European Exploration
and the Discovery of
America
Unit 1, Lesson 1
Essential Idea
► Contact
between the “Old” and “New”
Worlds led to the exchange of many things
but ultimately led to conflicts.
The “New World”
Where?
The “New” World, which was the Americas
Migration:
The first people in America likely migrated over from Asia over a land bridge during
the last Ice Age
► People Arrive in the Americas
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Mesoamerica
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Location:
Mesoamerica, which is
present day Mexico and
Central America
Climate:
The climate was warm
and stable
Agricultural revolution:
Time period when early
Americans learned to
grow crops because of
the good climate
Cultures of the New World
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Culture:
Centralized
because of
agriculture,
especially
maize/corn,
allowing people to
stay in one place
Benefits:
Civilizations were
able to grow into
complex societies
with high
populations
Problems:
Much easier to
conquer
Cultures in
Mesoamerica
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Mayans:
Developed complex architecture,
mathematics, and calendars
Aztecs:
Built sophisticated, highly populated
cities
Cultures of the New World
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Location:
Present day United States
Climate:
Not as dependable as
Mesoamerica
Food Source: Agriculture in
stable climates, animal herds in
less stable areas
Culture:
Nomadic because these people
tended to move from place to
place following food sources
(animals)
Why follow animals?
Less stable weather limited
effects of agricultural revolution
Benefits:
Spread out and difficult to
conquer (United States
government will struggle with
Indians for decades)
Problems:
Could not develop into
advanced civilizations
Cultures in PresentDay Western United
States
► Anasazi
and
Cahokia:
► These groups built
complex
civilizations but
likely fell apart
due to drought
(unstable climate)
Cultures in Present-Day Eastern
United States
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Cherokee:
Lived in more stable region of United States (the Southeast)
and managed to grow maize, beans, and squash
Iroquois Confederacy
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Iroquois Confederacy:
Northeastern tribes
formed this
government, loosely
joining their tribes
together
Confederacy:
Union of small
governments with a
WEAK central
government
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The “Old World”
Where? The “Old World,” which was the Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia)
Reasons to start exploringThe Catholic Crusades exposed Europeans to products in Asia such as silk and spices
The “Great Silk Road” became the major trade route that connected Europe and Asia
This route was dangerous, slow, and expensive to use
European countries started looking for other routes, over water, to access Asia
European Exploration: Portugal
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Portugal:
Route- Went around
Africa to access Asia
Prince Henry the
Navigator
established a school
dedicated to
exploration
Portugal developed
the caravel, a boat
able to travel
Africa’s rough coast
While exploring
Africa, Portugal was
exposed to African
slavery and started
trading for slaves
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European
Exploration:
Spain
Spain:
Route- Went west across the Atlantic Ocean
Spain commissioned Christopher Columbus to look for a western route
► On October 12, 1492, Columbus “discovered” (disputed!) the “New World” when he
landed on islands in the Caribbean Sea, later called the West Indies
► European Exploration
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The Columbian Exchange
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Columbian Exchange- the transfer of goods, crops, diseases, etc. between the “old” and “new” worlds
after 1492
The “New World” brought: gold, silver, corn, tobacco, and other vegetables
The “Old World” brought: sugar, rice, horses, cows, and DISEASE, and SLAVES
Future implications:
1. Disease would wipe out Indian populations and make conquering them easier in the future
2. Slavery went on to become vital to much of the economy of the United States, and also became
very controversial
Spain vs. Portugal?
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Issue: Spain and
Portugal were
exploring and
claiming new lands
Why an issue?
Both were Catholic,
and the Pope did not
want two Catholic
countries fighting
Solution:
Treaty of TordesillasPope set a “line of
demarcation” to
divide Spain’s and
Portugal’s lands
Consequence:
Spain was the first
country to explore
what is now the
United States