Teaching American History, Year I The First Global Age Europeans encounter the Americas George S. Vascik Miami University Hamilton October 14, 2008

Teaching American History, Year I Benchmarks and Indicators Grade Five, History –Settlement primary topic Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America secondary topic Describe the lasting effects of Spanish, French and English colonization in North America

Teaching American History, Year I Benchmarks and Indicators Grade Eight, History –The First Global Age primary topics Reasons for colonization, including religion, desire for land and economic opportunity Key differences among the Spanish, French and British colonies secondary topics Interactions between American Indians and European settlers, including the agricultural and cultural exchanges, alliances and conflicts Conflicts among colonial powers for control of North America.

Teaching American History, Year I Background readings Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel Eric Jones, The European Miracle Alan Taylor, American Colonies

Teaching American History, Year I Why Europe? In 1400, European civilization was on a par with Chinese and Arab civilizations. What motivated the European voyages of discovery and the creation of colonial empires? –economic necessity –religious insecurity –the social dynamic

Teaching American History, Year I Economic “necessity” nobles “needed” products from the East to maintain their lifestyle severed trade links with East when Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453 new opportunities for profit with the discovery of new areas for raising sugar and other crops transporting slaves for labor

Teaching American History, Year I The religious dynamic Religious insecurity –The Reformation fractured the unity of the corpus Christiana –Importance of this for the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and France Religious freedom –only manifested in English colonies

Teaching American History, Year I The social dynamic In 1500, Europe had an excess of young, noble males –only one male could inherit, the others had to find socially acceptable employment Were commoners driven by poverty? –France, the Netherlands, and England Opportunities differed by geography –tropics, mountains, woodlands, plains

Teaching American History, Year I National distinctions timing –Portuguese and Spanish; Dutch, French, English motivation governance economic exploitation interaction with native peoples settlement (to be discussed in February)

Teaching American History, Year I Motivation push-pull dynamic –to what extent were settlers attracted to new lands, and to what extent did they feel compelled to migrate because of internal conditions in the home country? –varied over time and by country –myth of “poverty driven” colonization

Teaching American History, Year I Governance colonial government attracting colonists imperial control tradition Variables country need time English example

Teaching American History, Year I National variations Spanish –viceroy, audencia, cabildo, visita French –governor-general, intendant, bishop Dutch –West India Company English –displayed the most diversity and change over time

Teaching American History, Year I Economic Exploitation Portuguese (spices) Spanish (gold and silver) Dutch (sugar, slaves, carrying trade) French (sugar and furs) English (sugar, slaves, and raw commodities) Mercantilism in February

Teaching American History, Year I Colonists and native peoples conquest or accommodation –successful conquest involved exploiting local conditions –disease –labor shortage Christianization –national variations

Teaching American History, Year I Imperial conflict Which areas mattered and which didn’t? –the gold & silver mines and the Sugar Islands –Furs? –Staple products (wood and food) A timeline approach –Dutch and English privateering –mid-17th century Anglo-Dutch Wars More on this in February

Teaching American History, Year I Benchmarks and Indicators Grade Five, History –Settlement primary topic Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America secondary topic Describe the lasting effects of Spanish, French and English colonization in North America

Teaching American History, Year I Benchmarks and Indicators Grade Eight, History –The First Global Age primary topics Reasons for colonization, including religion, desire for land and economic opportunity Key differences among the Spanish, French and British colonies secondary topics Interactions between American Indians and European settlers, including the agricultural and cultural exchanges, alliances and conflicts Conflicts among colonial powers for control of North America.