(371) APUSH Unit 1 REVIEW (Period 1: 1491-1607)—Everything You NEED to Know

Overview of Unit 1: AP US History

• Focus on pre-European societies in the Americas and their transformation post-European contact.

• Emphasis on the diversity and complexity of Native American cultures.

Native American Societies Before European Arrival

• Diversity of Cultures

  • Native Americans were not a monolithic group; cultures varied widely based on geography and environment.

  • Coastal tribes built fishing villages, while others were nomadic hunter-gatherers or lived in large cities with complex societies.

• Pueblo People (Utah and Colorado)

  • Settled agriculturalists who farmed crops like beans, squash, and maize.

  • Established advanced irrigation systems and built urban centers with clay bricks and cliff dwellings.

• Great Basin and Great Plains Peoples

  • Nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles; examples include the Ute people.

  • Organized into small kinship bands without permanent structures.

• Northwest and Pacific Coast Peoples

  • Permanent settlements due to abundant resources; example: Chumash in California.

  • Engaged in regional trade networks and built large villages.

  • Chinook built extensive plank houses for communal living.

• Iroquois People (Northeast)

  • Agricultural communities living in longhouses made from timber.

  • Known for their complex political structures and trade.

• Mississippi River Valley Communities

  • Rich agricultural regions; notable civilization: Cahokia with a large population and centralized governance.

• Summary

  • Native Americans developed distinct and complex societies shaped by their environments, using expansive trade networks.

European Arrival in the Americas

• European Changes (1300s-1400s)

  • Rise of centralized kingdoms and growing upper class seeking luxury goods.

  • Muslims controlled land-based trade routes, prompting exploration for sea-based trade.

• Portuguese Maritime Advances

  • Established trading posts in Africa and gained a foothold in the Indian Ocean.

  • Utilized updated technology such as astronomical charts, astrolabes, and new ship designs (lateen sails, stern post rudders).

• Spanish Exploration

  • Post-reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain sought to spread Christianity and gain wealth.

  • Christopher Columbus sponsored by Spanish monarchs, leading to the 1492 arrival in the Caribbean.

• Impact of Columbus's Voyage

  • Columbus's landing initiated widespread European interest and competition in the Americas.

  • Set the stage for the Columbian Exchange - transfer of goods, people, and diseases between hemispheres.

The Columbian Exchange

• Transfer of Goods

  • From the Americas: potatoes, tomatoes, maize.

  • From Europe: wheat, rice, soybeans, cattle, pigs, horses.

• Impact of Disease

  • Smallpox decimated Native American populations due to lack of immunity; significant demographic shifts.

Economic Transformations in Europe

• Shift from feudalism to capitalism spurred by wealth from the Americas.

  • Emergence of joint-stock companies for funding exploration: shared risk and profit among investors.

Spanish Colonization and Social Structures

• Encomienda System

  • Forced native labor on plantations for agriculture and resource extraction.

  • Led to challenges regarding native subservience and high mortality rates from disease.

• Casta System

  • Social hierarchy based on racial ancestry:

    • Peninsulares ( Spaniards born in Spain).

    • Criollos (Spaniards born in the Americas).

    • Castas (Mixed ancestry).

    • Native Americans and Africans at the bottom.

Justification of Exploitation

• European Beliefs

  • Many Europeans held views that dehumanized Native Americans, justifying exploitation.

  • Notable figures like Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda argued against Native American rights, while Bartolomé de las Casas defended them.

  • Misinterpretation of Biblical texts to justify slavery of Africans based on racial beliefs.

Conclusion

• Important to understand the complexities of Native American cultures and the damaging effects of European colonization and exploitation.

• Acknowledge the significant societal transformations that stemmed from early interactions between different cultures.