Unit 2 #2
European Colonization and Anglo Culture Hearths
Introduction to European Colonization
European colonization refers to the process through which European nations established control over territories in the Americas and elsewhere, primarily from the 15th to the 19th centuries.
Reasons for European Colonization
Religious and Political Motivations:
Desire for religious freedom and the spread of Christianity.
Political rivalry among European powers.
Alternative Routes to the East:
European nations sought new routes to Asia for trade, particularly for spices and luxury goods.
Economic Desires of Feudal Leaders:
Feudal lords pursued wealth and power, leading to colonial adventures as a means of achieving financial stability.
Definition of Colonialism
Colonialism: The practice of taking over the human and natural resources of often distant places to produce wealth for mother countries. This involves significant commercial exploitation of new lands and peoples.
The Doctrine of the First Effective Settlement
Cultural Geographer: Wilbur Zelinsky defined this doctrine.
Concept: When a new society is established, the cultural characteristics of the initial settlement group can have a significant and often disproportionate influence on the future development of that society, regardless of later immigration patterns.
Example: The characteristics of Dutch settlers continue to shape the area of New York, originally known as New Amsterdam.
The Columbian Exchange
Definition: The transfer of plants, animals, microbes, and people between the Old and New Worlds following Columbus's voyages.
Transfers include:
From the Americas to Europe and Africa: maize (corn), potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, peanuts, squashes, pumpkins, tomatoes, chili peppers, avocados, pineapples, cocoa, and tobacco.
From Europe, Africa, and Asia to the Americas: wheat, sugar, rice, grapes (for wine), pigs, goats, cattle, sheep, and chickens.
Diseases transferred: Smallpox, measles, and typhus.
Atlantic Slave Trade
Definition: A forced migration primarily from Africa to the Americas, beginning in 1492 with high demand for labor on plantations.
Timeframe: The trade peaked in the 1700s, continuing until 1810.
Estimated Enslaved Africans: Approximately 12 to 15 million, with actual numbers being difficult to determine.
Characteristics of the trade:
Enslaved Africans were treated as commodities for labor exploitation.
Significant male bias in the trade disrupted family formation.
Laws and customs linked status with race, establishing a racial hierarchy.
Resulted in long-lasting impacts on American society and politics.
Major European Colonial Powers
Spanish Colonization
Characteristics:
Large settlements with a presence of the Spanish language, architecture, and Catholic religion.
Control over local populations via missions (religious conquest) and presidios (military control).
Economic activities included sugar plantations, gold mining, and cattle ranching.
Geopolitical Decisions:
The annexation of Texas in 1845, the Mexican Cession in 1848, and the Gadsden Purchase of 1853.
French Colonization
Geographic Areas:
Settlements along the Saint Lawrence River, Newfoundland, Acadia (Nova Scotia), Great Lakes region, and parts of the Mississippi River.
Economic Focus:
Fishing, fur trading, and agricultural settlements with resource exploitation.
Land System:
Long lots: Ribbon-like land divisions running perpendicular to the river.
Dutch Colonization
Location:
New Amsterdam, present-day Manhattan, New York.
Economic Success:
Successful in fur and coastal trades but struggled in agricultural development due to labor shortages and feudal systems.
British Colonization
Distinctions:
Entered late; made North America a priority.
Resulted in a less homogenous society compared to Spanish or French settlements.
Distinct Areas of Settlement:
13 distinct colonies required adaptations to unique American environments, including agriculture, landscape changes, and cultural values.
Anglo Culture Hearths
Definition of Culture Hearth
Culture Hearth: A nuclear area where distinct cultural traits develop and diffuse.
Chesapeake Bay Culture Hearth
Location: Tidewater areas of Maryland and Virginia.
Economic Activity:
Tobacco cultivation adopted from Native Americans, accounting for 80% of colonial exports to England by the end of the 17th century.
Social structure exhibited hierarchical wealth dynamics, relying on slave labor.
New England (Yankee) Culture Hearth
Location: Northwestern corner of the US.
Characteristics:
Predominantly British population, especially pilgrims and Puritans from 1620 onward.
Center of leadership was Boston; cultural homogeneity predominated.
Midland (Middle Colonies) Culture Hearth
Location: Pennsylvania subregion to New York.
Characteristics:
Established by William Penn; Philadelphia emerged as a major port city.
Ethnic and industrial diversity reflective of a polyglot society.
Cultural Landscape and Material Culture
Definitions
Cultural Landscape: The visible human imprint on the land.
Material Culture: The physical objects produced and utilized by a cultural group.
Vernacular Architecture: Architecture that is unique to a particular area, focused on domestic and functional needs.
Examples of Vernacular Architecture
Acadian house.
Italian American traditional oven.
Pennsylvania Dutch folk art hex sign.
Twin barn in Frenchville, Maine.
Cultural Concepts
Cultural Selectivity: Traits selected for inclusion in new societies.
Cultural Borrowing: Adoption of traits from other cultural groups (e.g., log cabins introduced by Swedes and Finns).
Cultural Simplification: The process of losing certain traits when relocating.
Immigration and Settlement from 1790 to 1930
Waves of Immigration
First Major Wave (1821-1880):
Predominantly Northern and Western Europeans; push and pull factors, including political unrest and job opportunities.
Chain Migration: Family reunification process driving immigration patterns toward specific destinations.
Second Wave (1881-1921): The Great Deluge
Over 23 million immigrants; characterized by industrialization conditions attracting unskilled labor.
Urban areas became primary destinations for work.
Immigration Restrictions
Legislation:
The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), Gentlemen's Agreement (1907), and Contract Labor Law (1885).
Quota Acts of 1921 and 1924 established racial and national immigration quotas targeting Southern and Eastern Europeans while favoring Northern and Western Europeans.
