Chapter 20, Section 1
Spain Builds an
American Empire
Voyages of Columbus,
Voyage #1
 You know the story: “In 1492,
Columbus sailed the ocean blue…”
 Sent by Ferdinand and Isabella from
Spain (even though he was not
Spanish)
 His ships: Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria
 Where he landed – Somewhere in the
Bahamas
Voyage of Columbus,
Voyage #1 - continued
 Named the island “San
Salvador”
 Called the natives that he
met “Indians”
 Columbus was looking
for gold, so every island
that he passed on the
way back, he claimed for
Voyages of Columbus,
Voyage #2
 In 1493, Columbus went back. He was no
longer and explorer, he was now an
empirebuilder.
 He was in command of 17 ships, and over
1000 people
 His goal in this voyage was to start
“COLONIES”
– Lands that are controlled by another country
 The Spanish were the first European
Other Explorers
Balboa
Who
Cabral
Came from…
Portugal
Accomplishment
Landed in modern
Brazil
Amerigo Vespucci Italian (service of
Portugal)
Magellan
Portuguese
(service of Spain)
Realized it was a
“New World”
1st to sail around
the world
Balboa
1st European to
see the Pacific
Ocean
Spain
Other Explorers
Who
Cortes
Pizzaro
Came from… Accomplishme
nt
Spain
Conquered
Aztecs in
Mexico
Spain
Conquered the
Inca in South
America
More about Magellan
 Started out with 250 men and 5 ships, with
the funding of the Spanish throne.
 Sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, and
around South America, and into the Pacific
Ocean.
 They sailed for months only seeing islands.
 Food ran out…
 They landed in the Philippines and
Magellan Stuff cont’d
 Eventually they started back on their
voyage, arriving in
Spain in 1522 (3 years after they left)
 There were only 18 people remaining, on
only one ship when they got back
 These 18 were the first people to
circumnavigate the world
Magellan Stuff Cont’d
Amerigo Vespucci
 He was the first one who realized that it
was a “New World.” (not part of Asia)
 A German cartographer (map maker)
named the New World – “America.”
 (In honor of him)
Spanish Conquest in Mexico
 Conquistadors – Spanish conquerors
 The main reason that these guys were out
there was to gain gold.
 Cortez overthrew the Aztecs, even though
they were outnumbered, here’s how:
– Guns and cannons
– Cortes recruited some native groups that
hated the Aztecs
Spanish Conquest in Peru
 Pizzaro took a group of 200 men to Peru
 They ambushed 30,000 Incan fighters and
captured their king
 Demanded ransom, got the ransom, killed
the king, and moved to the capital, and
took it over.
Spanish Patterns in South America
 Spanish settled and mixed with the natives
– This mixed culture produced a MESTIZO
culture.
 The Spanish also forced the natives to
work for them – this was called
encomienda
 The Portuguese settled in Brazil
Spanish Influence Grows
 Due to the wealth, the Spanish were able to
extend their art, culture, and military.
 Also, the Catholic religion spread to South
America.
 The Spanish control of South America was
not simple, it took a lot of money and military
to occupy their colonies.
Chapter 20
Section 2
European Nations Settle North America
European Claims in North America
 After Magellan circumnavigated the planet,
European Nations began looking for a more
direct route.
 Countries involved in this search:
– French, English, and Dutch
 When they realized that they could not find a
more direct route they went to “Plan B”
– Plan B – Settle Colonies in the “New World”
New France
 Jacques Cartier
– Landed in Canada
– Discovered the St. Lawrence River
– Founded Mont Real (Mount Royal), known today as
Montreal
 Samuel de Champlain
– Sailed St. Lawrence River, and founded Quebec – the
Capital of “New France”
 The French were not as interested in building
settlements in the New World, as a result they had
a lot of land and very few inhabitants
 They mainly wanted to make money – this was
done thru FUR TRADE.
English Claims
 The first English settlement in the New World
was JAMESTOWN. (1607)
 It was very difficult at first – 7 of 10 died from
starvation, disease, or Indian fights.
– This was because they were more interested in
finding gold, than in planting crops.
– (When was the last time that you heard of a gold strike in Virginia?)
 Eventually the settlers found a crop that
could make them money - TOBACCO
New England is Created
 In 1620 a group of people called
Pilgrims came to the New World
seeking religious freedom.
 Landed in Massachusetts and
started a colony.
 In 1626, another group came
over to the America, also
seeking religious freedom, they
were called Puritans.
Dutch Claims
 Further to the north, the Dutch started
colonies.
 Their leader was Henry Hudson.
