“O’ Brave New World!” Chapter 6

European Imperialism The treaty of Tordesillas (TOR-thase- lyas) Spain and Portugal could not come to an agreement on who got what land. They asked the Pope to settle the problem. He proposed a secret treaty, An invisible line to be drawn north to south. Spain got the land on the west side, and Portugal got the land on the east side. England and France ignored these treaty rules, and took what they wanted.

Taking Charge Imperialist behavior partially came from the Europeans attitude toward the Indigenous people that they found in Central and South America ,‘New Spain’ it was called. The Spanish people enslaved the natives to work the land and mine for precious metals.

Imperialist Treasure Goods and wealth from the lands of the Aztec, and Incan Empires in ‘New Spain’ resulted in great riches for Spain. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_LDv-Yzybw Tonnes of gold and silver and countless emeralds shipped from ‘New Spain’ made Spain the richest country in Europe for a time.

The Cost of Imperialism The thriving civilizations of the Inca and Aztec’s were destroyed in a few years by the Spanish. Where ever the Europeans explored in the New World, the Indigenous people paid a terrible cost. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P99grcBer30 Some indigenous cultures completely died off. Such as the Beothuk of Newfoundland and the Ona of Tierra del Fuego.

Mapping Changing Worldviews Europeans found that the world was very different from how they originally thought. The Portuguese set up trading colonies on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Portugal became the most powerful trading country in Europe. When the Spanish took over the Inca and the Aztecs they became the riches country in the world.

Cont’d Other countries like England, France and the Netherlands saw that through imperialism (gaining power in other parts of the world) they too could grow wealthy. In the late Renaissance, they began to compete for over seas markets.

For Queen and Country! Francis Drake captured Spanish treasure ships coming back from New Spain. He brought these riches back to England earning the gratitude of Queen Elizabeth I.

Queen Elizabeth I Was well educated. Fluent in Latin and Greek. Great patron of the arts. Under her rule England defeated Spain ( the most powerful country at the time) in a naval battle. She contributed to England’s transformation into a prosperous trading country and a world power.

The success of England gave its people a sense of confidence and pride. We call this patriotism.

Making Contact Europeans became interested in the thought of the Indigenous people in the other world. books gave them information on these foreign people. The books talked about how the indigenous were closer to nature than the Europeans, and they lived in a cleaner environment (not crowded, dirty cities).

Expansionism and Imperialism Europeans still saw themselves as being superior, and their quest to be the most powerful country they felt was important. The need for land and resources lead them to disregard the rights of the indigenous and First Nations. European expansionism also contributed to the establishment of African slaves. It was carried out mainly by English merchant traders, and plantation owners that needed laborers.

Citizens of the World! The printing press Humanism Trade and the motivation to venture into the unknown. Europeans imposed their religion, ideas, values and economic system where ever they went. The Renaissance was the first step to the way that we live today.