The Collision of Cultures

Chapter 1

THE 3 GROUPS

1. Native AmericansCame over 22,000 years ago from Asia

2. West AfricansCame over in the 1500s as slaves

3. EuropeansVikings: came to the Americas around 1000 ADThe rest: began to come over during the late

1400s

Native Americans circa 1492

In North America:Lived all over the present-day United StatesCA area, NW Coast, SW, and East Woodlands

TradeBuilt great trading networks across the landFree market

Land useHunted, gathered, and cultivatedThey did not trade land, but shared it

Foreshadowing: Europeans believed in private land ownership this is one area they will clash

Native Americans circa 1492

ReligionMost all Native Americans believed the natural world

was filled with spiritsMany believed in a “Great Spirit”

Social organizationBasic unit among Native Americans was FAMILYKinship: strong family bonds

Allowed for large tribes that lasted a long timeElders instructed the young the young honored the

eldersFormed social order through division of labor

West Africa circa 1492

TradeConnects Africa with the rest of the worldSahara Highway

Connected West Africa to North Africa, which was connected with Europe and Asia

Islam spread from North Africa to West Africa, but did not catch on until the late 1400s

Portuguese arrive (1470s)Traded with West Africans on the coast2 effects:

1. Direct European-W. African traded got them closer to Europeans

2. Portuguese began trading W. African slaves to Europe

West Africa circa 1492

How did the slave trade start?1480s Portuguese had large sugar cane

plantations on islands off the West African coastThey needed a lot of labor for cheap; the idea

caught on with the rest of EuropeREMEMBER…slavery/slave trade had already been

around for centuries

West Africa circa 1492

ReligionBelieved nature was filled with spiritsBelieved political leaders were chosen based on a higher

authorityMost believed in a single creator

Clashed with Christians and Muslims over this because they didn’t want to give up spirit worship

Social organizationKinship formed basic aspects of lifeTraced everything through lineage – line of common

descentLand use

Hunted, gathered, and cultivatedBelieved in collective ownership of land

Europeans circa 1492

Europeans are just getting out of the Dark AgePopulation increasing after the Black DeathMonarchs strengthen, nobles and papacy weaken due

to the Crusades’ losses

Trade and explorationMiddle class flourishes because trade is increasing

(people now have a taste for Asian goods)Monarchs want to become more wealthy and

powerful, so they sponsor exploration to new lands

Europeans circa 1492

Social organizationHierarchy – organized according to rank

Monarchs nobles middle class peasantsExtended families were not as important to Europeans

than to Native Americans & West AfricansNuclear family – mother, father, and children

• Worked divided based on gender

ReligionChristianity dominates lifePeople (especially peasants) are encouraged to suffer in

this life for heaven in the nextMonarchs wanted to spread Christianity around the world

with their explorations

Transatlantic Encounters

Columbus’ 1st encountersHe landed in the Caribbean, but assumed in was the

West Indies of AsiaThe 3 main things he wanted were gold, land, and to

spread religionColonization – establishment of distant settlements

controlled by a parent country (Spain)He was able to take 3 more voyages

MAIN GOALS OF EUROPEAN EXPLORATION:1. GAIN WEALTH2. SPREAD CHRISTIANITY

Impact on Native Americans

Native Americans’ land, possessions, and lives taken

Tried to fight back, and failedMost died of diseases brought by

Europeans

Impact on West Africans

Native Americans couldn’t survive disease, and Europeans needed labor

By the end of the slave trade, 12 million Africans were taken from Africa

Impact on Europeans

Monarchs gained land and goldThe Columbian Exchange provided more

food and goods for EuropeansMEANING?...people lived longer and the population

increasedNational rivalries

Countries in Europe (THE MAIN 4: Spain, Portugal, France, England) fighting to gain the most new land and wealth

Treaty of Tordesillas – Spain got the West, Portugal got the East (created by the Pope)

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaFailed Attempts to Colonize N.A.

Vikings

Roanoke Island

Jamestown

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaVikings?

Came over to Greenland, then to North America circa 1000 A.D.

Leif Ericsson, aka Leif the Lucky, discovered what is thought to be parts of New England

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaRoanoke Island (1584)

The “Lost Colony”

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmerica• What happened?

• 1587 Sir Walter Raleigh organized an expedition of 150 people to go to Virginia (led by Governor John White)

• Settled on Roanoke Island (NC); conquered the hostile natives & befriended the “friendly” natives

• Gov. White returned to England; 3 years later went back and found nothing

• “Friendly” natives had taken over

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaJamestown

The “Starving Time” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe-lf9v1RTQ&feature=related

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaJamestown

Virginia Spoon Bread

2 cups water 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature 3/4 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat) 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 teaspoon pepper 3 large eggs, separated

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaJamestown

Later survived and became the first permanent English settlement in N.A.

European Settlement in North European Settlement in North AmericaAmericaWhy did each of these settlements fail?

#1 reason: they were not prepared

What made other settlements succeed?4 groups that worked the best:

• The Spanish• Jamestown• New England• Middle Colonies

Spain and Spain and PortugalPortugal

Spanish, Spanish, English, English, Dutch, and Dutch, and FrenchFrench