 The area that they settled was in modern
New York.
 Became known as New Netherlands.
 The Dutch were not very successful with
colonizing so a variety of peoples moved into
their area (Germans, French, Scandinavians,
and others).
Claims in the Caribbean
 The French, Spanish, English, and Dutch all
claimed islands in the Caribbean.
 Developed huge sugar and cotton
plantations.
 This required a large labor force, this is
where the African Slave Trade got its start.
Battles for the New World
 English vs. Dutch
– England won
– England established the 13 colonies from Maine
to Georgia
 English vs. French
– England won
– Known as the French and Indian War
– Due to English Westward expansion
 Natives vs. Settlers
– Natives were out-gunned and the diseases killed
many of them too.
World History
Chapter 20, Section 3
The Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic Slave Trade

Background
–
–
–

Originally, the Native Americans were used for slaves.
Native Americans were unable to withstand the
disease and died in mass.
The Explorers/Settlers looked elsewhere for their
“workers” – AFRICA became “The Place.”
The Early Stages of Slavery
–
Slavery in Africa
 Existed for 100s of years in Africa
 Facilitated by the Muslims when they expanded into
Africa
 Carried further by the Europeans.
The Atlantic Slave Trade
 The Demand for Africans
– First it was the Portuguese and then the
Spanish
– Reasons to use Africans in the Americas
1. Built up immunity to European diseases
2. Had experience farming
3. Less likely to escape because they were in a new
land
4. Skin color made them stand out from free-people
– Atlantic Slave Trade

Enterprise where trading PEOPLE was perceived
to be a profitable as trading goods
The Atlantic Slave Trade
 Spain and Portugal lead the way
– The leaders in the Atlantic Slave Trade were
Spain and Portugal.
– The same countries that were the original
leaders of the Age of Exploration
– Is that a coincidence?
The Atlantic Slave Trade
 Slavery Spreads
– As the market for slaves grew, England
became the leader in the Slave Trade Market.
– Most Africans who were sold as slaves were
sold by other Africans (their captors).
– Opportunity for profit, outweighed the moral
dilemma that faced many people during this
time.
The Atlantic Slave Trade
 The Journey to Slavery
– Middle Passage – the title given to the voyage
across the Atlantic (from Africa to the Americas).
– “I was soon put down under the decks and there
I received such a greeting in my nostrils as I
had never before smelled.” – Equiano, age 11
– About 20% of the slaves dies during the Middle
Passage.
Below Deck in the Slave
Quarters
The Middle Passage was the most infamous route of this triangular trade. Although danger lurked
constantly throughout the voyage across the Atlantic, the greatest danger to the slave ships
always came when they were loading on the African coast. Once aboard the ships, the negroes
realized that they were being sent far away from home, and often there was violence even
before the ship set sail. However, most of these uprisings were easily put down. Others jumped
overboard and plunged from the ship into the sea, choosing to either drown or be devoured by
blood-thirsty sharks rather than be taken from their homeland.
Once aboard the ships the blacks would be packed below deck. Captains of slave ships were
known as either "loose packers" or "tight packers", depending upon how many slaves they
crammed into the space they had. Most ships, especially those of the later 18th century, were
"tight packers", carrying a huge quantity of slaves who were often forced to lie in spaces smaller
than that of a grave, or in some cases stacked spoon-fashion on top of one another.
Regardless, life for a slave in the "tween decks", as they were called, was extremely
uncomfortable. In addition to extreme overcrowding, there was also inadequate ventilation, not
to mention little or no sanitation. Although some captains would have their crew periodically
clean the "tween decks" with hot vinegar, most chose rather to leave them alone, resulting in
their atrociously unclean condition. In addition to disease and suffocation below deck, it would
not be uncommon to find the body of a slave completely covered by lice.
