Three Worlds Collide Native Americans Europeans and West

Three Worlds Collide…… Native Americans, Europeans, and West Africans WHAT HAPPENS WHEN VERY DIFFERENT SOCIETIES COLLIDE? WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN ONE SOCIETY IMPOSES ITS VALUES ON ANOTHER?

3 worlds collide

Native Americans �The first Americans likely arrived as early as 22, 000 years ago Bering Sea land bridge during the Ice Age. �Most of these early inhabitants Came by foot Were hunter/gatherers Diffused across N. , S. , and central America

Agriculture Develops � Between 10, 000 -5, 000 years ago an AG revolution took place in central MX � Domestication – corn/maize � Tremendous change Sedentary societies Economic specialization Larger organizational units Building of complex material culture

Native American Societies – Diverse and Complex �Great empires of Central and South America Olmec – southern MX beside Gulf of MX - 1200 BC Maya – Guatemala and Yucatan – 250 -900 AD Aztec – central MX – 1200 -1500 Inca – Peru – 1200 AD These empires rivaled those of ancient cultures in other parts of the world. Included – great cities, palaces, temples, pyramids, plazas

�Environmental Determinism N. American Native Societies 1492 Environmental Determinism – varied geographic landscapes of N. America encouraged vast diversity of Native American cultures

Northwest Natives �Avid traders �Acquisition of material goods resulted in higher status �Gift-giving ceremonies called potlatches marked public displays of wealth �Abundance of fish and mild climate made many tribes relatively prosperous �Carved elaborate and intricate totem poles (represented ancestral heritage)

Southwest Natives �Pueblo and Hopi �Arid conditions made life tougher – developed irrigation systems �Tribes such as the Apache were foragers – scrounging for everything from bison to grasshoppers �Living in villages and lived off the land as hunters and gatherers �Adobe houses

Great Plains Natives �Cheyenne, Sioux (Dakota), Crow, Comanche, Blackfoot �Game, especially bison, was plentiful �Few hunted because of no horses until the mid 1500 s �Tribes stalked, ambushes, and occasionally stampeded a herd of bison over a cliff �Semi-nomadic – packed up their teepees and moved on when the local food got scarce

Northeast Natives �Two large groups: Iroquois and Algonquin �Fought a lot �Tools and weapons made of copper and slate �Heavily wooded areas - invented a canoe made out of birch bark �Around 1450 five tribes formed the Iroquois League �Purpose: form an alliance against the Algonquin and settle disputes amongst themselves

Southeast Natives �A mix of hunting, gathering, and farming �Developed codes of law and judicial systems �Readily adopted European customs of running plantations, slaveholding, and raising cattle �Intermarried with Europeans �Referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes by the Europeans (Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, & the Seminoles) �https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=6 E 9 WU 9 TGrec&l ist=PL 8 d. Puua. Lj. Xt. Mwmep. Bj. TSG 593 e. G 7 Obz. O 7 s&inde x=1

Commonalities among Native Americans � 1. ) Elaborate trade networks � 2. ) Respect for land – sacred, not to be owned or sold as private property � 3. ) Religion – natural world filled with spirits (animism). Revere and respect past generations – their spirits guide the living � 4. ) Bonds of kinship – strong ties among family. Family = basic unit of organization � 5. ) Division of labor – based on gender, age, and status

View of land…. . �“When we dig roots we make little holes. When we build houses we make little holes…. we shake down acorns and pinenuts. We don’t chop down the trees. We use only dead wood for fires…. But the white people plow up the ground, pull down the trees, …. . and the tree says, ‘Don’t. I am sore. Don’t hurt me. ’”

West African Societies �In the late 1400 s W Africa had thriving trade, diverse cultures, and well ordered states �Songhai Empire – gained power and wealth in mid 1400 s – spans the dry Savanna grasslands Controlled trans-Sahara trade – rulers got rich taxing goods that passed through their realm Songhai Empire does Not stretch South into Forest kingdoms – Ibo, Oyo, Edo peoples

West African Culture �Strong kinship ties. Within family age = rank �Religion – animism – nature filled with spirits and see spiritual forces in both living and non-living objects �Worship variety of ancestral spirits and lesser gods but most believe in single creator �Collective land ownership in villages �Slavery – existed but NOT an inherited status one is born into based on race. Also usually not for life. �Compare and Contrast – W. African slavery with the slave system that will develop in the Americas? ?

European Culture �Nuclear family more important than extended �Social hierarchy – monarchs, nobles, merchants, peasants – little to no mobility �Division of labor based on gender and social class �Religion – Christian nations Reformation in 1500 s Catholic – Protestant divide Many European nations will look to spread their religion on the backs of their colonies Many early colonists pushed out by relig persecution Luther and his 95 Theses

EUROPEAN EXPLORATION ►The countries of Portugal, Spain, France and England explored in the late 1400 s for God, Gold, and Glory ►Improved mapmaking, better sailboats, compasses, astrolabes – all led to better exploration

European Claims in the New World

Portugal takes the lead! � Prince Henry the Navigator – established an up to date sailing school, developed and employed early technological innovations, and sponsored the earliest voyages � For 40 years Portugese camptains sail further and further south along the W. coast of Africa � 1488 Bartholomeu Dias first to round S. tip of Africa

Portugal arrives in India – da Gama � Vasco da Gama – first Portugese explorer to reach India. (1497/98) � Enables Portugal to expedite trade with Asia and cut their costs

Columbus Goes West � Christopher Columbus convinced Spain that he would find a route to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic � Aug 3, 1492 Columbus leaves Spain in Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria � No soldiers, priests or ambassadors – just sailors � Oct 12, 1492 – Columbus comes ashore - Hispanola

Columbus Returns to Build an Empire �What activities preoccupied Columbus as he explored the America’s? “I have been very attentive and have tried very hard to find out if there is any gold here. ” “It is my wish to bypass no island without taking possession. ” “In every place I have entered, islands and lands, I have always planted a cross. ” “Your Highness will order a city …. . built in these regions for these countries will be easily converted. ” “these people are so simple in deeds of arms…if your Highness order either to bring all of them to Castile or to hold them as captivos (slaves) on their own island it could easily be done, because with about 50 men you could subjugate them all, making them do whatever you want. ”

Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Biological Exchange Animals: Old World to New World: Horses Cattle Pigs Sheep Goats Chickens New World to Old World: Turkeys Llamas Alpacas Guinea Pigs

The Columbian Biological Exchange Old World to New World: Diseases: Smallpox Measles Chicken Pox Malaria Yellow Fever Influenza The Common Cold New World to Old World: Syphilis

The Columbian Biological Exchange Old World to New World: Plants: Rice Wheat Barley Oats Coffee Sugarcane Bananas Melons Olives Dandelions Daisies Clover Ragweed Kentucky Bluegrass New World to Old World: Corn (Maize) Potatoes (White & Sweet Varieties) Beans (Snap, Kidney, & Lima Varieties) Tobacco Peanuts Squash Peppers Tomatoes Pumpkins Pineapples Cacao (Source of Chocolate) Chicle (Source of Chewing Gum) Papayas Manioc (Tapioca) Guavas Avocados

European Disease �European diseases decimated Native populations �Death tolls reached 80 - 90% in the first couple generations �New diseases with no immunity - Small pox, typhus, cholera, measles

Columbian Exchange �What surprises you? Why? �Examples of syncretism? �Impacts…. ?

Columbus’ Legacy? One of…… Achievement, heroism, exploration, destiny Cruelty, genocide, slavery