The Atlantic World 1492 1800 Key Themes Cultural

The Atlantic World 1492 -1800

Key Themes • Cultural Interactions – Interaction between European states – Native interactions with European states • Economics – Mercantilism – Triangular Trade • Empire Building – The Establishment/Destruction of various European and Native Empires

Christopher Columbus • Made four voyages to the Americas • Voyages evolved over time • What is the controversy surrounding Christopher Columbus?

The Voyages of Christopher Columbus First Voyage Second Voyage • Explorer • Sought alternative trade route to Asia • 3 ships used • Encountered the Taino people • Sought gold and other riches • Empire Builder • Sought to establish an empire for Spain • 17 ships • Over 1, 000 soldiers and colonists

Columbus’s Voyages

Colonization • The establishment of colonies • Lands that are controlled by another, generally stronger nation • Colonies used to support a nation • How could foreign lands support a strong nation?

Amerigo Vespucci American continents named after him Sailed down the coast of South America

Ferdinand Magellan • Led first expedition that sailed around the world • Magellan’s crew made it around the globe • He was killed in the South Pacific

Spanish Conquistadors (Conquerors) • Hernan Cortes • Conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521 • Francisco Pizzaro • Conquered the Incan Empire by 1533

Fall of the Aztec Empire • Last Ruler: Montezuma II • Could not match Spanish weapons • Other natives aligning with Spanish • Disease (Smallpox)

Fall of the Incan Empire • Last Ruler: Atahualpa • Captured and held hostage by Pizarro • Ransom of gold and silver paid • Strangled • Empire without leadership falls apart

Spain’s Pattern of Conquest Reconquista Encomienda • Imposed Spanish culture on the natives • Often intermarried • Produced a Mestizo population • Spanish work system • Natives mined, farmed, and ranched land controlled by the Spanish • Oppressive system – Mixed Spanish and Native population

The Encomienda System

Other Spanish Explorers • Juan Ponce de Leon – Explored Florida • Francisco Coronado – Explored present day Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas

Spanish Explorations

Spanish Empire • Spain claimed a HUGE empire in the Americas • Various raw materials including gold and silver brought Spain great wealth

Opposition to Spanish Rule • Bartolome de Las Casas • Dominican Monk • Criticized the actions of Spain on encomiendas and treatment of natives

Pope • Native leader in today’s New Mexico • Led an organized resistance against Spanish

Human Cost • Spain carves out an immense empire in the Americas at a huge human cost • Millions of natives lost their lives – War – Disease (more deadly)

Two Legacies • Other European states would attempt explorations and empire building in the Americas • Natives continually subjected to harsh European rule

European Exploration

European Nations Settle North America Diverse Empire Building

Big Idea • European nations lay claim to large parts of North America, but England drives the French and Dutch out and creates the thirteen colonies.

Competing Claims in North America • France, the Netherlands, and England will each… – Attempt to find a Northwest Passage – Establish colonies in the Americas

French Explorers • Giovanni da Verrazano – Italian who sailed for France – Explored New York Harbor • Jacques Cartier (pictured) – Explored what is today Canada – Explored the St. Lawrence River – Founded Montreal

Verrazano’s Voyages

Cartier’s Exploration

More French Explorers • Samuel de Champlain – Established Quebec with 32 colonists – Became the base for the French colonial empire – New France • Jacques Marquette – Explored Great Lakes regions and… – Upper Mississippi River

Sieur de La Salle • Sieur de La Salle – Explored the lower Mississippi – Claimed large land mass of Louisiana

The La Salle Explorers

The French North American Trading Empire • Immense land trading empire • Sparsely populated • Why? – More interested in the fur trade than settlement

The English Arrive in North America • 1607: Jamestown established • Disastrous Start • More interested in finding gold • At times, starvation • Tobacco: “Savior of Jamestown”

Puritans Create a “New England” Pilgrims Puritans • Separatists from the Church of England • Founded Plymouth Plantation in 1620 • Famous Leader: William Bradford • Sought total religious freedom • Reformers of the Church of England • Founded Massachusetts Bay in 1630 • Famous Leader: John Winthrop • Sought religious freedom AND PROFITS

Pilgrims

John Winthrop • “City on a Hill” • Famous governor and leader of Massachusetts Bay Colony

Henry Hudson • Henry Hudson, and English Captain, was hired by the Dutch East India Company to scout for opportunities in North America, specifically the “Northwest Passage” • He explored three waterways looking for this passage • Later all named after him – Hudson River – Hudson Bay – Hudson Strait • Through these voyages, the Dutch claimed settlements in modern day New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

The Dutch • Formed the Dutch West India Company (1621) • Colonized the region • Included present day Manhattan • Became New Netherlands

The Dutch vs. The British • The British easily defeated the Dutch • The British were starting to become one of the world’s strongest powers • Opened up the Atlantic coast of North America for worldwide trade

Britain vs. France • French and Indian War (1754) • Caused by a dispute over the Ohio Valley • Part of a larger European War (Seven Years’ War) • British win war by 1763

Before and After

Native Americans Interactions with Europeans in North America • While some peaceful trade existed, Natives fought against… – Dutch – French – BRITISH (ESPECIALLY)

British View Towards Natives • British pushed the Natives off of land • Wanted Natives isolated • Saw Natives as heathens (little attempts to convert) • How does this view compare to the Spanish?

