New World Beginnings

33,000 B.C. - 1769 A.D.33,000 B.C. - 1769 A.D.

The First Discoverers

The Bering Land Bridge The Bering Land Bridge was formed during the Ice was formed during the Ice Age by glacial ice caps Age by glacial ice caps lowering the sea level.lowering the sea level.

Ice Age Migrations

Hunter-gatherers from Hunter-gatherers from Siberia crossed the land Siberia crossed the land bridge following wild game bridge following wild game and settled in the New and settled in the New World.World.

These intrepid travelers These intrepid travelers became the ancestors of the became the ancestors of the Native Americans – in this Native Americans – in this sense they were the true sense they were the true discovers of America.discovers of America.

The Corridor Closes

Around 10,000 B.C. the ice Around 10,000 B.C. the ice caps began to melt and the caps began to melt and the land bridge disappeared land bridge disappeared cutting off the migrations. cutting off the migrations.

The Filling of the New World

By the time of By the time of the European the European contact in 1492 it contact in 1492 it is estimated that is estimated that 72 million people 72 million people inhabited the two inhabited the two continents.continents.

Diversity of Culture

The Native Americans The Native Americans developed a great developed a great diversity of culture diversity of culture with over two thousand with over two thousand separate languages.separate languages.

Civilizations ranged from hunter-Civilizations ranged from hunter-gathers to complex urbanized gathers to complex urbanized agricultural civilizations.agricultural civilizations.

The Native Americans established large, The Native Americans established large, bustling cities, made strikingly accurate bustling cities, made strikingly accurate astronomical observations and had highly astronomical observations and had highly developed systems of mathematics.developed systems of mathematics.

Development of AgricultureDevelopment of Agriculture

The size and The size and sophistication of sophistication of Native American Native American civilizations in civilizations in Mexico and South Mexico and South America can best America can best be attributed to the be attributed to the development of development of agriculture.agriculture.

Agrarian systems were based on the Agrarian systems were based on the “three sisters” planting system of corn “three sisters” planting system of corn (maize), beans and squash – with corn (maize), beans and squash – with corn being the most important staple crop. being the most important staple crop.

Development Patterns Native Native

American American (Indian) (Indian) civilization was civilization was moremore highly highly developed in developed in Central and Central and South America.South America.

By the arrival of By the arrival of the Europeans the Europeans much of North much of North America was America was thinly populated thinly populated with vast areas with vast areas virtually virtually untouched. untouched.

Most Native Most Native Americans in Americans in the North lived the North lived in in small, small, scattered, and scattered, and impermanent impermanent settlements.settlements.

The Iroquois Confederacy One major exception to One major exception to

this in North America this in North America was the Iroquois was the Iroquois Confederacy which was Confederacy which was able to dominate its able to dominate its neighbors through neighbors through military alliances, military alliances, sustained by political sustained by political and organizational and organizational skills.skills.

Vikings Vikings establish establish colonies of colonies of Vinland in Vinland in Nova Scotia - Nova Scotia - c. 1000 A.D. c. 1000 A.D.

Indirect Discoverers

The Scandinavians lacked a The Scandinavians lacked a centralized Nation-State centralized Nation-State and so did not support these and so did not support these settlements.settlements.

The Crusaders The Christian The Christian

crusaders were crusaders were indirectly responsible indirectly responsible for the discovery of for the discovery of America because they America because they brought back news of brought back news of valuable Far Eastern valuable Far Eastern spices, drugs, and silkspices, drugs, and silk

Marco Polo The Venetian The Venetian

trader Marco trader Marco Polo also Polo also brought back brought back stories of the stories of the wealth of the wealth of the orient.orient.

Reasons for ExplorationReasons for Exploration

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

Political unification and Political unification and the rise of absolute the rise of absolute monarchs.monarchs.

