Ch. 1 Three Worlds Meet
Europe, Africa, The Americas
Intro
 The United States of America was formed in 1776
and has since become the greatest country in the
history of the world…
 How did it start and what makes it so great?
 One of the factors that make it great is diversity. The
U.S. is a place of various people, cultures, climates
and landscapes.
 It all started in 1492 as three worlds collided and the
result was a blending of these three major cultures
and hundreds of subcultures included in those.
The First Americans
 More than likely the first
Americans migrated here
from Asia by foot.
(How?)
 Beringia Land Bridge –
Because of the Ice Age
Water levels dropped
creating a land path
across the Bering
Straight from Asia to
Alaska.
The First Americans Cont.
 Over time these people
migrated south hunting
large animals such as the
Woolley Mammoth.
 Nomads – people who
move from place to place
in search of food and
water
From Hunters and Gatherers to Distinct Societies
 As time passed Native
Americans not only
hunted , but also fished
and gathered nuts
berries and fruits
 Soon, certain tribes
began to grow crops and
develop agriculture.
 This allowed groups to
settle in a certain area
and not have to move in
search of food.
Native American Culture develops
 Three great North American
Civilizations develop between
1000 B.C. and 1400 A.D.
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Olmec, Maya, and Aztec
All in Present day Mexico
 Only 1 great South American
civilization developed

Inca
 Ancient societies in the U.S.

Mound builders – Adena &
Hopewell, Missippean,
Anasazi
Diversity of Native Culture in North America
 Because of the differing climates of N.A. regions , there were a
variety of cultures that developed
 Each tribe was different and reflective of their region and its
climate
 Ex: Pueblo, Navajo, Apache in the Southwest
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Adobe houses and stone (cliff) dwellers
Diet – Corn, beans, Squash (Irrigation Agriculture)
 Ex: Iroquois of Eastern Woodlands (NE)
 Abundance of Trees & Rivers
 Hunting was the main source of clothing and diet : A lot of Meat , Hides
for cold winters
 Ex: Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee of the Southeast.
 Numerous crops &agriculture because of warm climate
 Also had thick woodlands for hunting
Native Tribal regions
Common Denominators of Native culture in N.A.
View of the land- All Natives saw the land as a
source of life to be honored and respected by ppl.
Could not be owned
2. Natural Spirits – Almost all Natives believed that
objects, such as trees, animals, and the ground,had
spirits. People could hear those spirits and interact
with them.
3. Family – Many Natives lived together all their lives.
Older (Elders) Tribe members were highly
respected.
1.
West African Societies
Because of the slave trade and importation of tens of millions of Africans, African culture
has shaped American history.
 3 African kingdoms
 Songhai – became wealthy by controlling and taxing the trans- Sahara trade route.
Dominated the savannah regions of West Africa with use of its military
 Benin –Forest kingdoms that used the Niger river to transport goods for trade with
Songhai and Portugal
 Kongo – Kingdoms located along the Congo river, and were European in structure.
 Family – small village culture; groups were bound by kinship and lineage.
 Some tribes were matrilineal - people trace lineage and ancestry through mothers
family.


Oldest member represented each family.
 Religion - Like Natives, Africans also believed in spirits , but most believed in a
supreme creator.
 Land - Land supported human livelihood, but they did believe that groups
owned certain land.
West Africa Cont.
 Trade networks in West Africa were usually tied to
North African Muslims, but they increased their
contact with other parts of the world as Europeans
(Portuguese) started to explore.
 Eventually, the Portuguese began exporting west
Africans to work as laborers on island plantations.
 Slavery was very common in Africa, and other parts
of the world, but people usually were not born into it
and could become free. (More on the slave trade
later)
European Societies.
 Christianity and the Catholic
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
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Church dominated all religious,
social, and political aspects of
European societies until the
1500’s.
Society – Most European
societies and a king and
organized each kingdom based
on a Feudal system – Lords had
land, wealth, and power, while
peasants farmed the Noble’s land
in return for protection.
All European societies were
patriarchal – Lineage determined
by the Fathers family lines
Only males had legal rights
There was little movement
among social classes
The Protestant Reformation
 Since the Crusades - , The Catholic




