AP U.S. History

The Meeting of 3 Cultures and England & France Challenge Spain - in the late 15th and early 16th centuries 3 cultures met - Native American, African and European - began process of cooperation and conflict - helped shape world as we know it today - some 30K y/ago W. Hem. said to be uninhabited - soon early peoples began to arrive from Asia - across Bering Strait - land bridge from Asia to W. Hem. - were early hunter/gatherers hunting game animals - they fanned out south and east - became ancestors of almost all native peoples in N & S. Amer. - all adapted to variety of geographic conditions - the Europeans would call these people Indians - Native Americans - most advanced native Amer. culture arose in present day Mexico - and Central America - @ 500 BCE Maya dev. civilization chiefly located in Yucatan Pen. - dominated area for roughly 1700 years - made many lasting intellectual achievements - highly advanced systems of writing - an accurate calendar - the new concept of the number zero - @ 13th century, warlike people swept into Mexico from northwest - possibly southern Utah, northern New Mexico - the Aztecs - by time of Cortes’ arrival, had control of the entire area - governing empire of over 5 million - over time they developed advanced form of gov’t - meanwhile to north, other different cultures developing - SW U.S. hunters became farmers as early as 2000 BCE - grew corn, beans, squash - and cucorbits - pumpkin family - squash, cucumber, gourd, watermelon, cantelope - central North America - Indians adapted to prairies, plains, dense forests - hunted large game animals, cultivated cucorbits - bison provided food, clothing, tools - some of most impressive societies were the moundbuilders - when migrants arrived @ 800 BCE, adapted their knowledge in agriculture to the rich fertile soils - formed a distinct culture, using earthen mounds, some 70' high - for burial of their dead - ceremonial mounds sculpted in geometric designs - or in shape of human, bird, serpents - several mound building societies followed each other - until began to decline @ 1,000 years ago - a few centuries later, a new mound building culture began - emerged around the Mississippi Valley - centered near Cahokia, IL. - city of perhaps 40,000 - this, too, declined over time - but not before influence spread - from WI to LA, and OK to TN - by time of arrival of Spanish @ 1500's - Pueblo people were using irrigation canals, dams, terracing - they were ancestors of Hopi and Zuni - in contrast, people of Great Plains hunted bison - while also cultivating crops - in eastern woodlands, Indians skilled at farming - grew cucorbits and melons - also used rivers and sea for fishing and trade - Africans - Africa supported a variety of cultures adapted to geography - just like America - W. Afr, south of Sahara, home to most of Africans who would eventually be sent as slaves to Americas - for at least 10,000 years before Europeans came (@ 1400) - land of vast grasslands and tropical rainforests was inhabited by farmers, traders - since 500 ACE northern portion governed by series of large empires - first: Kingdom of Ghana (500-1235) - then successors: Kingdom of Mali (1235- 1468) - and Songhai (1468 - 1590) - these kingdoms controlled trade w/Muslims across Sahara - in addition to salt, silk and other goods, Islam spread too - Europeans - before mid 1400's, they were unprepared to take lead in exploration - feudal nobles dominated small districts - precluding any strong central government - intellectually most ignorant of classical learning - meant unaware of the larger world - plagues took devastating toll on population - slowly however changes occurred - Europe became more prosperous and population began to grow - this cultural revival was called the Renaissance - stimulated learning in art, literature, science - technological advances in ship design and navigation - opened up new means of travel and exploration - esp. for the Portuguese - at same time strong national monarchies began to develop - in England, France, Spain and Portugal - the Reformation challenged traditional dominance of the Church - leading to est. of new Protestant churches - persecution of these Protestants would eventually lead to N. Am - first lasting contact w/new world came w/Columbus - his voyages awakened spirit of exploration throughout Europe - Hernan Cortes, Francisco Pizarro - conquered Aztecs and Incas, respectively - Europeans took tremendous wealth from Indians - both material and cultural - also brought disease - decimating New World population in short amt of time - by mid 1600's, Spanish conquest became Spanish colonization - extending over much of N. and S. America, & islands of Caribbean - restrictive gov’t policies discouraged large scale immigration - Spanish gov’t wanted to convert Indians to Roman Cath. - also colonies were to enrich Spain financially - by forcing natives to work gold, silver mines, sugar cane fields - frequently Spanish treated Indians like slaves - many lost lives to these harsh conditions - as native pop. dwindled, Spain looked to African slave trade - to provide supply of labor - field hands, miners, skilled metal workers, herding, horseback