Exploration

What motivated the Europeans to come to the Americas What motivated the Europeans to come to the Americas? Who were the main European countries to begin exploring?

Exploration

Why is it important to sell more than you buy? Mercantilism When a country sells (exports) more than they buy (import) Why is it important to sell more than you buy? Why is mercantilism a motivation for exploration?

Did Christopher Colombus discover America?

Native American Tribes

Pre-Colonial Period Civilizations in the Americas Aztecs- Mexico Inca- Peru Mayans- Central America Land not colonized – native tribes in civilizations in Mexico, Central America, and South America Arrival of French, Spanish, and British destroyed many Native American civilizations because of weapons, disease, and warring between tribes and Spaniards

Contributions of Native Americans Agriculture: Introduction of new foods, such as maize, corn, squash. Irrigation: use of water-ways and waste removal systems. Hunting Methods: use of weapons such as harpoons, bows and arrows and spears. Adaptation of Environment: use of all animal parts for self-benefit such as the use of buffalo. What term best describes this exchange of ideas from the Native Americans to the Europeans?

Columbus comes to America Pre-Colonial Period 1492 Columbus comes to America

Pre-Colonial Period – Important People – Christopher Columbus Convinces Queen Isabella of Spain to let him go to “India” to look for more spices in the East Arrives in America Continues to make trips to America

Pre-Colonial Period - Columbian Exchange Exchange of animals, plants and diseases between the Americas and Europe during the late 1400s and early 1500s.

Pre-Colonial Period - Columbian Exchange

Why is the Columbian Exchange important to us today?

Conflict over land Portugal and Spain believed they both had rights to the new land in what they believed to be Asia This increased the exploration rivalry between Spain and Portugal The Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494: Line that divided Spain and Portugal’s claims. Spain got land west of the line, which included most of the Americas, Portugal got lands to the east which included parts of modern-day Brazil

After the Europeans came to America, there was a need for a strong labor force Why? Who did the Europeans try to force into labor before it was outlawed?

Middle Passage