NationalismNationalism

Reformation and Counter-Reformation and Counter-ReformationReformation

Italian spice monopoly and Italian spice monopoly and the fall of Constantinople the fall of Constantinople to the Muslims.to the Muslims.

Spanish ReconquistaSpanish Reconquista

Europeans wanted to discover a Europeans wanted to discover a new, shorter route to eastern Asia new, shorter route to eastern Asia in order to in order to break the hold that Muslim break the hold that Muslim

merchants had on trade with Asia, merchants had on trade with Asia, reduce the price of goods from reduce the price of goods from

Asia and Asia and gain more profits for themselvesgain more profits for themselves..

Early Exploration Portugal under Portugal under

Prince Henry the Prince Henry the Navigator Navigator wanted to wanted to establish a trade establish a trade route to the East route to the East around Africa. around Africa.

The Caravel The development The development

of the new sailing of the new sailing ship the Caravel ship the Caravel allowed for closer allowed for closer sailing to the sailing to the wind. wind.

The new technology The new technology allowed the Portuguese to allowed the Portuguese to begin sailing south along begin sailing south along the coast of Africa. the coast of Africa.

Navigational Tools

Cross-staff

Compass

Quadrant

Bartholomew Diaz In 1487, Diaz In 1487, Diaz

rounded the Cape rounded the Cape of Good Hope at of Good Hope at the southern tip of the southern tip of Africa, but the fear Africa, but the fear of mutiny forced of mutiny forced him to return to him to return to Portugal.Portugal.

Vasco da Gama

Da Gama, with the aid of an Da Gama, with the aid of an Arab pilot, made a successful Arab pilot, made a successful journey across the Arabian Sea journey across the Arabian Sea to the Indian port of Calicut.to the Indian port of Calicut.

He returned He returned with a great with a great profit in profit in spices.spices.

The Plantation System

Plantation Plantation slavery is slavery is established in established in Africa by the Africa by the Portuguese.Portuguese.

Spain and Glory Spain was united Spain was united

into a single into a single nation-state when nation-state when the African Moors the African Moors were expelled were expelled from the Iberian from the Iberian Peninsula.Peninsula.

This event (the This event (the ReconquistaReconquista) was brought ) was brought about by the unification of the Houses of about by the unification of the Houses of Aragon and Castile with the marriage of Aragon and Castile with the marriage of Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon.Aragon.

Christopher Columbus Genovese sailor / Genovese sailor /

navigator - he navigator - he persuaded Queen persuaded Queen Isabella of Castille of Isabella of Castille of the possibility of the possibility of finding a direct route to finding a direct route to Asia by the west across Asia by the west across the Atlantic.the Atlantic.

He set sail on August 3, He set sail on August 3, 1492 with three ships - the 1492 with three ships - the NiñaNiña, The , The PintaPinta, and the , and the SantaSanta MariaMaria..

He landed on San Salvador island He landed on San Salvador island on October 12 believing he had on October 12 believing he had reached the outskirts of the Indies.reached the outskirts of the Indies.

Columbus would go Columbus would go to his death believing to his death believing he had found a new he had found a new route to the Indies.route to the Indies.

His name for the His name for the native peoples, native peoples, Indians, would stick.Indians, would stick.

Catholic Conflict The Spanish and the Portuguese The Spanish and the Portuguese

sought intercession from the Pope sought intercession from the Pope to avoid conflict over the new to avoid conflict over the new lands.lands.

Treaty of Tordesillas divided the Treaty of Tordesillas divided the new lands between Spain in the new lands between Spain in the west and Portugal in the east.west and Portugal in the east.

Economic Contact A new interdependent global A new interdependent global

economic system emerged after economic system emerged after Columbus's discoveryColumbus's discovery

Europe provided markets, Europe provided markets, technology and capital.technology and capital.

While the New World provided While the New World provided the raw materials.the raw materials.

The Old and New World Exchange Plants and animals from Plants and animals from

distant ecosystems were distant ecosystems were introduced and introduced and exchanged.exchanged.

