

• Patroon System

  • Land granted to wealthy landowners, leading to a feudal-like society.

  • Fur trade initiated with Native Americans, competing against the French and Iroquois for resources and markets.