American Journey, The A History of the United States, 7E By David Goldfield
Email: Richard@qwconsultancy.com
Chapter 1 WORLDS APART Learning Objectives: 1.1
How did the precontact histories of Native Americans, especially in the centuries just before 1492, shape their encounters with Europeans?
1.2
What were the key characteristics of West African society?
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How did events in Europe both shape and inspire exploration of the Americas?
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What were the biological consequences of contact between Europeans and Native Americans?
1.5
Why did early French and English efforts at colonization falter?
Chapter Outline: Preparatory resources addressing key topics related to this chapter: •
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Watch the MyHistoryLab Video Series: Key Topics in U.S. History o A New World: To 1607 o The First Americans o The Expansion of Europe o The Protestant Reformation Read Personal Journeys Online o Christopher Columbus, Journal of the First Voyage, October 12, 1492. Account of his first meeting with Caribbean islanders. o Martin Frobisher, Account of First Voyage to the New World, 1576. Description of his arrival in Canada and his encounter with native people.
I.
Native American Societies before 1492 A. Hunters, Harvesters, and Traders B. The Development of Agriculture C. Nonfarming Societies • Read the Document: Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, “Indians of the Rio Grande” (1530s) D. Mesoamerican Civilizations 1. The Mayans 2. The Aztecs E. North America’s Diverse Cultures 1. Ancestral Puebloans 2. Plains Indians 3. Mound-building cultures 4. The Caribbean Islanders
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West African Societies • Read the Document: Askia Muhammad al-Turi, Reform in Songhai (1500)
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Geographical and Political Differences 1. Artisans and merchants 2. Farming and gender roles Family Structure and Religion European Merchants in West Africa and the Slave Trade
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Western Europe on the Eve of Exploration A. The Consolidation of Political and Military Authority B. Religious Conflict and the Protestant Reformation
IV.
Contact A. The Lure of Discovery 1. Advances in navigation and shipbuilding B. Christopher Columbus and the Westward Route to Asia • Watch the Video: What Is Columbus’s Legacy? C. The Spanish Conquest and Colonization 1. The end of the Aztec Empire 2. The fall of the Inca Empire 3. Spanish incursions to the north 4. The seeds of economic decline D. The Columbian Exchange • Read the Document: José de Acosta, The Columbian Exchange (1590) • Use MyHistoryLab Explorer to answer, How Did Global Exploration Change the Old and New Worlds? E. Cultural Perceptions and Misperceptions
V.
Competition for a Continent A. Early French Efforts in North America B. English Attempts in the New World 1. The colonization of Ireland 2. Expeditions to the New World • Read the Document: Thomas Harriot, The Algonquian Peoples of the Atlantic Coast (1588) • Analyze From Then to Now: The Disappearance of Cod from the Grand Banks 3. The Roanoke colony
VI.
Conclusion
Chapter Summary: Chapter 1 provides an introduction to United States history by exploring the backgrounds of the three major cultures that came together to create the New World. Topics discussed include descriptions of Native American, West African, and European societies on the eve of contact; the motivations for European exploration and settlement in the New World; early Spanish, French, and British settlements; and the impact of contact with Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans during the sixteenth century. 1.1
Native American Societies Before 1492
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Prior to European contact, North America contained a large and diverse Native American population, with different cultures, subsistence practices, and political organizations. Over the course of centuries, various native societies had flourished, but by the time Europeans arrived, some of the most powerful empires were in decline. 1.2 West African Societies West African societies varied in size from small kingdoms to large empires. Most people lived by farming, but there were also many skilled artisans. Religion and family ties were central to West African life. Although contact with Europe was limited, Europeans were aware of the African gold trade. 1.3 Western Europe on the Eve of Exploration By the end of the fifteenth century, Western Europe had recovered from the warfare and epidemics of earlier years. But it would soon be fragmented by religious divisions stemming from the Protestant Reformation. Such divisions led to renewed conflict and competition among European states that would affect New World exploration. 1.4 Contact Columbus’s effort to reach Asia via a westward voyage across the Atlantic led to the European discovery of America. Spanish soldiers quickly conquered the Aztec and Incan empires, abetted by the deaths of Native Americans lacking immunity to European diseases. The transmission of germs was one of many biological consequences of contact. 1.5 Competition for a Continent Columbus’s effort to reach Asia via a westward voyage across the Atlantic led to the European discovery of America. Spanish soldiers quickly conquered the Aztec and Incan empires, aided by the deaths of Native Americans lacking immunity to European diseases. The transmission of germs was one of many biological consequences of contact.