Church status and authority had
steadily weakened.
In the 1500’s a priest named
Martin Luther began speaking out
against corruption within the
Church.
The Church then attacked Luther
causing him and many to break
away from the Catholic Church.
Therefore new protestant
denominations were formed.
This split and the persecution that
followed would later lead many
groups such as Puritans to migrate
to the America’s
The Renaissance
 With The church weakening, and intellectual
movement referred to as the Renaissance began
 Renaissance - means rebirth and refers to the rebirth
of art and learning in Europe from 1300 to 1600.
 During this time there was an explosion of creativity
and knowledge unsurpassed by any period in the
history of the world.
 The effects caused many Europeans to desire exploration
in order to gain more knowledge and wealth.
Exploration
 The Goal of European
exploration was reaching
Asia to establish trade.
 Five major nations led
exploration

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Portugal
Spain
England
France
Netherlands (Dutch)
 Early on the Portuguese
were the most effective,
sailing many expeditions
around Africa and
successfully reaching Asia
Columbus’ Voyages
 An explorer named
Christopher Columbus,
asked the Spanish King and
Queen to sponsor (pay for)
an exploratory expedition
to find a western route to
Asia
 He believed it could
possibly be shorter and less
dangerous.
 In 1492 Columbus’ ships –
Nina, Pinta, and Santa
Maria - set sail
First Contact
 After months at sea Columbus’

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crew finally reached land.
The Europeans encountered a
native tribe called Taino in
present day San Salvador
Since Columbus assumed he was
in Asia, he called the people
Indians.
Columbus was intrigued by the
people, but his main interest was
finding the source of gold that he
was seeing around the Island.
Columbus spent three months
exploring various Caribbean
Islands before returning to
Spain.
Columbus return to the America’s
 In later 1493 Columbus set sail again, but this time
with 17 ships, hundreds of soldiers, priests, and
thousands of colonists (Why?)
 Colonization – the establishment of distant
settlements controlled by a parent country.
 Natives fought colonization but were overmatched by
Spanish weapons and deadly diseases spread

Measles, mumps, Small Pox, Chicken Pox, and Typhus
Slave Trade is established
 Because the Native Population was dying so rapidly,
Spaniards looked to Africa to supply slaves to work
the large plantations.
 For over 300 years Europeans imported millions of
Africans as slaves.
Impact of the Encounters
Native Population Decline –
Result of disease, and
warfare
Massive Migration Europe to America, Africa
to America
Columbian Exchange – The
introduction of new plants
and animals to America,
Europe and Africa that took
place as a result of
Columbus’ voyages
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
New World – America
Old World – Europe and
Africa
Conclusions
 “The story of the United States, thus begins with a
meeting of Native American, European, and African
peoples that radically changed all three worlds”
 “The New nations that emerged would blend
elements of these three worlds… into a distinctly
multicultural society.” p. 31 The Americans
Chapter 1 Day 1
 Opener
 Trivia - How did America get its name? Explain.
 In-Class Schedule
 Syllabus
 Issue Text books & U.S. / World Trivia
 Discussion of Trivia
 Ch. 1 Study Guide
 Homework –

Complete Sect. 1 & 2 Vocab On Study guide
Day 2
 Opener
 Discussion Question - Is the U.S. the greatest nation in the
world? In the history of the world? Why or Why not?
 In-Class Schedule
 Section 1 & 2 Notes (Sl 1-9)
 Anasazi + Iroquois Constitution Reading
 Patterns of Native Groups - Chart
 North American Culture Map (p. 11)
 Homework
 Sect 3 & 4 Vocab + Finish Map.
Day 3
 Opener

“ You cannot discover new oceans, unless you have the courage to leave
the shore”

Andre Gide
 In-Class Schedule
 Notes (sl. 10 - 15)
 Web Diagram of causes of European exploration (RSG p.11)
 Chart explaining each (section 4 guided reading)
 Homework
 Section 5 Vocab
Day 4
 Opener
 At 98.5 % white what state has the lowest % of nonwhite
residents? Why (your best guess)?
 In-Class Schedule
 Notes 16-21(18?) (Col. Exchange chart)
 Columbus Journal Reading
 Columbus Political Cartoon – Handout
 Pol. Cartoon project – Relationships between the 3 cultures.
 Homework
 Study for Chapter 1 test
Day 5
 Opener
 DQ: Should Columbus be remembered as a hero or a villain?
Why? (What is the position of the U.S. Government?)
 In-Class Schedule
 Finish Political Cartoon project
 Chapter 1 Test
 Intro ch. 2 + Study guides
 Homework
 None …Enjoy your weekend!!!!