Disrupting an “Old World,” to Create a “New World.” Lecture One: Disrupting an “Old World,” to Create a “New World.” Key Themes #1 The World and Water #2 European Exploration and Colonization #3 Indigenous Communities in North America #4 Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

#1: The World- 15th Century By 1500 Geo-political map: trade, conflict, and disease Spice World: Japan, China, Molucca Islands, Borneo, Sumatra, India Gunpowder Empires: Ottoman Empire, Portuguese, Spanish, Safavid, Russia Rodolfo Acuna: Occupied America: Spain in North America: violent disruption 15th and 16th Centuries Era of Western global exploration, expansion. Warfare in the “New World- Land and Religion. Spanish verses English Foundations for “contact and conquest”- Africa, Meso-American states

Water: Cross-Cultural Interactions Commercial New trade routes= increase in port cities Merchant houses in Europe Bankers in Italy Mercantilism Network of over-seas European colonies Supported by war Triangle Trade= Enslavement in New World Cultural- Religion, Ideologies, Laws, Customs, and Values (Also institutional) Biological Food crops, animal stocks, disease (The Columbian Exchange) European mariners New sea routes to markets of Asia Direct contact with sub-Saharan Africa and Asia Gave rise to early modern history: 1500-1800 (the Atlantic World) 15th century, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch trading posts on coast of West Africa “Liquid foundation”- empire building/ conquest of “New World”

#2: Motives and Support Systems for European Colonization Economics: Establish trade routes Religion Adventure/Fame Competition: Spain and England Occurred Emergence of centralized European monarchies Obtained means to finance endeavors New technologies: maps, charts, ships, compass, knowledge of winds Support System: Trade Transportation networks Silk Roads in China Caravans in Sahara desert Sea-lanes: Water: Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins

Exploration and Colonization in the “New” World China: Indian Ocean Basin Portuguese: Africa’s west coast 15th century Goals: Commercial activities + Religious (missionary work) Colonization of Atlantic Islands Indian Ocean trade Muslim intermediaries Portuguese ships with cannons=European imperialism Christopher Columbus: rejected by Portuguese/sponsored by Spain Place in history. Spain: Violent intrusion into Americas: Occupied America, (Acuna.) Conquistadors- 1519- H. Cortes Encomienda System: Institution of laws Indigenous became Spanish subjects Catholic Missionaries: “a double-edged sword” Protestant Reformation intensified national rivalries Decline of Indigenous population- import of enslaved Africans Results of Spanish conquest Economics, Environmental, Political, Religious/Spiritual, Social.

#3: Indigenous Societies Physical Environments of North America Three Types of Regional Cultures Matrilineal societies and Patriarchy Three Eras Paleo-Indian era Archaic Era Pre-Columbian Era Indigenous Knowledge Relationship with Land/Environment

Indigenous Communities Encounter European Invader View of Colonizers Christopher Columbus- called indigenous “children of nature.” 2. Gender Assumptions of Indigenous Women Political Power 3. European Stereotypes Squaws Patriarchal assumptions 4. Cultural Assumptions Europeans were “convinced of their own superiority…” 5. Consequences of Contact Environmental Economics Gender: Women in Power Political Social Language: Power (laws and trade “agreements”) Writing of History: Cyclical verses Linear

Indigenous Perceptions of the Invader Odd, Foolish, Strange Body Odors Food Preparation and Seasoning Ignored Religious Rituals No Gifts Housing Ignored Women as Negotiators

#4: Enslavement: Africa: The Point of Contact Islam 8-10th century Mutually beneficial to African rulers and Muslims merchants 15th Century: Affects of Portuguese in Africa (Colonialism) Political upheaval Outright conquest and settlement Created tensions and warfare Economic exploitation Social Disruption States of West and East Africa Songhay Empire: Muslim emperors, engaged in trans-Saharan trade Fall to Moroccan army in 1591 Decline of Swahili city-states in east Africa Vasco da Gama- forced Kilwa to pay tribute/ Created economic imbalance Portuguese naval fleet- secured trade routes Kingdoms of Central and South Africa Kongo: 14th century/ established diplomatic/commercial relations 1482 King Afonso Wrote letter to Portugal about horrors of chattel enslavement (early 1500s) Different than African slavery Slave raiding in Kongo Resistance At Point of Contact. Kingdom of Ndongo (modern Angola) Queen Nzinga (1623-1663)- rebelled against Portuguese

The Atlantic Slave Trade 1. Foundations of Slavery in Ancient World Every ancient society: war captives, criminals or outcasts (Rome) Labor: cultivators, administrators, enemies, soldiers, earned freedom (African slavery) Islamic slave trade- East Africa (10 million-8th and 18th century) (Qu’ran and slavery) 2. Foundations for Enslavement in Modern (Atlantic) World-1500-1888. (Chattel Enslavement) White Supremacy: Ideology and Praxis. Institutional: Legal. Enslavement: economics and creation of social construct: Race. Scholars: Walter Rodney, Eric Williams, David Brion Davis. Industrialization, creation of labor force, destruction of the African past and culture. (Cedric J. Robinson) From Cradle to Grave: Chattel Enslavement. No freedom. Reduced to labor force in North America. 3. Human Cargo (First Atlantic System- 1502-1580) Triangular Trade: All three legs of voyage profitable Middle Passage- “Bones on the floor of the Atlantic” Earliest 1441 Portuguese/ 1460- five hundred slave ships per year 15th century-Sugar plantations- Caribbean/ 1530s Brazil Spanish- Caribbean, Mexico, Peru, Central America English, Dutch, French- 17th century North America (Second Atlantic System- 1581-) 4. Myths & Distinctions-Enslavement in the Atlantic World. Research and Scholarship: Numbers, (ship logs), merchant records, wills, probate records. “Africans sold their own…” Enslavement disrupted African history. Research numbers and geographical locations. “But others were slaves too…” See Chart: “Indentured servants, Slaves, Enslaved.” “But some Blacks owned slaves too…” Early colonial history. Legal institution created in 1640s (Virginia) Historians call this apprenticeship. Not chattel. Future children are not enslaved. Different work patterns. Opportunity to purchase freedom. See Anthony Johnson Purchased contracts of five indentured servants. (early colonial period) See William Johnson The Barber of Natchez. (Antebellum Natchez.) Owned 15 slaves. Extensive remarks about shades of skin color=support of white supremacy. Wanted to be accepted into Natchez society. (Wealth and Power = land and slaves. )

Resistance to Enslavement Occurred At point of Contact During Middle Passage Every Facet of Society, Each day, in the “New World” Forms Overt Covert Creation of Maroon Communities Hispaniola 1522 Haiti- 1790s. Impact: After 1600- Affected every part of Africa Introduced fire-arms Fostered conflict and violence Growth of the state of Dahomey The African Diaspora: Ashanti proverb, “the tree is not cut…” Plantation Societies- Introduction of cash crops- Colonies: tobacco, sugar, rice, cotton Sustaining African cultural traditions Creation of Slave Family: Survival. Resistance. Charter Generation: Abdul Rahman (Futa Jalon to Mississippi to Liberia.)