New World Beginnings
The American Pageant
Chapter 1
Planetary Perspectives
 Discovery of N. & S. America about 500 yrs ago is a very recent event compared to
the age of the earth and recorded history
Planetary Perspectives (2)
 U.S. eventually becomes most influential state in Americas due to liberal ideals,
democratic experiment, and opportunities for foreign commoners.
Planetary Perspectives (3)
 The founding of America was unique:
Shaping of N. America
 Basic geological shape of N. America was in place 10 million years ago after drifting
of continents and growth of mountain ranges.
 Melting glaciers 10,000 years ago shaped lakes/rivers.
1st Discoverers of America
 Ice age caused drop in sea level, exposing land bridge between Siberia and Alaska
about 35,000 years ago.
 Nomadic Asian hunters crossed into N. America chasing herds.
1st Discoverers (2)
 Descendants of these hunters populated N. & S. America, numbering possibly 72
million by 1492.
 Developed over 2,000 languages, diverse religions and cultures.
1st Discoverers (3)
 Incas (Peru), Mayans (Central America), and Aztecs (Mexico) were most
sophisticated.
 Developed advanced agriculture (maize), elaborate cities, mathematics, astronomy.
The Earliest Americans
 Spread of civilization in Americas follows development of corn cultivation.
 5000 B.C.: Corn growing developed in Mexico, founding Aztec and Incan
civilizations.
Earliest Americans (2)
 1200 B.C.: Corn planting reaches American Southwest, molds Pueblo culture.
 Corn planting did not reach other parts of N. America until much later, partly
explaining lack of developed societies.
Earliest Americans (3)
 Maize, beans, and squash (“three-sister” farming) developed in S.E. Atlantic coastal
region about 1000 A.D, producing high population densities among Creek, Choctaw,
Cherokee.
Earliest Americans (4)
 Iroquois in N.E. woodlands developed most sophisticated society in N. America in 16th
Cent. (Hiawatha)
 However, generally N. America was sparsely populated without permanent
settlements.
Earliest Americans (5)
 Many native cultures conferred substantial authority on women, developing
matrilinear cultures.
 Natives made little impact on land, b/c of nature-based worldview, lack of tech., and
sparse population.
Indirect Discoverers
 Vikings from Scandinavia land in Newfoundland about 1000 A.D., settlements
abandoned.
 Christian crusaders developed taste for Asian goods: silk, drugs, perfumes, draperies,
spices (sugar).
Indirect Discoverers (2)
 Asian products very expensive in Europe (distance, Muslim middlemen led to higher
costs).
 Desired less expensive trade routes, alternative sources.
 Marco Polo’s description of Asia (1295) increased desires.
Europeans Enter Africa
 1450: Portuguese developed caravel, a ship that could sail more closely into wind,
enabling them to sail back from coast of West Africa.
 Set up trading posts along coast for gold, slaves.
Europeans Enter Africa (2)
 Origins of modern plantation system found in Portuguese slave trade/Atlantic sugar
islands.
 1498: da Gama sails around Africa to India, expanding trade.
Columbus to New World
 Late 15th Cent: Unification of Spain by marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, and
expulsion of Moors (“reconquista”).
 Unification led to desire to outdo Portugal in tapping wealth of Indies.
Columbus to New World (2)
 Because Portugal controlled southern routes, Spain looked west.
 Development of printing press, mariner’s compass, and Renaissance-based optimism
also influenced expansion.
Columbus to New World (3)
 Creation of modern nation-state in Spain produced unity, wealth, and power necessary
to support discovery, conquest, colonization.
Columbus to New World (4)
 Columbus (Italian) convinced Spanish monarchs to underwrite voyage.
 After 6 weeks, Columbus landed in Bahamas on Oct. 12, 1492 – thought he found
Indies.
When Worlds Collide
 Exchange of animals/crops:
tobacco, maize, beans, tomato, potato to Europe; sugar
cane, cattle, swine, horses to New World (chart on p. 14).
 Smallpox, yellow fever, malaria devastated Natives.
When Worlds Collide (2)
 By approx. 1600, 90% of Native population perished, most due to disease, having
never even seen a European.
 Syphilis given to Europeans by Natives.
Spanish Conquistadores
 Spain secured claim to New World in Treaty of Tordesillas with Portugal (1494), and
became dominant colonizing power in 1500s.
Spanish Conquistadores (2)
 Conq’s motivated by obsession with status and honor, religious zealotry and
intolerance.
 Lengthy reconquista created a soldier class who were no longer interested in labor/
commerce.
Spanish Conquistadores (3)
Notable achievements:
Spanish Conquistadores (4)
Notable achievements (cont’d):
Spanish Conquistadores (5)
 Flood of precious metal from New World resulted in inflation in Europe – fueled
capitalism, commercial banking system.
 “Encomienda”: Indians given to colonists to Christianize them (basically slavery).
Conquest of Mexico
 1519: Cortez sailed from Cuba with only 16 horses and a several hundred men.
 With two key interpreters and 20,000 Indian allies, he marched on Tenochtitlán (Aztec
capital).
Conquest of Mexico (2)
 Montezuma believed Cortez to be god Quetzalcoatl fulfilling prophecy, allowed
Cortez into Tenochtitlán
 Aztecs eventually attacked – Cortez laid siege, conquering city (1521).
Spread of Spanish America
 By mid-1500s, there were hundreds of Spanish cities and towns, especially in Peru and
Mexico (silver).
 Universities established at Mexico City and Lima, Peru (1551).
Spread of Spanish America (2)
 Northern borders of Spanish America threatened by English, French.
 Began to fortify northern boundary: St. Augustine, FL – oldest continually inhabited
European settlement (1565).
Spread of Spanish America (3)
 Expedition to New Mexico found little gold, but found many Pueblo people to convert
to Catholicism (1609)
 Roman Catholic mission became central institution in New Mexico.
Spread of Spanish America (4)
 Missionary efforts to suppress native customs led to Pope’s Rebellion by Pueblos
(1680).
 Destroyed every Catholic church and killed hundreds.
 Took almost 50 yrs for Spanish to reclaim New Mexico.
Spread of Spanish America (5)
 1716: Weak presence in Texas, established mission later called Alamo in San Antonio.
 1769: Spanish missionaries (Serra) founded mission at San Diego, later chain of 21
missions in California.
Spread of Spanish America (6)
 “Black Legend,” – concept that Spanish “killed for Christ,” stole natives’ gold,
infected them with Smallpox, etc.
 While partly true, Spanish also incorporated cultures, laid foundation for nations, etc.