Transcript File
Who were the first Americans? The Pilgrims? Sorry folks! My men and I were definitely not the first Americans. JAMESTOWN SETTLERS? The Vikings? PETER GRIFFIN? THE FIRST AMERICANS • Spoke hundreds of different languages • Lived in numerous kinds of societies • Way of life greatly affected by their environment (what they ate, grew, wore, etc…) How did they arrive in present-day North and South America? Theories: 1)Crossed the Bering Strait via a land bridge (strip of land that connected Asia and North America – now under water) 2)By sea from Asia or Pacific Islands Why did they spread all over North & South America? Hunters and gatherers migrated – went where there was food Finally stayed put when agriculture (growing crops such as maize (corn), squash and beans) Agriculture = no more hunting and gathering = less foot pain/ blisters = civilizations possible Native American Religion = the best -Halloween Religious ceremoniesparty – called upon supernatural powers for guidance ever! - Sacred spirits could be found in all kinds of living and non-living things - Most Indians believed that in a single Creator Who the *#@! is that? I don’t know but something tells me the party is over! Who’s to blame? When in doubt, blame it on Christopher Columbus? Let’s back up a little – start from the beginning. Europe before Exploration: DEAD OR DUMB - Bubonic Plague also known as the “Black Death” killed about 1/3 of Europe’s population in the 1340s A.D. - Academic and spiritual leaders thought “everything worth knowing had already been discovered by the ancient Greeks and Romans.” So what changed between 1340s and 1492? Trading and fighting with people of the Mediterranean and Muslim world Increased knowledge of other people, cultures, navigation tools/techniques Hunger for more knowledge/wealth and the ability to travel to distant lands Goodbye Mediterranean Sea Hello Atlantic Ocean RACE TO INDIA GOAL: Get to India without going through the Middle East so to avoid Arab merchants who charge way too much for goods from India/China CONTENDERS: Representing Portugal: and Bartholomeu Dias Representing Spain: Christopher Columbus Vasco da Gama “Suckers – I’m taking a shortcut” EURASIA START END AFRICA FI487 – “I QUIT” 1498 – “I WIN” “What happened to Chris? Columbus knew the earth was round. He believed that sailing west= shortcut to Asia. No one in Europe knew that two giant continents (North and South America) lay 3,000 miles west. The world according to Europeans 1492- “I made it to India first! I win!” Sorry folks but we’ve been here for hundreds of years. Yay!!! It’s a NEW WORLD!! Let’s put on our costumes and scare the #$%^ out of them! Haha! Exploring and claiming foreign lands is one thing… What you thinking John? It might sound crazy James, but I’m thinking about living here. …living there is another thing. I’m happy that our brave explorers have claimed lands in my honor. Now, I’m thinking of establishing colonies in this so-called New World. At the same time… What is a colony? Maybe call it Virginia! A colony is an area under the full or partial control of another country, typically a distant one, and occupied by settlers from that country.