apush unit 1

Contextualizing Period One

• Meeting of three peoples: American Indians, Europeans, and West Africans

• Emergence of a new world through interactions among these groups in North America

• Major transformations from late 1400s to early 1600s, leading to new settlements and colonies

Native American Societies Before European Contact

• Diverse social, political, and economic structures among Native American peoples before European arrival

• Development influenced by environmental interaction and migration across North America

• Adaptation to environments led to varying cultural patterns

The Southwest Peoples

• Cultivation of maize from present-day Mexico spread through the Southwest

• Reliance on agriculture established stable communities

Peoples of the Great Plains

• Characterized by mobility due to resource scarcity in arid conditions

• Pre-horse culture involved hunting buffalo on foot (e.g., Sioux, Blackfoot, Cheyenne)

• Post-European contact, horses transformed their lifestyle

• Sedentary agrarian communities developed along the Mississippi River

Iroquois Society

• Lived in permanent villages along the Atlantic Seaboard

• Agriculture (corn, beans, squash) formed the basis of their economy

• Matrilineal society with inheritance through the mother

• The Iroquois League emerged as a powerful force in the Northeast before European contact

Northwest and California Peoples

• Economic diversity and social stratification, particularly among the Chinook

• Chinook practiced hunting, foraging, and fishing in settled communities with complex hierarchies

• Pueblos in the Southwest, characterized by adobe homes, relied heavily on maize cultivation

• Environmental challenges (climate change, drought) led to conflicts and migrations

European Exploration in America

• Background of European exploration characterized by conquest and settlement from the late 1400s to the 1500s

• Motivation driven by wealth, competition for power, and religious conversion

• The aftermath of the Crusades, the Black Death, and the Renaissance spurred exploration

Impact on Europe and the Americas

• The Columbian Exchange introduced new products, leading to transformations in economies and cultures

• Precious metals fueled European economies and initiated a transition from feudalism to capitalism

Spanish Exploration and Settlements

• Early explorers included Columbus and Vasco da Gama with varying impacts on the Americas

• Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 divided New World territories between Spain and Portugal

• The establishment of Spanish settlements (e.g., St. Augustine, Florida)

The Columbian Exchange

• Exchange of crops, livestock, and diseases between the new and old worlds

• Europeans introduced crops and livestock (e.g., turkeys, potatoes) to improve diets in Europe

• Diseases (e.g., smallpox) decimated Native populations (50-90% mortality rate 1500-1650)

• Social and economic consequences of colonization include exploitation and forced labor systems

Labor, Slavery, and the Caste System

• Encomienda system exploited Native labor for agriculture and precious metals extraction

• Over time, African slave labor replaced Native American labor

• Castas system in Spanish America created a hierarchical society based on race and ancestry

  • Spaniards, Creoles (born in the New World), Mestizos (Spanish and Indigenous), Mulattos (Spanish and African)

Cultural Interactions and Conflicts

• Divergent world views regarding religion, land ownership, and wealth led to misunderstandings

• Efforts to assert cultural dominance often led to resistance and adaptations among Native Americans and Africans

• Debates arose around the treatment of Native Americans, notably between Bartolome de las Casas and Juan Gines de Sepulveda

Racism and the 'Black Legend'

• The portrayal of the Spanish conquests was often skewed by anti-Spanish propaganda (Black Legend)

• Historians caution analyzing sources critically, considering motives behind narratives

Chronology of Significant Events

• 1492: Columbus sails to the New World; beginning of colonization

• 1498: Vasco De Gama sails to India

• 1517: Protestant Reformation initiated by Martin Luther

• 1521: Hernan Cortes defeats the Mexica (Aztecs)

• 1532: Francisco Pizarro defeats the Incas

• 1542: Bartolome de las Casas critiques Spaniards' treatment of Native Americans

• 1549: Repartimiento reforms replace the encomienda system

• 1587: Lost English colony of Roanoke founded

• 1588: The Spanish Armada defeated by the English

• 1597: Juanillo’s revolt in Florida

• 1598: Acoma Pueblo Massacre in Mexico

Important Topics

• Contextualizing period one: Native American societies, European exploration, Colombian Exchange, labor systems, slavery, caste systems, cultural interactions between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans (1491-1607).