1. The Columbian Exchange
APUSH
Period 1 Lesson 2

2. Why did Europeans Travel?
They wanted to trade with the East, but it was controlled by Italy. So Spain and Portugal tried other ways to get there.

3. How could Europeans Travel?
Mariner’s Compass
Caravel
Competition between newly formed Spain and Portugal for exploration cred
Renaissance = Printing Press = Information
Mariner’s Astrolabe

4. Treaty of Tordesillas 1494
Spain
Portugal
“Split control” of the world between Spain and Portugal.
Spain gets most of the New World (except Brazil)
Portugal gets Africa and Brazil

5. Spanish Conquistadors

6. What do we know about Columbus?
Read excerpts from SFAH pages 6-9
He was the first Spanish explorer to land in the Americas
Originally landed in Cuba – thought it was India
Initially referred to the Native Americans as savages who would be easily enslaved
Made them collect gold or chopped their hands off…

7. Cortes and the Aztecs
1519 Cortes befriended the Tlaxcala (enemy of the Aztecs)
Aztec leader, Montezuma, was killed
Mexica were crushed in 1522

8. Pizarro and the Incas
Pizarro
Atahualpa
Incan Road System

9. What did these first encounters look like?
Both sides staged theatrical PERFORMANCES in the early days of contact in attempt to show that they were stronger and more powerful
In theory it was a way around the language barrier, but in reality they still had problems understanding each other – these early encounters were filled with much AMBIGUITY
Both sides tried to show that they had the most POWER, but the ambiguity often caused each side not to notice the others’ power
Cortes’ performance was reading a Spanish document that stated that all Native Americans would submit to the Spanish
Montezuma showered the Spanish in precious metals and valuable goods to flaunt his wealth
Tlaxcalan painting of meeting between Moctezuma and Cortes

10. Outcomes and Agency
Who was the more powerful side in the beginning of the encounter? Why?
Which side won at the end of the encounter? Why?

11. How were the Europeans Able to Dominate so Quickly?
Germs
Steel
Horses
Guns
Document 1 on Indian population charts will help you see the rate of decline among the native populations

12. Results of Conquistadors for Spain, Europe, the World….
Early conquistadors sent vast stores of silver and gold back to Spain which flooded the European money supply, led to inflation, and probably led to the rise of capitalism (since there was a much larger and accessible money supply)

13. “What is Capitalism?” you ask?
Capitalism is an ECONOMIC SYSTEM
While it allows for the “free market” and a competition between privately held businesses at this time it is important because:
It requires an investment of CAPITAL (money) into businesses to get them started.
Europe never had this much capital before
Would be seen in the new idea of JOINT STOCK COMPANIES

14. The Columbian Exchange
Now that Europeans settled in the New World, how would Europe, Africa, and the Americas change based on that contact?

15. The Columbian Exchange
Just in case you weren’t sure:
The Columbian Exchange is the name given to the transfer of goods between the “New World” and the “Old World”

16. Columbian Exchange Activity
The front of the room is the new world and the back of the room is the old world.
That means the desks are the ocean…watch out for sharks.
You and your team will get a pile of notecards. Your job is to place each notecard in the region that RECEIVED IT in the Columbian Exchange
Grab some masking tape…
Feel free to argue with other groups if you think they put the notecard in the wrong place
DON’T LOOK AT THE READING FROM LAST NIGHT!

17. Columbian Exchange Discussion
Let’s check the notecards…
Which ones benefitted the “world” that received them, which ones hurt?
BIG QUESTION:
Which “world” benefitted the most from the Columbian Exchange? Why?

18. Reminder about Debate
We are having a debate Next Block Day #1 on: “Was Disease the Key Factor in the Depopulation of Native Americans?”
You have been assigned a reading that either answers yes or no (and therefore you have been assigned a position)
Please read the reading and take notes that include EVIDENCE to support your answer and to argue against the other side.
If you could not write on your packet and then return it to me on Friday to use next year, I would really appreciate it!
Debates are graded on the argumentation skills we are working on:
Your ability to form a historical argument
Your ability to use evidence to support your argument