War Between Colonists and Natives • English battled Powhatan around Jamestown • King Philip’s War – Native leader Metacom and his warriors defeated by British – Massacres on both sides • Why do you think the fighting was so ferocious?

Disease (Artist Representation) • Natives decimated by diseases • Smallpox ravaged whole tribes • Led to a severe labor shortage in colonies • Who would fill the void?

British Treatment of Natives • Would foreshadow future cruel actions of the United States towards native populations • Methods which the US would also use in deal with Native Americans: – Treaties not followed by the US – Taking away of land – Forced migrations – War

The Atlantic Slave Trade Oppressive Cultural Interactions

Big Idea • The slave trade decimates African social and family life, and millions of slaves are brought to the Americas to work.

Agency • Purposeful, goal-oriented activities of individuals or groups of people • Think about the agency of Europeans and Africans in this story

Slavery • A 10, 000 year old system • Existed around the world • Usually conquered prisoners of war • However, race would play a key role in the Americas • Hereditary

Causes of Slavery • Existed in Africa for hundreds of years • Slave trade spread through Muslim slave trade • Slaves had some avenues to advance

Demand for Africans • Needed to replace native slaves • Why Africans? • Africans had built up immunity to Euro. Diseases • Experience in farming • Ignorance of landscape • Easily identifiable by skin color

Atlantic Slave Trade (The Numbers) Between 1500 -1600 300, 000 slaves brought Between 1600 -1700 1. 3 million slaves brought • By 1870 • 9. 5 million slaves brought to Americas • •

Atlantic Slave Trade

Slavery Spreads Throughout the Americas • England would be a leader in the slave trade • Transported 1. 7 million slaves • Transported 400, 000 to what would become USA • By 1830: Grew to 2 million

African Cooperation and Resistance • Local African rulers directly participated in the slave trade • Traded for gold, guns, and other goods • Africans enslaved did not go willingly • Agency of Africans – Would resist enslavement by various means

African Resistance

A Forced Journey • Triangular Trade System • Europe: Manufactured goods • Africa: Slaves • Americas: Raw Materials • Note: There were various ways for these goods to travel

The Middle Passage • Voyage that brought Africans to West Indies • Later transported to Americas • Appalling Conditions • 20% of slaves died each trip • Disease and suicide (agency)

The Middle Passage Crammed Into the Holds of Ships

Olaudah Equiano • “the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died, thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. ”

African Agency • Africans kept their culture alive • Musical and oral traditions

African Agency • Africans privately and openly opposed slavery • Private: Broke tools, uprooted plants, and worked slowly • Public: Led slave rebellions (Stono Rebellion of 1739)

African Resistance

African Resistance

Consequences of Slavery • Broke apart African families • Africans added distinct labor and culture in Americas • Many American nations have significant African. American peoples

The Columbian Exchange and Global Trade Capitalism! Mercantilism! Communism…. . ! (Not Yet)

Big Idea • The colonization of the Americas leads to global exchange of food, plants, animals, and diseases. These goods enrich the diets and economies of Europe and further shatters the native civilizations of the New World.

The Columbian Exchange • Global transfer of foods, • Americas sent back plants, and animals items never seen before during colonization of in Asia, Africa, and the Americas Europe • Including – Tomatoes, squash, pineapples, tobacco, cacao beans, turkey – CORN AND POTATOES

The Columbian Exchange • Europe/Africa/Asia introduced new things as well • Including – Horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs – Bananas, black-eyed peas, yams – Grains: wheat, rice, barley, and oats – Disease: smallpox, measles, influenza, malaria

Global Trade • Colonial empires influenced nations of Europe • New wealth + overseas trade = new business and trade practices

The Rise of Capitalism • Economic system based on private ownership and investment of resources (money) • Businesses across Europe grew and Flourished • Why? • Overseas colonization and trade

One Effect: Inflation • Steady rise in the price of goods • Increased money supply increased demand for goods • Supply often could not keep up • Thus goods were scarce and valuable

Joint-Stock Companies • Investors bought shares of stock in a company • Paid for establishment of overseas colonies • Examples: Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay

The Growth of Mercantilism • Economic policy that emphasized the importance of wealth and a good balance of trade

Mercantilism

Mercantilism (Two Important Steps) Step 1: Gold! • Obtain lots of gold and silver Step 2: Favorable Balance of Trade • Sell more goods than you buy • Exports out value imports

What role did colonies play in mercantilism? • Provided silver and gold • Provided raw materials • Was a sizeable market for manufactured goods

Economic Revolution Changes European Society • Great changes in European society • Growth of towns • Rise of merchants • Increased wealth of nations • Strengthening of national identities • Yet…… • Europe still a largely rural society • Most Europeans did not enjoy social mobility like merchants • Communism? • Not Yet.

Items that came from the Old World • • • Onion Carrot Garlic Rats Pigeons Diseases Lettuce Coffee Hazelnuts Sugar • • • Rice Watermelon Olives Citrus Fruits Bananas Yams Honey Bee Horses Peaches Artichokes Cantaloupe

Items that came from the New World • • • Llama Vanilla Corn Chili Pepper Tomato Potato Cotton Cranberry Sweet Potato Sun Flowers • • Pineapple Pecans Tobacco Cacao Beans