Native American Culture
Contact: Europeans and Amerindians
Overview –Big Ideas
By 1600, Europeans had created the world’s first truly global economy.
The "age of discovery" resulted in a major human catastrophe: 90% of Amerindians died by 1600; tens of millions of Africans were enslaved.
Cultural differences between Europeans and Amerindians were so immense that major conflicts occurred.
Relations between Europeans and Amerindians varied between empires.
Native Americans/Amerindians
Population: Perhaps 100 million by 1500 CE.
Arrival: Arrived as early as 33,000 BCE via the Bering Land Bridge (Beringia) which is the most likely route taken by early Amerindians.
Most developed civilizations: Located in Mesoamerica and South America, including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas.
North American natives: Less developed than those in Mesoamerica and South America.
Semi-sedentary societies.
Some agriculture, mainly by women.
Most societies were matrilineal and matrilocal.
No individual land ownership.
Extensive trade networks.
The Three Sisters: Maize (corn), beans, and squash.
Exceptions:
Pueblo.
Moundbuilders & Mississippians.
Southeast: Creeks, Choctaw, Cherokee.
Iroquois Confederacy – Five Nations.
Religious Differences
Christian view vs. Indian view.
Differences in war between Native Americans and Europeans, including ritual human sacrifice.
European Explorers of the “New World”
Non-Europeans also explored.
First Europeans in North America: Vikings c.1000 A.D., led by Leif Erickson.
Motives for exploration in the 15th & 16th centuries:
Emerging nation-states sought power.
New technology.
Economic growth.
Competition between Catholics and Protestants.
Renaissance: atmosphere of rebirth, optimism & exploration.
Portugal: Leader in exploration; introduced slavery in the New World (Brazil).
Spanish Exploration and Conquest:
Christopher Columbus: significance.
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494):
Provisions: Colonial demarcation lines between Castile/Spain and Portugal.
Significance.
Spanish Conquistadors:
Hernan Cortés: conquered the Aztecs.
Francisco Pizarro: conquered the Incas.
“Black Legend”.
St. Augustine (1565): Oldest European settlement in modern-day U.S.
New France
Samuel de Champlain: Quebec, 1608 – “Father of New France”.
French explorers expanded into the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys.
England’s Search for Empire
Motives:
Eventual peace with Spain gave England overseas opportunities without harassment.
Population growth.
Unemployment, farm land, adventure, new markets, political and religious freedom, social change.
Joint-stock companies provided the economic means.
Competition with Spain:
1588 - Defeat of Spanish Armada.
Roanoke, 1585: failed colony.
Contact Theme #2
Relations between Native Americans and the three European Empires in North America (Spain, France, and England) varied significantly.
Contact with Europeans was generally disastrous for native peoples in both the short and long terms.
Results of Contact
For Amerindians:
Catastrophic loss of life: 90% by 1600.
European impact on Amerindian culture: horses, cattle, swine, firearms.
For Europeans:
Global empires.
Commercial revolution.
Revolution in diet.
Native American plants taken to Europe: American persimmon, Beans, Bell & hot pepper, Blueberry, Cranberry, Maize (corn), Manioc, Papaya, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Squash, Sweet potato, Tobacco, Tomato, White potato, Wild rice.
Old World Plants Brought to America: Apple, Beet, Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapefruit, Lemon, Peach, Plum, Olive, Sugarcane.
Relations between Europeans and Amerindians
France in New France (later, Canada):
Most effective in their relations with Amerindians.
The French became great gift givers.
Beaver trade led to French exploration of much of North America and contact with Amerindians:
Coureurs de bois.
Voyageurs.
Jesuit missionaries came to New France.
French diplomacy with Amerindians:
Friends with Algonquins and Hurons.
Enemy of Iroquois Confederacy.
Impact of French (and British) on Eastern Woodlands Indians: decimation by disease, gun warfare, and alcoholism, revitalization movement.
Spain and the Pueblo Indians in the Southwest:
New Mexico established in 1598.
Santa Fe.
Encomienda system.
Mission System: Forcible conversion to Christianity:
Franciscan friars.
Tucson, 1701.
Texas, 1716.
California: Father Junipero Serra.
Intermarriage: mestizos.
Pope’s Rebellion (Pueblo Revolt), 1680:
Causes: Spanish suppression of native religious practices and forced labor.
Results: The Pueblo Indians temporarily drove the Spanish out of New Mexico.
Religious toleration resulted in Albuquerque.
Horses and sheep introduced.
90% of Pueblos died between 1550-1680.
English colonial relations with Amerindians: removal or extermination:
Pilgrims in Plymouth Bay had good relations with Wampanoags:
Squanto.
Thanksgiving, 1621.
Puritans in Massachusetts Bay:
Failure of “praying towns”.
Pequot War, 1630s: Alliance of English and Indians destroyed Pequots.
New England Confederation, 1643: Collective security alliance against Amerindians.
King Philip’s War, 1670s:
Metacom defeated by New England Confederation.
Represented end of Amerindian influence in New England.
Quakers in Pennsylvania: Pacifist views resulted in positive relations with Amerindians.
Chesapeake:
John Smith, Jamestown.
Powhatan aid to English settlers.
Marriage between Pocahontas and John Rolfe.
Virginia colony took land for tobacco.
Anglo-Powhatan Wars (1610-1646).
Carolinas:
Tuscaroras defeated in 1711 and fled to New York to become sixth member of the Iroquois Confederacy.
Yamasee were defeated and many were sold into slavery in the West Indies.
French defeat in French and Indian War meant English settlers would encroach on Amerindian lands west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Summary of Relations between Europeans and Amerindians
Spain:
Encomienda system
Mission system
Pope's Rebellion
Mestizos
France:
Trade
Jesuits
Alliances
Enemy of Iroquois
England:
Removal
Pequot & King Philip's Wars
Anglo-Powhatan Wars