riding, fishing, rice cultivation - most slaves came from W. African coastline - from Senegal to Angola - slave labor produced wealth that eventually made European industrialization possible - Spain wanted to protect its Central and S. American colonies - so est settlements north of Mexico - present day Florida, TX, NM, CA - served as buffers b/t New Spain and European rivals - England and France - among most important outposts were - St. Augustine (est. 1565) oldest European town in N. America - San Juan Pueblo on Rio Grande (1598) - El Paso, then a part of New Mexico (1659) - size of Spanish empire made it hard to govern - northern border lands never held firmly - challenges from Eng. and Fr. limited Spain’s new world ventures to areas south of Rio Grande - England’s challenge to Spain’s New World Claims - based on voyages of Sebastian Cabot - when Eliz. I became queen, England began its rise - English sea dogs raided Spanish treasure ships - led often by Sir Francis Drake - 1588 English navy defeated Spanish Armada - fleet of 130 ships sent to invade England - meanwhile French laying claim to parts of N. America - Fr. explorers traveled into N. Am interior - giving Fr. claim to land from St. Lawrence river - west to Rocky Mountains - south along the Mississippi River to Gulf of Mexico - their success based mainly on well developed fur trade - esp. w/regions Indians - defeat of Spanish Armada was turning point in Eur. and American history - w/Spain out of way, English colonialization began in earnest - creation of new business organization - Joint Stock Company - spread financial risk among several investors - helped colonial efforts - Jamestown, VA, est. 1607 was one of these successes - early years were difficult - harsh winters, diseases took their toll - esp. since colonists were unprepared - economic survival came slowly, however - through cultivation of mild strains of tobacco - to feed a growing demand in England - liberal land policies also attracted settlers - as did the introduction of an elected assembly - the House of Burgesses - first, freely elected representative body in colonial world - it assured English settlers w/have all legal privileges and protections known as “rights of Englishmen” - these rights go back to 1215 - King John forced to sign the Magna Carta - charter of liberties and limitations on royal authority - so English colonists took to Jamestown the very guarantees against absolute rule that their countrymen/women had won centuries ago U.S. HISTORY: ENGLAND AND FRANCE CHALLENGE SPAIN SPAIN - in the 15th century, Spanish conquest had changed to colonization - conquistadors replaced by pioneers - they had hoped to convert these new Spanish subjects - and also to make Spain rich from the resources - this would mean subjugation of the Indians - the Americas had a vast wealth in resources - rich silver mines, fertile fields of sugar cane - both these required intensive labor - enter the Indians as laborers for the Crown -also the Spanish land policy ensured Indians always worked for whites - King granted trusteeship over the Indians - given to colonists in return for loyalty - these were called encomiendas - Indians were often treated as slaves - many died under horrible work conditions - their treatment bothered some Spanish esp in the church - Bartolomeo de las Casas - first outspoken critic of Spanish rule - wrote about mistreatment of Indians - it is from his writings that we know today how cruel the Spanish were - this high demand for labor soon spread to Africans as well - thousands brought here as slaves during 16th century - most were skilled - metal work, herding, horseback riding - fishing, rice cultivation - most were West Africans - sold along coast from Senegal to Angola - 3,000 mile stretch - they labored in the sugar fields as well - making Europeans rich - helped make industrialization possible - and money made in GB help buy more slaves - Spain wanted to protect its interests from other European colonies - which accounts for most of it settlements north of Mexico - Florida, Texas, New Mexico, California - served as buffer zones b/t Spain and her rivals - each outpost organized around two institutions - the presidio - fortified area of the settlement - if attacked, settlers took shelter inside - the mission - religious center of the settlement - priests devoted to converting the Indians - and teaching them Spanish culture - among most important settlements were three of them - Saint Augustine, founded in 1565 - oldest European town in America - Spanish Navy protected its ships from there - San Juan Pueblo founded 1598 - today it’s called San Gabriel but not this one - it’s actually in what is now Colorado - was an outpost on the Rio Grande - El Paso founded 1690 in what was then part of N. Mex. - now in Texas - built to stop French from Mississippi and Red Riv.s - Spain’s New World Empire made it the most powerful nation in the world - yet they had their weaknesses - its size made it difficult to run efficiently - Its tight control over all aspects of life d/n sit well w/colonists - finally, Spain d/n have sufficient $ to pay for everything tried - this meant that Spain’s hold was not as firm as they thought - meaning other countries could, and will, challenge that power ENGLAND - 1497 King Henry VII sponsored first voyage to New World - hired Genoese John Cabot - Cabot wanted to find the NW Passage - land link b/t Atlantic and Pacific - never found it - nor did his son, Sebastian in 1509 - but it did give the English a claim to America - under Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth, things got better - under then England grew stronger and richer - the English were filled with pride - their navy was one of the world’s best - protection against rivals - as their power grew, so did their desire to take on the Spanish - both politically and economically - King Phillip was devoutly Catholic - Queen Elizabeth was head of the Protestant Church - so religious nationalism also drove ambitions - Elizabeth d/n want to challenge Spain too soon - instead, she gave money to merchant sailors - to support them in their efforts - to steal Spanish gold and sink the ships - they were called sea dogs - today we would call them pirates - most famous was Sir. Francis Drake - dashing, daring, a favorite of Elizabeth - Dec. 1577 he began his most famous adventure - sailed through straits of Magellan to the west coast of Ctl. America - where the Spanish never expected an attack from Pacific side - so left treasure ships unarmed and unguarded - Drakes “Pelican” was soon laden with Spanish loot - he then continued his journey around the world which took 3 years - upon his return to England, renamed Pelican “Golden Hind” - all of England celebrated - the Spanish less so - the King demanded Drake be executed for piracy - Drake sailed the Hind up the Thames and invited Queen to dinner - she accepted - at dinner, she made fun of the Spanish King - “The King of Spain has demanded Drake’s head of me., and here I have a gilded sword to strike it off.” - she ordered Drake to kneel before her - “I bid thee rise, Sir Francis Drake” - what Elizabeth had done was virtually declared war on Spain - Spain began to amass a huge navy to invade England - the Spanish Armada - 1588: 130 ships, 30,000 troops set sail for England - under Drake’s command, smaller English navy held its ground - they were smaller and faster - Spanish ships larger and slower - battle lasted 10 days - Spanish pulled back along the Scottish coast to make repairs - a huge storm destroyed most of the ships - Drake’s ships destroyed the rest - the entire Armada was lost...Spain had met defeat FRANCE - France joined the rush to colonize America in the early 1500's - discovery voyages by Giovanni da Verrazano, Jacques Cartier - gave them claim to part of N. America - first successful settlements were est. by Samuel de Champlain - 1608: Indian village called Stadacona - along the St. Lawrence River - he est. the new city of Quebec - he then traveled south to NY state - made friends with the Huron - helped them defeat their enemies, the Mohawks - bad thing to have done - Mohawks belong to League of the Iroquois - powerful confederation - from that day on, Mohawks fought w/enemies of FR - Champlain explored the Great Lakes region - other explorers sent to the river valleys - Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette - daring fur trader Louis Joliet - 1673 canoed from Lake Michigan down Mississippi - went for hundreds of miles - few years later Robert de la Salle reached the mouth of MS - claimed it for France, and named it after King Louis XIV - Louisiana - France now claimed all land from mouth of St. Lawrence, west to Rockies, and south along Mississippi to Gulf of Mexico - French success rested mainly w/fur trade - well organized and grew rapidly - but required a relationship with the Indians who supplied the furs - except for the Iroquois - missionaries and traders lived with the Indians - some intermarried - traders were known as coureurs de bois, runners of the woods - left Montreal in fall and headed for interior - returned with canoes piled high with furs - they would celebrate together on banks of St. Lawrence - party lasted several weeks - Indians traded pelts for knives, axes, hatchets, hoes, kettles - woolen blankets, colored cotton cloth, guns, gunpowder, brandy - New France had several weaknesses - few colonists came to settle in the region - most preferred to be coureurs de bois, not settlers - King’s Louis land policy was to blame mostly - gave large grants to nobles called seigneurs - rather than give land to ordinary French citizens - only Roman Catholics could settle in New France - Protestants never made to feel welcome - like Spanish, French exercised strict control over settlements - colonists had no say in how they were to be governed - therefore developing any kind of self reliance JAMESTOWN - Spain’s defeat in the Armada let GB focus on its claim to the New World - even before Drake, British eager to colonize - one was Walter Raleigh - made several attempts to colonize Virginia - first success was Roanoke 1587 - led by John White - went so well White ret’d to GB for more supplies - but c/n b/c of Drake’s war with the Armada - stuck in England 3 years - when he returned, 1590 site deserted - all disappeared - name Croatoan carved on poast - only clue as to what