Collision of Cultures

1. Collision of Cultures Becker US History

2. THE FIRST AMERICANS • Origins • Food & Shelter • Skills & Technology • Religion • Geographic Regions

3. When did the first Americans arrive? • ~35000 BCE (Before the Common Era) • Bones, pottery fragments, “artifacts” • Radiocarbon dating • Relatively inaccurate  broad date ranges • Environmental conditions affect carbon breakdown • No written or oral history passed down

4. Where did they arrive from? • Land Bridge Theory • First Americans crossed from Asia to America • Specifically, land route from Siberia to Alaska (map) • How could this be possible? • Water trapped in glaciers during Ice Age • Sea level drops 100+ feet and exposes the ocean floor • Bering Strait is very shallow to begin with • Land bridge may have been up to 1000 miles wide

6. Land Bridge Theory, cont’d • Evidence: • Similarities between Native American & Asian DNA • Similarities between facial and tooth structures • Most plausible and widely accepted theory

7. Kon Tiki Theory • First Americans arrived from Pacific islands • Thor Heyerdahl sets out to prove in 1947 • 6 men on balsa wood and vine raft • 101 days on the Pacific and they make it • Proves that it is possible to float from Polynesia

9. Other Theories • Migration from Africa across the Atlantic • Ra Expedition, Morocco to Barbados (map) • Humans on continents before Pangea split?

11. What was life like for 1st Americans? • Hunter-gatherer lifestyle • Hunt mammoth, bear, & other animals with atlatl • Collect berries, roots, etc living nomadic lifestyle • End of Ice Age forces migration and adaptation • Warm wet climate  kills off food sources • Humans move south to find new food sources • Migration continues south through N and S America

14. What was life like for 1st Americans? • Hunter-gatherer lifestyle • Hunt mammoth, bear, & other animals with atlatl • Collect berries, roots, etc living nomadic lifestyle • End of Ice Age forces migration and adaptation • Warm wet climate  kills off food sources • Humans move south to find new food sources • Migration continues south through N and S America

15. Rise of “Civilizations” • Cultivation is developed in Central America • Time frame is ~1000 BC • Mexica in C America, Inca in S America • “3 sisters” - Corn, beans, and squash • Aztecs gradually rise to power • Ancestral Puebloans in the Southwest

17. What’s going on in Europe? • Europe’s Economic System is collapsing • Feudal system in Europe’s economy • “Lords” own large plots of land; “peasants” rent • Peasants farm the land and give 50% to lord • Population expansion leaves less land each generation • Poor peasants are unhappy: who do they blame?

18. What’s going on in Europe? • Europe’s Religious System is collapsing • Renaissance is a rebirth of science and learning • People not satisfied with the status quo: ask WHY?? • Galileo: solar system; Newton: gravity; etc • Is the world flat? • Why do we get sick? • What makes up matter? • Science challenges established religion as well

19. What’s going on in Europe? • Europe’s Religious System is collapsing (cont’d) • Europe’s only religion, Catholic Church, is vulnerable • Martin Luther challenges corruption in the Church • Protests sale of indulgences to build St. Peter’s Basilica • Protestant Reformation splits Catholic Church • Governments now have a choice of state religions • England chooses Protestant, France Catholic, etc

20. Reformation Splits Christianity

21. What’s going on in Europe? • Europe’s Political System is collapsing • Church and state were intertwined • When religious authority questioned, political authority is questioned as well • Economic and Religious issues cause poor to revolt • Kings and queens forced to give power to people • 1215 King John of England signs Magna Carta • Creates the English Parliament: “power of the purse”

23. Why does Europe start exploring? • Reason #1 • Looking for a Trade Route to Asia • Marco Polo’s Trip to China • Europeans get addicted to silk & spices: very expensive • Merchants looking for a cheaper, faster way to China • Also religious reasons: bypass Muslim “middlemen”

25. Why does Europe start exploring? • Reason #2 • Looking for Raw Materials • Europe is becoming overpopulated • Forests have been cut down to farm: no lumber • No forests = no deer & other animals: no fur/leather • European waters have been overfished: no fish left • Gold, silver, and other metals/minerals

26. Why does Europe start exploring? • Reason #3 • Competition with other Countries • Very delicate balance of power in Europe • If Spain starts a colony, France needs one too!! • Power is determined by territories you control • More land usually means more natural resources, too…

27. Why does Europe start exploring? • Reason #4 • Desire to Spread Religion to Other Regions • Catholic nations tended to be more interested • Spain and Portugal send many missionaries • Often use a “Convert or Die!!” philosophy • Protestants eventually join the fray as well

28. Why does Europe start exploring? • Reason #5 • Forming colonies is good business • Ship off the criminals or political/religious minorities • Australia, Georgia are penal colonies (prisons) • Pennsylvania, Maryland are for religious minorities • Mercantilism: economic theory of colonies • Colonies Exist for 2 purposes • Source for raw materials for the mother country • Market for finished products for the mother country

29. Mercantilism Chart

30. Who were the first Europeans? • Probably Vikings from Scandinavia • Erik the Red and his son, Leif Erikson • Land in Baffin Island in 1001 AD/CE • Probably expedition looking for new fishing • Vikings not interested in starting new colonies

32. Who were the first Europeans to stay? • Spanish navy is largest and most powerful • English and French are fighting the 100 Years War • Christopher Columbus, Italian sailor and captain • Asks Ferdinand and Isabella to pay for explorations • Believes Asia is ~3500 miles to the West • Spanish know this would be very profitable • Columbus given 3 ships: Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria

34. Who were the first Europeans to stay? • Columbus sets sail in 1492 • 70 days later, land is sighted: San Salvador • Columbus claims land for Spain: West Indies & Indians • Gathers samples of local wildlife, etc • 10 weeks later, returns to Spain • Columbus returns 3 more times, sets up colonies • Begins the Columbian Exchange

36. Spanish Lead New World Exploration • 1513: Ponce de Leon explores Florida • Looking for the Fountain of Youth and gold • Founds St. Augustine, Florida

38. Spanish Lead New World Exploration • 1513: Vasco de Balboa explores Panama • “Discovers” the Pacific Ocean

40. Spanish Lead New World Exploration • 1519: Hernan de Cortes explores Mexico • Conquers the Aztec empire

42. Spanish Lead New World Exploration • 1533: Francisco Pizarro explores South America • Finds the Inca civilization in Peru and conquers

44. Spanish Lead New World Exploration • 1538: Hernan de Soto explores North America • FL, GA, SC, NC, TN, AL, MS

46. Spanish Lead New World Exploration • 1540: Francisco Coronado explores Southwest • Looking for Seven Cities of Cibola • “discovers” the Grand Canyon, east to Texas

48. England Enters the Race for Colonies • Pope has split New World: Treaty of Tordesillas • 100 Years War is Over: $$ is available • England is not looking for colonies at first • Fishing is their forté • Wet/dry fishing determines locations • Steal Spanish wealth rather then finding their own • Privateers: Drake, Raleigh • Tensions between Spain and England

49. England Enters the Race for Colonies • Spain goes to war to stop privateering • Launch the Spanish Armada in 1588 • 130 ships- largest fleet ever launched • Massive storm off English coast • 60 ships sunk, remainder disorganized • England mops up the rest • Major turning point in world history • England is now the most powerful nation on earth