Name: ______________________________________________ Class: _____ Date: _____________________________
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SWBAT analyze the lasting effects of colonialism in North America.
Based on what you know about people and history, what do you think happened because the different cultures were so
close together?
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AFRICA
The Europeans who took over the Americas forced Native Americans to work on plantations and in mines. The
harsh labor, plus European diseases unknown in the Americas, killed many Native Americans. Others died in battles with
the Europeans. Within a few years, the majority of the Native Americans in the Caribbean and a large percentage in
other areas had died. Without Native Americans to use for labor, European rulers looked for a new source of workers.
By the 1520s, the Spanish began bringing shiploads of enslaved Africans to the West Indies. Other European nations
joined in the slave trade. Over about 300 years, approximately 10 million enslaved Africans arrived in the West Indies
alone. Many people in the Caribbean today are mulattos, people who have African and European ancestry. In Central
America, the Spanish, Native Americans, and Africans intermarried.
As slave labor was used more and more, Africans became a large percentage of the population, particularly in
Central and South America. Central and South America have a lot going on. There are a large variety of languages spoken
today. Caribbean music combines African and European styles to make something new, from Cuban salsa to Jamaican
reggae. Roman Catholicism is the most widespread religion in the West Indies. However, in some areas, elements of
Catholic and African religious practices combine in the religion known as voodoo. Santeria is a religion that is a
combination of Yoruba beliefs from Africa and Catholic beliefs. The Shango religion blends Catholic, Baptist, and West
African beliefs.
Great Britain/France
Portugal
Spain
PORTUGAL
While Pizarro was encountering the Inca, Portugal had claimed what is now Brazil, and so the
Portuguese began to settle the region. However, dense rain forests prevented much exploration of the
region’s interior. The Portuguese therefore built most of their settlements along the Atlantic coast.
Many Portuguese settlers soon made their way to Brazil. As happened throughout the New World, the
arrival of the Europeans led to the deaths of many Native Americans. Millions died from disease or
overwork. As the Native American population shrank, the Europeans imported enslaved Africans to
work mainly on the large sugar cane plantations in Brazil. For nearly 300 years, Europeans ruled much of
South America. Portugal claimed a large percentage of the land. Ships loaded with South American
silver, gold, sugar, and an abundance of natural resources regularly sailed from Brazil to Portugal, and
Portugal gained a lot of wealth.
Today, Native Americans less than 1 percent of Brazil’s population. In northeastern Brazil, most
people have African ancestors, while many people in Brazil have both European and African ancestors.
Most of these people live in the cities, which are growing rapidly. Because of the crowding along the
coast – where the cities are located – the government wants people to move into the interior of the
country. Brazil’s official language is Portuguese, and mixed in are many words from the Tupi-Guarani
language of the Native Americans. Most Brazilians are Catholic, which was the primary religion of
Portugal.
SPAIN
In 1531, Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro landed on the coast of what is now the South
American country of Peru. He had with him horses, guns, cannons, and about 200 soldiers. His forces
began the long climb up into the Andes Mountains, following the Inca road that led to the city of
Cajamarca. When Pizarro first encountered the Inca, he found a kingdom weakened by a bitter civil war.
Pizarro quickly captured and executed the Inca ruler, Atahualpa. The Inca Empire soon fell under Spanish
control. Many Spanish settlers soon made their way to South America. As happened throughout the
New World, the arrival of the Europeans led to the deaths of many Native Americans. Millions died from
disease or overwork. As the Native American population shrank, the Europeans imported enslaved
Africans to work. For nearly 300 years, Europeans ruled much of South America. Spain claimed a large
percentage of the land. Ships loaded with South American silver, gold, sugar, and an abundance of
natural resources regularly sailed from Brazil to Spain, and Spain became extremely wealthy because of
it.
In order for European nations to get the most from their colonies, they would focus the industry
in the different areas based on what was valuable to the Europeans. In the Caribbean Islands they
focused most on growing sugar cane. Even after slavery ended, the freed slaves did not own their own
land – they planted, tended, and cut sugar cane on plantations owned by the wealthy. During this time,
the colonies could only trade with their ruling countries. Spain only wanted sugar from places like Cuba,
because it was so valuable. Because of that, Cuba became a single-product economy because everything
was focused on sugar cane. A single-product economy is unstable, especially when that product
becomes available from other places. Many economies in North and Central America were at risk when
they were no longer colonies, because they did not offer enough industries to support their people and
the country. In order to diversify the economy, one of the most important industries specifically in the
Caribbean Islands is tourism. The Central American economies have grew to depend on bananas and
coffee. Whenever the price of these items on the world market fell, Central Americans faced hardship.
In Central and South America today, most people speak Spanish. Catholicism is the most widespread
religion in the area. There is a lot of very rich and colorful art. The music is part of everyday life. Cuban
music, for example, combines African drums and Spanish guitars.
GREAT BRITAIN / FRANCE
European exploration of the Americas began in the late 1400s. Colonists soon followed the
explorers. The British settled along the Atlantic coast, in what is now southeastern Canada and the
Northeastern United States. Often, the settler’s way of life and needs for resources conflicted with those
of the Native Americans. As the European population grew, competition for land intensified. Europeans
often took land from Native Americans. Cultural differences and land disputes led to distrust and war.
Many of the English-speaking colonists from Great Britain settled in America so that they could
worship as they wished. These religions include British Protestant, Catholic, and Judaism. Americans love
sports such as tennis, golf, soccer, and baseball, which all came from other countries. Soccer and
Baseball are both from Great Britain.
Canada is considered to share the same cultural region as the United States. Both Britain and
France established colonies there, and they continued their rivalry on the North American continent.
They fought a war over the land, to the point where they enlisted the Native Americans who lived in
those areas. France lost the war and surrendered most of its Canadian territory to Great Britain.
However, many French settlers remained, and disputes continued between them and the British
settlers. Upper Canada had mostly British settlers. Lower Canada remained largely France. Today, in
order to promote peace in all of the groups that have found their way there, Canada has adopted an
official policy of multiculturalism – an acceptance of many cultures instead of just one. The official
languages are English and French.