Transcript Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Worlds Apart Native American Societies before 1492 • Paleo-Indians and the Archaic period – 8000 BC – 1500 BC – Over time adaptation occurred to meet changing climatic conditions and regional demands • Growth of agriculture or the persistence of hunting and gathering • Growth of civilization • Development of culture (language and religion) • Growth in the exchanging of ideas (trade) Different cultures • Mesoamerican cultures – – – – The birth place of agriculture The mother culture (Olmec) Mayan (Teotihuacan), Aztec (Tenochtitlan) Aztec grew to be the most dominant, which ultimately led to their demise. • North American cultures – Anasazis “ancient alien ones” (Navaho) • The Caribbean Islanders – Tainos (Columbus’s first encounter) Cultural perceptions and misperceptions • Inevitable in unfamiliar groups – Alien customs were perceived by both parties as inferior. – Religious differences (recorded in writing by Europeans and preserved in oral tradition by Native Americans) were the hardest to reconcile. – Equality of men and women. (men dominated Euro. Society) – Intentions to control the land West African Societies • Geographical and political characteristics – Vast and complex – Driven by Muslim traders from the north – Destroyed by the trade wars that ensued b/t European and Muslim powers. – Trade networks linked coastal regions to the interior of the continent. • Family structure and religion – family connections were tied in clans – Believed ancestors acted as mediators for the living European contact and the slave trade • Rumors of gold • For European Kingdoms to expand trade and keep up with competition with Muslim traders, the continent of Africa had to be penetrated. • Europe’s greatest source of wealth, slaves, became its primary business in Africa. Western Europe on the Eve of Discovery • Recovery from the Hundred Years’ War and the end of the Black Death meant a redefinition of labor and productivity which ultimately led to a social, economic, and political golden age. • The Renaissance – rebirth in interest in classical civilizations with importance placed in the arts. • New inventions that fueled discovery both by kingdoms at large and individuals (printing press and self-knowledge) European Society • Hierarchical – Monarchy – Aristocrats and the Royal Family – independent land owners – Landless peasants and laborers • Patriarchal – Men dominated political, social, economic and religious life. – Property could only be owned by men. Major Events in Europe’s Rise • Reconquista (conclusion-1492) • Reformation (1517-Martin Luther) • Protestantism (rebellion against Holy Roman Empire and Charles V) (Germany) • Predestination (John Calvin-radical change in protestant reformation) • Pope’s Counter-reconquista which ultimtely leads to the Inquisition and continual wars b/t Catholics and Protestants. The Lure of European Discovery Spanish and Portuguese Conquest Christopher Columbus The Spanish Conquistadores The impact of colonization on the Spanish political and economic systems The Columbian Exchange • Exchange of plants, animals, and diseases. Competition for a Continent • Early French Efforts in North America • English Attempts in the New World • Spain and Portugual – Treaty of Tordesillas – Lineof Demarcation Conclusion The meeting of Cortes and Montezuma II at Tenochtitlan, 8 November 1519. (Oil on canvas). This artist’s rendering, based on archaeological evidence, suggests the size and magnificence of the Mississippian city of Cahokia. By the thirteenth century, it was as populous as medieval London, and served as a center of trade for the vast interior of North America. Craftsman from the West African kingdom of Benin were renowned for their remarkable bronze sculptures. This intricate bronze plaque depicts four African warriors in full military dress. The two tiny figures in the background may be Portuguese soldiers, who first arrived in Benin in the late fifteenth century. Located in Djenné, Mali, this massive mosque, made of sun-hardened mud, dates from the fourteenth century.