What was North American society like before colonization?
first human populations migrated from Siberia 12-40 thousand years ago
agriculture began about 9000 years ago in present-day Mexico and then it gradually spread
by 15th century, 50-60 million people (north and south america)
* huge diversity of culture and life ways (spoke hundred of languages)
* deeply interconnected
complex world already in motion
much hunting and gathering
* relied on corn
How and why did European colonization first begin?
politically and culturally fragmented
* many different cultures and different political sides that divided people
christianity and catholic church were the only real unifiers
* brought groups together with common religion
peasant majority
increasingly powerful elite minorities in port cities:
* merchants, soldiers, clergy, political class