From America: beans, From America: beans, peppers, maize (corn), peppers, maize (corn), pumpkin and squash, pumpkin and squash, tomato, potato and tomato, potato and tobacco.tobacco.

From Europe: apple, From Europe: apple, peach, citrus, eggplant, peach, citrus, eggplant, olive, sugar cane.olive, sugar cane.

Population ExplosionThe introduction of The introduction of

American plants around American plants around the world resulted in the world resulted in rapid population growth rapid population growth in Europe.in Europe.

Price Revolution

The flood of precious metal The flood of precious metal from the New World to from the New World to Europe resulted in a price Europe resulted in a price revolution that raised prices revolution that raised prices causing inflation.causing inflation.

Gold and Silver Gold and Silver from the New from the New World also led World also led to the growth of to the growth of capitalismcapitalism

Animals were brought from Europe:

HorsesHorses PigsPigs CattleCattle

Europeans also brought diseases.

SmallpoxSmallpox MalariaMalaria Yellow Yellow

Fever.Fever.

Native American Native American populations were quickly populations were quickly decimated.decimated.

It is estimated that 90% It is estimated that 90% of the native population of the native population died within a century. died within a century.

Explorers and Conquistadors

Spain became the leading Spain became the leading European explorer and European explorer and colonizer of the New Worldcolonizer of the New World

Ponce de Leon Ponce de Leon explored Florida explored Florida in search of the in search of the “Fountain of “Fountain of Youth.”Youth.”

Major Explorers

Coronado explored the Coronado explored the desert southwest in desert southwest in search of the “Seven search of the “Seven Cities of Cibola.” Cities of Cibola.”

Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto explored the South and explored the South and crossed the Mississippi crossed the Mississippi River.River.

Vasco Balboa Vasco Balboa crossed the crossed the Isthmus of Isthmus of Panama and Panama and saw the Pacific saw the Pacific Ocean.Ocean.

Ferdinand Magellan sailed Ferdinand Magellan sailed around the tip of South around the tip of South America and his crew America and his crew finished the first finished the first circumnavigation of the circumnavigation of the globe. globe.

FERDINAND MAGELLAN

Conquistadors

Spanish Conquistadors both Spanish Conquistadors both explored and conquered explored and conquered parts of the Caribbean, parts of the Caribbean, Central America, South Central America, South America and Mexico.America and Mexico.

Notable Conquistadors

Hernan Cortes destroyed the Hernan Cortes destroyed the Aztec Empire in 1521.Aztec Empire in 1521.

Francisco Pizarro defeated Francisco Pizarro defeated the Incas in 1532.the Incas in 1532.

The Encomienda System

The institution of The institution of encomiendaencomienda allowed the allowed the European governments to European governments to give Indians to colonists if give Indians to colonists if they promised to they promised to Christianize them.Christianize them.

The Spanish soldiers and The Spanish soldiers and missionaries mistreated missionaries mistreated and killed thousands of and killed thousands of Native Americans.Native Americans.

The Spread of Spanish Culture.

By the end of the 16By the end of the 16thth century century Spain began to fortify and Spain began to fortify and settle its northern borderlands settle its northern borderlands in order to protect its southern in order to protect its southern domains from encroachments domains from encroachments by England and France.by England and France.

A Spanish expedition A Spanish expedition established the settlement established the settlement of New Mexico in 1609. of New Mexico in 1609.

By this time Mexico had By this time Mexico had many large cities.many large cities.

Pope’s Rebellion

In 1680 In 1680 the Pueblo Indians the Pueblo Indians destroyed every Catholic destroyed every Catholic church in the province of church in the province of New MexicoNew Mexico , but the , but the Spanish returned by the Spanish returned by the 1700s.1700s.

Texas and California The Spanish began to The Spanish began to

establish strings of forts establish strings of forts and missions in Texas and missions in Texas and California during the and California during the 1700s. 1700s.