Who am I?

Christopher Columbus August 3, 1492 – Columbus and three ships sail from Spain Born in Italy and sailed for Spain Purpose: Sail to Asia (India) by going west across the Atlantic instead of around Africa (Portuguese)

Chris’s View of the World What’s the problem with his view?

Was Columbus the First? NO!!!! The Chinese? The Vikings? The Phoenicians? Now back to Columbus...

Why Explore? Motives (Reasons) for Exploration = GOLD, GLORY, GOD Gold = more land; new markets (people to buy goods); money $$$$ Glory = power for exploring nation God = spread Christianity to new lands

More Columbus Set off to find a quicker route to the West Indies. Crew was near mutiny when land was sighted. Landed in Hispaniola (DR and Haiti) (thought it was the West Indies) Indigenous people called themselves the Taino (“noble ones”). He called them something else… Los Indios…..translation Indians….WHY???? Thus began the move from the Old World (Europe) to the New World (Americas)

Where did they Settle? Spanish – English – French – Africans – built settlements in the Caribbean, South America and Central America settled in North America (present day United States) settled in present-day Canada were brought to work on large plantations in the Caribbean and Southern English colonies

Comparing Three Worlds American Indians Europeans West Africans What were their religious beliefs? Nature-based Spiritual relationship between man and Earth Christianity Everyone should be Christian Islam (in some areas) Nature-based (in other places) What was their government? tribes (simple) confederations empires (complex) nations and kings beginning to have ideas about individual rights Kingdoms w/ rulers Council of elders What were their economic systems? Communal ownership of land Live in harmony with land -- use it to sustain life and not to create wealth Private ownership of property Labor + land = wealth Communal ownership of land Extensive trade in a variety of goods What kind of technology did they have? Bows, arrows, spears and tomahawks Simple farming and hunting tools Advanced weaponry, including guns, cannons and armor Navigational abilities Depending on area – simple farming tools or complex trading equipment

Impact of Discovery Colonization – The establishment of distant settlements controlled by parent country. Often times natives were forced into work on plantations Europeans brought many new diseases with them to the New World…..

Disease is BAD! What will the Europeans do??? Population decrease estimates between 1/3 and 1/2 of native population. Decrease in population means decrease in workforce. What will the Europeans do???

Slave Trade Begins With so many Natives dying of disease, Europeans turned to the slave trade to replenish labor force. Africans were more resistant to Old World disease and less familiar with New World (less likely to escape). Europeans began using these slaves in the New World.

The Columbian Exchange An exchange of living things between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (North America)

Columbian Exchange

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