Impacts of Restrictions:
Significant reduction in immigrant diversity and labor supply; changes in demographic trends; effects on low-skilled worker wages.
Westward Expansion
Manifest Destiny:
Belief justifying the inevitable expansion across the continent through various political and military means.
Settlement Patterns in the Midwest:
Land division through township and range systems and agricultural production patterns.
Infrastructure Development:
The rise of railroads and urban centers (e.g., Chicago) transforming commercial landscapes.
The Great Migration (1916-1940)
Approximately 1.6 million African Americans migrated to northern cities, escaping Jim Crow laws and seeking industrial employment in the face of restrictive immigration legislation.
European Colonization and Anglo Culture Hearths
Introduction to European Colonization
European nations established control over territories worldwide, primarily from the 15th-19th centuries.
Reasons for European Colonization
Religious/Political: Desire for religious freedom, spread of Christianity, and political rivalry among European powers.
Alternative Routes to the East: Sought new routes to Asia for trade (spices, luxury goods).
Economic Desires: Feudal lords pursued wealth and power through colonial ventures.
Definition of Colonialism
Colonialism: The practice of exploiting distant human and natural resources to create wealth for mother countries.
The Doctrine of the First Effective Settlement
Cultural Geographer: Wilbur Zelinsky.
Concept: Initial settlers' cultural characteristics disproportionately influence a new society's development, regardless of later immigration.
Example: Dutch settlers' culture still shapes New York (originally New Amsterdam).
The Columbian Exchange
Definition: Transfer of plants, animals, microbes, and people between the Old and New Worlds post-Columbus.
From Americas: Maize, potatoes, beans, peanuts, squashes, tomatoes, chili peppers, avocados, pineapples, cocoa, tobacco.
To Americas: Wheat, sugar, rice, grapes, pigs, goats, cattle, sheep, chickens.
Diseases: Smallpox, measles, typhus.
Atlantic Slave Trade
Definition: Forced migration from Africa to the Americas (1492-1810), driven by high plantation labor demand.
P eaked in: The 1700s.
Estimated Enslaved: 12-15 million Africans.
Characteristics: Treated as commodities; significant male bias; laws linked status to race; resulted in lasting societal impacts.
Major European Colonial Powers
Spanish Colonization
Characteristics: Large settlements, Spanish language, architecture, Catholic religion. Control via missions (religious) and presidios (military).
Economic Activities: Sugar plantations, gold mining, cattle ranching.
Geopolitical Decisions: Annexation of Texas (1845), Mexican Cession (1848), Gadsden Purchase (1853).
French Colonization
Geographic Areas: Saint Lawrence River, Newfoundland, Acadia, Great Lakes, parts of Mississippi River.
Economic Focus: Fishing, fur trading, agricultural resource exploitation.
Land System: Long lots (ribbon-like land divisions perpendicular to rivers).
Dutch Colonization
Location: New Amsterdam (Manhattan, New York).
Economic Success: Proficient in fur and coastal trades but struggled with agriculture due to labor shortages.
British Colonization
Distinctions: Entered late, North America priority, less homogenous society than Spanish/French.
Settlement Areas: 13 distinct colonies adapted to unique American environments (agriculture, landscape, cultural values).
Anglo Culture Hearths
Definition of Culture Hearth
Culture Hearth: A core area where distinct cultural traits originate and spread.
Chesapeake Bay Culture Hearth
Location: Tidewater areas of Maryland and Virginia.
Economic Activity: Tobacco cultivation (80% of colonial exports by late 17th century), relied on slave labor.
Social Structure: Hierarchical wealth dynamics.
New England (Yankee) Culture Hearth
Location: Northwestern US.
Characteristics: Predominantly British population (Pilgrims, Puritans from 1620), Boston as leadership center, cultural homogeneity.
Midland (Middle Colonies) Culture Hearth
Location: Pennsylvania subregion to New York.
Characteristics: Established by William Penn; Philadelphia a major port; ethnic and industrial diversity (polyglot society).
Cultural Landscape and Material Culture
Definitions
Cultural Landscape: Visible human imprint on the land.
Material Culture: Physical objects produced/utilized by a cultural group.
Vernacular Architecture: Unique architecture (domestic/functional) to a particular area.
Examples of Vernacular Architecture
Acadian house, Italian American traditional oven, Pennsylvania Dutch folk art hex sign, Twin barn in Frenchville, Maine.
Cultural Concepts
Cultural Selectivity: Traits chosen for new societies.
Cultural Borrowing: Adopting traits from other groups (e.g., log cabins from Swedes/Finns).
Cultural Simplification: Losing traits during relocation.
Immigration and Settlement from 1790 to 1930
Waves of Immigration
First Major Wave (1821-1880): Northern/Western Europeans, driven by push/pull factors (political unrest, job opportunities).
Chain Migration: Family reunification guided immigration.
Second Wave (1881-1921): The Great Deluge: Over 23 million immigrants, industrialization attracted unskilled labor to urban areas.
Immigration Restrictions
Legislation: Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), Gentlemen's Agreement (1907), Contract Labor Law (1885).
Quota Acts (1921, 1924): Established racial/national quotas, favoring Northern/Western Europeans over Southern/Eastern Europeans.
Impacts: Reduced immigrant diversity, labor supply, changed demographics, affected low-skilled worker wages.
Westward Expansion
Manifest Destiny: Belief justifying expansion across the continent via political/military means.
Settlement Patterns: Land division (township/range systems) and agricultural production in the Midwest.
Infrastructure: Rise of railroads and urban centers (e.g., Chicago) transformed commercial landscapes.
The Great Migration (1916-1940)
Approximately 1.6 million African Americans migrated to northern cities, escaping Jim Crow laws and seeking industrial employment amidst restrictive immigration.