Eventually, after the arduous 3,700 mile voyage, the slave ship would reach North America. In order
to strengthen them before sale, the slaves were normally fed better in the days directly before
their arrival in the new world, however their suffering was far from over. Before they could be
sold, the slaves would be oiled to make their skin shiny and any imperfections, such as scars
from whippings, would be filled in with hot tar in order to improve their appearance and get the
best market price. Most slave ships would not be allowed to dock in the ports which they came
to due to their horrible stench and the fear of the spread of any diseases which had been
spread throughout the ship. Therefore, the slavers would drop anchor a few miles off shore and
carry the slaves to land in smaller boats which had been stored aboard the ship. The slaves
would then be sold at auction and would live through the rest of their lives in wicked involuntary
The Daily Routine on the Slave
Ships
The Daily Routine on the Slave Ships
During periods of good weather, the slaves would be brought up on deck in the morning. At this time the men
would be shackled together with iron chains, while the women and children would be allowed to roam about
on deck. At about nine o' clock in the morning they were given their first meal of the day. Interestingly, slaves
from different sections along the west African coast would often be fed different meals. Those from the
Northern part of the Guinea Coast would be fed boiled rice, millet, or cornmeal. Slaves from the Bight of
Biafra had stewed yams, and those from still farther south in the Congo River region would be fed starchy
manioc, cassava flour, or banana-like fruits. Sometimes a few lumps of raw meat would be thrown in with their
food to keep them healthy. It was also at this time in the morning that the slaves were given their daily ration
of a half-pint of water in a small pan, called a pannikin.
In the late afternoon came the slaves' second and only other meal of the day. Sometimes it was the same as their
first, but most captains were not that humane. The afternoon meal usually consisted only of horse beans, very
large beans which are used to feed horses. They were the cheapest form of food available. The beans were
boiled until they were pulpy and then covered with a mixture of palm oil, flour, and water. To cover up the
horrible taste, large amounts of red pepper, called "slabber sauce", were added.
The captains needed to keep the slaves in acceptable physical condition if they were to be sold at high prices, so
each morning after breakfast the slaves were "danced" on deck, in order to give them exercise. Still shackled
together, the men were forced to jump up and down until often the flesh of their ankles was raw and bleeding
from the iron chains which bound them together. The women and children, who were free of such bonds were
better able to dance to the rhythm that was pounded out on an African drum or iron kettle, sometimes with the
accompaniment of a fiddle or African banjo played by a crew member. The slaves, otherwise kept miserably in
the "tween decks", enjoyed this dancing, as it was their only form of physical recreation during the entire day.
Each day at sunset the slaves would be placed back below deck to rest in the misery and filth that was the
"tween decks".
During the morning exercises members of the crew roved about the deck carrying whips and would beat those
slaves who refused to "dance". Although most whips were made only of simple rope, the wicked cat-o'-ninetails was also used aboard many slavers. Consisting of nine cords coated with tar, each with a knot at the
end, the cat-o'-nine-tails could slash the skin of a slave's back to ribbons in only a few lashes.
Yet the worst time of the Middle Passage came for the slaves when the ship was met with periods of bad weather.
During storms the blacks were forced to remain below deck all day and night. The holds were dark, filthy,
slimy, and they stank of death. The "tween decks" were often full not only with slaves, both living and dead,
The Triangular Trade
EUROPE
NEW WORLD
AFRICA
The Atlantic Slave Trade
 Consequences of Slavery
– Africans lost generations of their people
– Families torn apart
– Introduced guns to Africa
– Economic boom in the New World
– African culture was brought to the Americas
Summary: The Atlantic Slave Trade
Slavery
Middle Passage
Sold at Auction
Worked for free
Beat for not working
Died
Chapter 20, Section 4
The Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange
 Definition – The Global Transfer of foods,
plants, and animals during the colonization
of the Americas.
– Note: This includes North, Central, and South
America
 Its called the “Columbian” exchange
because of Christopher Columbus’ initial
contact with the Americas
The Columbian Exchange
 Items coming to Europe, Asia, Africa from the New
World
– Plants
 Tomatoes, squash, pineapples, tobacco, and cacao beans
(chocolate)
– Animal
 Turkey
– Most important
 Corn and potatoes
 “The planting of the first potato in Ireland, and the first sweet
potatoes in China probably changed more lives than the deads
of 100 kings.”
The Columbian Exchange
 Items coming to the New World from
Europe, Asia, Africa
– Livestock
 Horses, sheep, cattle, and pigs
– Foods
 Bananas, black-eyed peas, yams, wheat, rice, barley,
and oats
– Disease
 Small pox, measles, malaria, and Whooping Cough
Results of The Columbian Exchange
 Positive
– Both areas
benefited from the
introduction of new
items
– Economies in both
areas were boosted
 Negative
– Native Americans
suffered due to the
diseases and weak
immune system
– Slave trade
flourished due to the
agricultural
opportunities in the
New World
Global Trade
 Columbian Exchange prompted a wave of
new business and trade practices
 Capitalism: economic system based on
private ownership and the investment of
resources for profit.
– Led to increase in many European nations’
money supply.
 Joint-stock Company: investors buy stock in
a company.
Global Trade (cont’d)
 Change in European societies led to growth
in towns and the rise of a class of merchants
who controlled great wealth!