Key Terms: 1.1 o o o o
culture areas Geographical regions inhabited by peoples who share similar basic patterns of subsistence and social organization. Aztecs A warrior people who dominated the Valley of Mexico from about 1100 until their conquest in 1519–1521 by Spanish soldiers led by Hernán Cortés. Cahokia Located near modern St. Louis, this was one of the largest urban centers created by Mississippian peoples, containing perhaps 30,000 residents in 1250. Great League of Peace and Power Confederation of five Iroquois nations— the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas—formed in the fifteenth century to diminish internal conflict and increase collective strength against their enemies.
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Songhai Empire A powerful West African state that flourished between 1450 and 1591, when it fell to a Moroccan invasion.
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reconquista The long struggle (ending in 1492) during which Spanish Christians reconquered the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim occupiers, who first invaded in the eighth century. Reformation Sixteenth-century movement to reform the Catholic Church that ultimately led to the founding of new Protestant Christian religious groups.
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Protestants Europeans who supported reform of the Catholic Church in the wake of Martin Luther’s critique of church practices and doctrines. predestination The belief that God decided at the moment of Creation which humans would achieve salvation.
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Columbian Exchange The transatlantic exchange of plants, animals, and diseases that occurred after the first European contact with the Americas.
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Treaty of Tordesillas Treaty negotiated by the pope in 1494 to resolve the territorial claims of Spain and Portugal. It drew a north–south line approximately 1,100 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, granting all lands west of the line to Spain and all lands east of the line to Portugal. This limited Portugal’s New World empire to Brazil but confirmed its claims in Africa and Asia.
1.5
Topics for Essays, Classroom Discussion, or Classroom Lecture: 1. Discuss pre-Columbian Native American culture, stressing the diversity and complexity of indigenous societies in the New World. Point out differences in population dispersal and density and the variety of religions, architecture, art, and political and economic organization in these cultures. Discuss the meaning of the term “civilization” and what modern-day Americans mean when they describe a society or culture as “civilized.” Have students question the traditional historical assertion that American history began with the arrival of Europeans and suggest that European settlement simply initiated another phase of American history. 2. Discuss the factors contributing to the development of European interest in exploration and settlement in the New World. Because the United States originated as British colonies, focus specifically on the British motivation. A complete treatment of the issue would examine both political and individual reasons for movement into the New World. Include in the political discussion such issues as the national pursuit of a mercantile economic policy, the political power associated with the acquisition of empire, the expansion of military power, and the missionary motive. Considering the individual, how did religion, economic hardship, and the lure of adventure impact many people’s decisions to go to the New World? 3. Compare and contrast Native American, European, and West African society on the eve of contact. How did beliefs regarding land ownership, family, religion, and law and justice impact relations among these groups? How did each group regard the others and why? 4. Compare and contrast European perception and treatment of Native Americans and Africans during the sixteenth century. What negative impressions did Europeans hold about each society? Did they see anything positive or worthy in either culture? Discuss the distinction between race and culture. To what extent did race and culture define the European perception and treatment of each group? Which of these factors—race or culture—contributed most to the European perception of Native Americans? Which contributed most to the European perception of Africans? 5. Organize a group classroom activity in which students develop an understanding of Native American, West African, and European culture. Organize students in the classroom into groups so that one-third of the class is working on Native American culture, one-third on West African culture, and one-third on European culture. For example, in a class of 30, set up six groups of five, with two groups working on each culture. Have them examine religion, family,
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