European European DiscoveryDiscoveryand the and the

Conquest of Conquest of AmericaAmerica

Native CultureNative Culture

Ancient land bridge and migration over centuriesAncient land bridge and migration over centuriesAt time of Eur. Discovery -> perhaps 54 At time of Eur. Discovery -> perhaps 54

million?; 2000 distinct languages? Thousands of million?; 2000 distinct languages? Thousands of peoples or nations? peoples or nations?

think “Europe”think “Europe”

Differences and tensions between Indian groupsDifferences and tensions between Indian groupsJust like today, variations in culturesJust like today, variations in cultures

Some aggressive, others quite passiveSome aggressive, others quite passiveFew alliances Few alliances Geography determines culture (truism) Geography determines culture (truism)

European Motivation and Ability to ExploreEuropean Motivation and Ability to Explore

A pent up desire from feudalismA pent up desire from feudalismClosed system opened through merchant classClosed system opened through merchant classCrusaders bring back eastern goods to EuropeCrusaders bring back eastern goods to EuropeMarco Polo et. al. changed the world for EuropeMarco Polo et. al. changed the world for EuropeEastern goods opened up the societyEastern goods opened up the society

Exploration would be “market-driven”Exploration would be “market-driven”

Desire fueled innovations in sea scienceDesire fueled innovations in sea scienceThe moveable sail (caravel from Arabia)The moveable sail (caravel from Arabia)The Astrolabe (a rough measurement of latitude)The Astrolabe (a rough measurement of latitude)The Sextant (more accurate lat. measurement)The Sextant (more accurate lat. measurement)

Spain and Portugal out early in this effortSpain and Portugal out early in this effortSpain wanted to trade and dominateSpain wanted to trade and dominate

Shorter, safer, cheaper route to AsiaShorter, safer, cheaper route to AsiaPortugal led in navigation Portugal led in navigation technologiestechnologies

Prince Henry the NavigatorPrince Henry the NavigatorSchool for sea captainsSchool for sea captains

Bartholomeo Diaz travels to bottom of AfricaBartholomeo Diaz travels to bottom of AfricaVasco de Gamma makes it to India and backVasco de Gamma makes it to India and back

Cristoforo Colombo looked for shortest routeCristoforo Colombo looked for shortest routeGoes WEST to head EASTGoes WEST to head EAST

Trade Routes with the EastTrade Routes with the East

ColumbusColumbus Searching for a shorter routeSearching for a shorter route He convinced the new King and Queen of He convinced the new King and Queen of

Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, to sponsor Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, to sponsor the voyagethe voyage

He was He was notnot trying to prove that the earth trying to prove that the earth was round (most learned people knew this was round (most learned people knew this already)already)

Rather, he was attempting to show that Rather, he was attempting to show that the westward voyage was not a suicide the westward voyage was not a suicide mission because the earth was really mission because the earth was really smaller than most people believedsmaller than most people believed

Columbus’s view of the worldColumbus’s view of the world

The accurate view of the worldThe accurate view of the world

The Columbian ExchangeThe Columbian Exchange

Worlds collideWorlds collide Old World diseases devastated New World Old World diseases devastated New World

nativesnatives– New World had lost Old World diseases and New World had lost Old World diseases and

natives had lost antibodies to fight these natives had lost antibodies to fight these diseasesdiseases

– Deadliest killer of natives was disease not Deadliest killer of natives was disease not actions of conquering Europeans (although actions of conquering Europeans (although enslavement and armed attacks did kill many)enslavement and armed attacks did kill many)

– 90% of the Indians in Americas in 1492 died in 90% of the Indians in Americas in 1492 died in the centuries after Columbusthe centuries after Columbus Demographic catastrophe without parallel in human Demographic catastrophe without parallel in human

historyhistory Most of the dead had never laid eyes on Europeans Most of the dead had never laid eyes on Europeans

because one Indian who met European traders could because one Indian who met European traders could infect the rest of the tribeinfect the rest of the tribe

