Ch. 16 The Americas in the Early Colonial Period

What motivated Europeans to explore? In the late 1400s, the problem in Europe was that Italian cities had monopolized trade with Asia whilst Muslim traders controlled some key oceanic routes.  Many Europeans believed it was their duty to convert other peoples to Christianity Countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, etc., sought to venture into new trade routes assisted with the newly- introduced Chinese tech, and hoped to find riches Easily Summarized: God, Gold, and Glory! 

Christopher Colombus In 1492, Christopher Columbus gained support from the Spanish Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella  Was granted La Nina, La Pinta, and the Santa Maria caravels for his trans-atlantic travel Discovered a new continent, failed getting to the Indies or China  Began the Columbian Exchange—a widespread sharing of animals, plants, cultures, ideas, technologies and diseases between Afro-Eurosia and the Americas. 

Quickly add into your notes: A problem and solution  (cause and effect) graph explaining the previous slide  Solution Problems... 

What Changes did Europeans bring? Disease: Indians were not immune to diseases brought by the Europans Smallpox, Influeza, and Measals killed up to 90% of the Indian population Encomienda Labor System: After being subjugated through conquest, the Indians were enslaved by the Europeans; and, when many had died due to dieases and harsh labor, they brought African slaves  Therefore, Demographic Change was caused by dieseases and the labor systems Europeans Brought Disease -__________ Slavery ___________

Goods and resources traded from the Americas to the world SPAIN Silver mined with the encomienda slave labor in Mexico and Bolivia,  transported to Asia via galleons changed Chinese and Global economy—silver began to be used as currency, however, over time it lost value.  PORTUGAL Cash crops such as Sugar and Tobacco stimulated the transatlanic slave trade and changed the economy of the Caribbean. 

Fall of the Aztec and Inca FALL OF THE AZTECS The enemies of the Aztecs allied with Hernan Cortes as smallpox revaged Mexico, enabling him to conquer Tenochtithan in 1521 with a small band of Spanish troops.  Created Mexico City on top of the ruins of the burned Tenochtitlan and formed New Spain. FALL OF THE INCA Beginning in 1532, Francisco Pizarro kidnapped Inca leader Atahualpa, killed him a year later, and began the slow, but bloody conquest of Peru. The conquest was completed by 1572. Lima, capital.  Hernan Cortes Francisco Pizarro

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) Spain and Portugal divided the Americas between them with this treaty mediated by the Church  All lands West of a meridian would be Spanish, East would be Portuguese 

Colonial Administration Viceroys—appointed by the King to administer and represent the Spanish Crown Audiencias—royal courts administered by colonizers, used to keep a check on the power of the viceroys  Real Crowncontrol of the colonies was limited—caused by slow travel and communciation—Viceroys still held a lot of power-- Caused creoles to revolt over time with idependence movements (by the 1800s)

Cultural and Social Change In contrast to earlier land-based empires, the maratime empires of Spain and Portugal erased the basic social structure andc cultural traditions of many indigenous groups.  Spanish Conquistadors and Priests destroyed many documents that held the history and traditions of the ancient Aztecs, re-wrote them in their own point-of-view Florentine Codex by Sahagun. Spanish and Portuguese replaced the language of the indigenous peoples, Africans. Catholicism  and Syncretic religions replaced the real religions of the Indians, Africans.  Land vs Maratime History Destroyed Religion and Language

Caste System A combination of Spanish, Indian, and African elements created a new social hierarchy based on race and ancestry—Castas or Caste system.

Castas

What about the Dutch, French, and English exploration of the Americas? Grab a book/use your questions for homewor Create three graphic organizers  of your choice (Problem and Solution/ Cause and Effect, a T-chart, Venn Diagrams) in your notes—you must show them to me as proof once you are done!  Tip: ask yourself 3 basic questions--  I would ask myself: what motivated them to explore? Did the selttle the Americas, if so, where and how? Were they successful? You can ask yourself anything that helps you! When you are done, grab a "Black Legend" packet!