Beginnings–
The ‘Old World’ Colonization of
the ‘New World’
I. Two Worlds
• Before Columbus, the peoples of the Eastern
and Western Hemispheres were unaware of
each other
•Pre-1492 world
map made in
Europe
• People had originally
spread from Asia to
the Americas across
a land bridge, which
had long since been
covered up by a postice age rise in sea
level
• These places are often referred to as the
– ‘Old World’ = Europe, Africa, and Asia
– ‘New World’ = the Americas
– (no one cares about Australia… just forget it!)
II. Two Worlds Collide
• After the fall of the Roman Empire (in the 5
century AD, but you don’t have to know this) Europe
experienced a period of relative
backwardness
th
– think Middle Ages, Black Plague, castles, etc.
• Then, in the 14th century (1300s), Europe
experienced a Renaissance
– Rebirth of culture
– In other words, because of a boom in trade and
wealth, Europeans began to advance culturally
(art, architecture, science, etc.)
• One important part of
this cultural explosion
was the Age of
Exploration
• You already know this 
Columbus, Magellan, De
Gama, etc.
• Europeans rediscovered
the New World
– In fact, the name ‘New
World’ was a European term
meant to show that these
two new continents were
new to them
• European powers competed to grab as
much of the new land as possible
• The Native American inhabitants were
helpful- they agreed to have very low
immunities to European diseases and to
die off, leaving the land free to be
conquered
– The Native American plagues killed 90% of
the native population of the New World  at
least twice as devastating as the black plague
in Europe.
– Immunities story (if time)
• Successful colonists were the Spanish,
French, English, and Portuguese
–How could you have guessed these
countries?
–Germans, Poles, Swedes, Italians… not
so much
III. Life in European-controlled America
• Scramble for wealth
– Some countries yielded immediate sources of
wealth
• Gold, Silver, etc.
– Others had slower, longer-term wealth
• Farming, timber, etc.
– The original 13 American colonies, controlled
by Britain, were in the latter category (no
gold/silver)
• Willing Colonization
– Many of the Europeans who came to the
Americas were social outcasts
• e.g., the poor or those who wanted to practice
unaccepted religions
• Think about it if you are a wealthy person in
Europe, you don’t leave to go to a frontier with
hostile Indians and few modern luxuries
• Unwilling Colonization  Slavery
– Not a ton of slavery in Europe
• already crowded
• plenty of people willing to work for cheap
• no need for slaves
– New World means land on an unimaginable scale
– Intense need for workers to do crappy jobs 
clearing land, picking cotton, pulling weeds, etc.
– African slaves
• Why Africans?
– Native Americans have died off
– Europeans have trouble dealing with malaria which exists
in most farmable areas; Africans have much stronger
immunities
• The Middle Passage
– Harsh and terrible transportation of Africans to the New
World
– Millions of Africans brought  may have a tiny bit of
importance to later American history
IV. Who is in Charge in the New
World: Europeans or their Colonists?
• Europeans own the colonies
• However, it is often impractical for decisions
about colonial issues to be made in Europe.
Why?
– 6 week voyage across the ocean
• British colonists in American colonies already
have an independent streak. That’s what caused
them to move to the New World
• British colonists develop a tradition of
independence and local authority, despite being
officially ruled by Britain
• There is a quiz to test comprehension of
this lecture in the tests file.
Hansen
U.S. History
Name _____________________
Period _________
Beginnings- The ‘Old World’ Colonization of the ‘New World’
Note-Taking Guide
I. Two Worlds
•
Before Columbus …
•
•
•
One important part of this cultural explosion was …
•
European powers competed to grab as much of the new land as
possible.
•
Successful colonists…
People had originally spread to the Americas from Asia…
“Old World” v “New World”
II. Two Worlds Collide
•
After the fall of the Roman Empire…
•
Then, in the 14th century, Europe experienced a Renaissance...
I. Life in European-Controlled America
•
Scramble for wealth…
(cont.)
IV. Who is in charge of the New World- Europeans or their colonists?
•
Willing Colonization…
•
Unwilling colonization…