SmallpoxSmallpox

Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494

Spanish EffortsSpanish Efforts

Cultural ExploitationCultural ExploitationBringing Christianity and Spanish culture to Bringing Christianity and Spanish culture to

“savages”“savages”Behind the warriors were the priestsBehind the warriors were the priests

Warriors = Cortez, Pizzaro, Coronado Warriors = Cortez, Pizzaro, Coronado Priests = JesuitsPriests = Jesuits

Unimaginable wealthUnimaginable wealthSilver and goldSilver and goldNew warehouse ships (galleons) designedNew warehouse ships (galleons) designed

Ferdinand Magellan, 1519-1522Ferdinand Magellan, 1519-1522

Juan Ponce De LeonJuan Ponce De Leon

Francisco Francisco VVáásquez de squez de CoronadoCoronado

Hernando de SotoHernando de Soto

Incan and Aztec Empires, ca. 1500Incan and Aztec Empires, ca. 1500

Francisco PizarroFrancisco Pizarro

The Conquest of Aztec MexicoThe Conquest of Aztec Mexico 1519 – Hernán Cortés sailed from Cuba to 1519 – Hernán Cortés sailed from Cuba to

Mexico to conquer AztecsMexico to conquer Aztecs– 16 fresh horses and several hundred men16 fresh horses and several hundred men

On Yucatán PeninsulaOn Yucatán Peninsula– Rescued a Spanish castaway who had been Rescued a Spanish castaway who had been

enslaved by Mayans (and understood Mayan) enslaved by Mayans (and understood Mayan) and a female Indian slave who knew both and a female Indian slave who knew both Mayan and Nahuatl (language of the Aztec Mayan and Nahuatl (language of the Aztec empire)empire)

– Cortés now had advantage of superior Cortés now had advantage of superior firepower and ability to understand speech of firepower and ability to understand speech of the Indians he was about to conquerthe Indians he was about to conquer

Cortez ExplorationsCortez Explorations

Meeting of Cortez and MontezumaMeeting of Cortez and Montezuma

TenochtitlTenochtitláánn

Conquest of TenochtitlConquest of Tenochtitláánn

Conquest of MexicoConquest of Mexico 1521 – smallpox epidemic; Aztecs 1521 – smallpox epidemic; Aztecs

surrendersurrender Temples destroyed; Catholic cathedrals Temples destroyed; Catholic cathedrals

erectederected Mexico City built over the ruins of Mexico City built over the ruins of

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan Spanish and native cultures intermarry, Spanish and native cultures intermarry,

mixmix New culture of “mestizos”New culture of “mestizos” Mexican culture retains a mix of Old and Mexican culture retains a mix of Old and

New WorldsNew Worlds

Spanish & Spanish & Portuguese Portuguese

empires, empires, 16101610

Principal voyages of discoveryPrincipal voyages of discovery

Spain’s North American frontierSpain’s North American frontier

Pueblo IndiansPueblo Indians

““Black Legend”Black Legend” Spanish misdeeds led to rise of “Black Spanish misdeeds led to rise of “Black

Legend”Legend”– False idea that Spanish tortured and butchered False idea that Spanish tortured and butchered

the Indians (“killing for Christ”), stole their gold, the Indians (“killing for Christ”), stole their gold, infected them with smallpox, and left only infected them with smallpox, and left only misery behindmisery behind

– Legend popularized by anti-Catholic Protestants Legend popularized by anti-Catholic Protestants in Europein Europe

– Spanish did kill, enslave, infect countless Spanish did kill, enslave, infect countless natives, but this was not a systematic slaughter natives, but this was not a systematic slaughter (like the Holocaust)(like the Holocaust)

– Spain also brought some benefits to natives Spain also brought some benefits to natives such as technology, law, culture, religionsuch as technology, law, culture, religion

– Natives brought some benefits to Spanish, Natives brought some benefits to Spanish, including the fact that the Spanish intermarried including the fact that the Spanish intermarried with natives and fused native cultures into their with natives and fused native cultures into their ownown

““The Black Legend”The Black Legend”