Age of Exploration…or

Age of Invasion?Pre-Columbian Societies,

Transatlantic Encounters and Colonial Beginnings

1492-1690

In the beginning…

Beringia: mankind’s gateway to America

Small Diomede islands are all that remain above sea level today

Early inhabitants of the Americas

►Who were the earliest Americans?►What/who do you know?►Pre-conceived notions?►Civilized societies? (GREEL)

Early inhabitants of the Americas

►Civilizations in Central/South/Northa) MIA’s (Mayans, Incas, Aztecs)b) Mound Builders (MS Valley)-Cahokiac) Great Plains-nomadic (Sioux, Pawnee)d) NE-Iroquois (League of the Iroquois)e) SW-Pueblo (intricate irrigation,

stone/mud buildings)►1490s pop. in the Americas=50-75

million;1492 U.S/Canada=10 million

Mayans: Yucatan rainforests Incas: Peru

Aztecs: central MexicoCapital: Tenochtitlan

Mayans: A.D. 300 & 800

Centuries later: I&A

•Extensive trade•Calendars•Extensive size

Cortes/Aztecs►Tenochtitlan-over 200,000 inhabitants

when Cortes invades►Makes Montezuma II his puppet►Took Aztec gold, forced Indians to

provide labor to mine more►Disgruntled Aztecs stoned Montezuma

to death and attacked Cortes►Smallpox infected Aztecs and led to

their demise; leaders were hung by Cortes, per his orders

Cahokia/mound builders Pueblo

Sioux/nomadic Plains Iroquois/longhouses

Etowah-local site

Etowah-cont.

Indirect Discoveries►Norse (Vikings)

985: Eric the Red, Greenland1000 AD: son, Leif Ericsson, Newfoundland; probably first European to reach N.A.

►Norwegian legends say Leif was followed by another expedition that stayed in Newfoundland for 3 years until being driven out by Natives. The colonists didn’t return and for the next 4 ¾ centuries, there was no known contact between Europeans and North Americans, until the late 1400s-1500s when a series of voyages took place.

►Why was this accomplished in the late 15th century and not before?

Moves toward exploration►Renaissance: intellectual, artistic,

scientific, creativity, technological change, attitudes, religious zeal/conflict (1350-1600, height late 1400s, early 1500s)

►Technological growthgunpowder (Chinese)sailing compass (Chinese)improvements in shipbuilding, mapmakingprinting press-1450, Johannes Gutenberg

Reasons To Sail► Political power► Urbanization► Economic (competition for trade: Africa, India,

China), greed, NW Passage?► Religious zeal (Catholic vs. Protestant) (Protestant

Reformation, Calvinism-1500s vs. Catholic Spain)► Curiosity► Advances in technology and knowledge

► BUT…Expensive, dangerous and time consuming

Early ExplorationsColumbus’ Legacy

►Seeking sea route to the Indies►Desiring success: enrich family, gain

honor/fame, convert people to Catholicism, trade spices and herbs (food, medicine), rivalry with Portugal (better route)

►1492-Isabella and Ferdinand (Spain)► Landed October 12-San Salvador in the

Bahamas►Brought gifts, including “Indians” back►3 subsequent trips►Died believing he found a western route to

Asia

Columbus

Columbus

Columbus’ Legacy►Positives vs. Negatives?

► Negatives:failure-didn’t find a new route, found a “New World”erroneously named “Indians”land discovered not even named after him, but rather another Italian, Amerigo Vespucciexchanges-germs/diseases

► Positives:skills as a navigatordaring/commitmentpermanent interaction between Europeans and Native Americansexchanges: new era of trade (Columbian Exchange)

Columbian Exchange

Americas to E,A,A: syphillis; from E,A,A: wheel, guns

Spanish Successes►Owed power in the New World to

explorers and conquistadores (conquerors)-see h.o.

►Secured initial supremacy►Gold supply up 500%; richest and

most powerful nation in Europe=competition

►1565-first city in present day U.S.-St. Augustine-had over 100 shops and homes, a fort, church, fish market, etc.

St. Augustine

Juan Ponce De Leon

Spanish Successes►Used religion as an instrument of

control►Catholic missions taught Christianity to

Indians

San Francisco Missions

Spanish Successes►The spread of the horse in America►“horses changed everything”

French Successes► 1st to pose a threat to the Spanish►Canada/Great Lakes region►Quebec► Fur trapping

And the English…to come