happened - among missing was White’s own daughter - Virginia Dare - first child born in America - financial loss from this disaster was tremendous - unlike kings of Spain and France, GB refused to pay for its colonies - few individuals willing to risk their fortunes - as Raleigh had done - so question remained, how will England create its empire in New Wor - answer was a new business venture - the joint stock company - owned by investors who bought shares in it - since there were many investors, less chance of total loss - 1606 two joint stock companies formed - Virginia Company of Plymouth - Virginia Company of London - both granted a charter by James I to create colonies - Plymouth company failed to est. colony b/t Chesapeake Bay and ME - so it meant London company would have to try - on land south of Chesapeake Bay - to north of Spanish Florida - Dec. 1606 120 men and boys left London on rainy day - last hope for London company - they arrived in the spring at Virginia - spirits soared at lush green and blooming flowers - they named the river they were on James River - 30 miles upstream they weighed anchor - and established Jamestown (after the King) - to them, the location was ideal - on a peninsula w/view of river - any Spanish ships c/b sighted - GB’s position c/b defended - but appearances were deceiving - Low ground meant well water was brackish, polluted - marshes and swamps breeding ground for mosquitos - over the years malaria, typhoid ravaged the settlement - London Co. had sent along instructions for the colonists - ordered to search for gold and other valuable minerals - explore the regions waterways - look for NW passage - convert the Indians to Christianity - live and work for the common good - reality made a mockery of these orders - No gold, no NW passage - Indians (Powhatan Confederacy) not interested in conversion - few settlers had survival skills for harsh life there - so different from England’s cultivated green farms - spring passed, then summer - colonists were still not ready for winter that lay ahead - man who salvaged the situation was John Smith - had escaped Middle East Turks - spent most of his time on ship below deck in irons - was rowdy, overconfident, boastful, liar, self-promoter - but he knew how to take advantage of a situation - and how to milk it for all it was worth - soon he was in command of the colony - ordered the men to work - they had done little to prepare - they cut logs to build a fort - while he explored the countryside - watching for hostile Indians or Spanish - on one trip, captured by the Powhatans - this is the origin of the Pocahontas myth - but she was only 12 years old - the story may have been false - but he did manage to get Powhatans’ help - arranged to buy corn to feed starving men - sent colonists to fish and hunt oysters - as taught by the Indians - he dominated the colony until 1609 - a suspicious explosion of gunpowder injured him - he returned to England - most of the 500 colonists celebrated when he left - by stopping the work they were doing - by winter, they realized their mistake - quotation from one of the 50 survivors re: The Starving Time” - “as for corn, provision, and contribution from the savages, we had nothing but mortal wounds, with clubs and arrows...so great was our famine, that a savage we slew and buried, the poorer sort took him up again and ate him, and so did diverse one another boiled and stewed with roots and herbs. And one amongst the rest did kill his wife, powdered (salted) her, and had eaten part of here before it was known.” - despite the starving time, London Co. still sent colonists/supplies to VA - soon survival became an economic rather than physical one - what could colony produce that would make it profitable - the answer: a weed called tobacco - Indians grew it for their own use - but too bitter for British taste - John Rolfe began to experiment with milder strains - imported from West Indies - his experiment was a success - tobacco became brown gold of the colony - when London Co. revised its land policies Virginia colony grew population - it was finally making a profit - but needed more people to work the land - so London company created the headright system - if colonists pay their way across were given 50 acres of land - this increased the population - but still most were male - so 1619 company sent “young maids” - “to be housed, lodged, and provided for of diet until they be married.” - to buy a bride cost 120 L of the best leaf tobacco - as part of its policy, London company gave male colonists new power - they elected a representative body - House of Burgesses - 22 members - first freely elected representative body in America - settlers w/h all “rights of Englishmen” - these rights have a long history - 1215 Magna Carta cut power of king - and created Parliament - this was a guarantee against absolute rule - this displeased James in 1619 - preferred to think of himself as an absolute ruler - resented London company’s actions w/colonists - took away Virginia’s charter and made it a Royal Colony - under his direct control - d/n abolish Burgesses - continued to meet and assist in making laws - thus began the English experience in North America