Chapter 1.4-5

European Societies Around 1492&Transatlantic Encounters

European Societies• The European Social Order

Early 1400s - Communities are organized according to social hierarchy

• The Family in Society

Life centers on nuclear family – parents and their children

Men did physical labor, women did housework

Top

•Monarchs

•Nobles

Mid.

•Artisans

•Merchants

Bott.

•Peasants (majority)

Christianity Shapes Outlook

• Religion Catholic Church was immensely powerful in Europe

Major part of Christianity is conversion

• Crusading Christianity Crusades – Christian military expeditions to take

Holy Land

Horrible failure, but it led to…

Introduction of exotic goods from far away lands—created appetite for trade

Weakened nobility; monarchs became rich & powerful

Weakened Catholic Church creation of Protestantism

Changes in Europe

• The Rise of Nations Now-powerful monarchs collect new taxes, raise

armies, strengthen central governments

Major European powers emerge: Portugal, Spain, France, England

• The Renaissance“Thank God it has been permitted to us to be born in this new age, so full of hope and promise!”

Renaissance starts in Italy – new interest in the world and human achievement

Encouraged glory-seeking

New Age of Expansion

•Overland Travel to AsiaEuropeans wanted to experience Asia, but land-routes were dangerous and $$$

•Sailing TechnologyNavigating instruments, new sailing technology promote exploration

Why Explore the World?

• Trade-hungry population

• Wealthy, powerful monarchs needed $$$ and new trade routes

• Renaissance promoted glory-seeking

• Less dangerous sea-route to Asia

• Major improvements in sailing tech.

• Christianity demands conversion

Section 4: Transatlantic Encounters

• First Encounters In 1492, Christopher Columbus

attempts to reach Asia by sailing west

Meets Taino – natives of Caribbean

• Gold, Land, and Religion Columbus searches for gold, claims

Caribbean islands (Cuba, Hispaniola) for Spain, plants crosses

• Spanish Footholds Columbus leads 3 more voyages; brings

soldiers, priests, colonists

Christopher Columbus, Day One in “India”

“They [Taino] are friendly and well-dispositioned people who bear no arms…they traded and gave everything they had with good will.”

Christopher Columbus, Day Three in “India”

“It would be unnecessary to build a fort here because these people are so simple in deeds of arms…If Your Highnesses order either to bring all of them to Castile or to hold them as slaves on their own island it could easily be done, because with about fifty men you could control and subjugate them all, making them do whatever you want.”

Impact on Native Americans

• Methods of Colonization Colonization – establishing and controlling

distant settlements

Europeans use superior weapons to force natives to become laborers

Some natives resist; brutally put down

• Disease Ravages the Native Americans Europeans bring disease (measles, mumps,

chicken pox, smallpox, typhus) to New World

Native Americans had no immunity to these diseases

Thousands upon thousands die from disease

Europeans enslave Native Americans to work on plantations

Natives contract European diseases

Natives die in 1,000sDemand for African

slaves increases

Europeans purchase slaves from Africa

Europeans still need laborers

Price for African slaves increases

Slave trade grows

African slavery becomes

commonplace throughout New

World

The Slave Trade Begins

African LossesAfrican societies devastated: 12 million of their strongest, fittest people stolen

Impact on Europeans

The Columbian Exchange

•Thousands of Europeans voluntarily migrate to America

•Columbian Exchange: transfer of plants, animals between hemispheres

A New Society is Born

Cultures Affect One Another

• England attempts to transplant its culture to N. America Only semi-successful—Africans and

Natives refused to give up cultural indentity

• African, European, and N. American cultures blended together—multiculturalism

Credits• http://polaris.umuc.edu/~tcarriza/images/exchange.gif

• http://www.wanglong.us/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/the_columbian_exchange.jpg