Impact of European Exploration & Colonization

Setting the stage… Christopher Columbus first arrives in the Americas in 1492 1501 – Portuguese explorer Amerigo Vespucci claims that the lands discovered by Columbus was NOT Asia, but rather was a new world 1507 – A German mapmaker names the American continent after Vespucci Over the next 200 years, other European explorers sail across the Atlantic in search of new lands to claim Portugal, England, France, Netherlands (Dutch)

Line of Demarcation and the Treaty of Tordesillas Rivalry between Spain and Portugal over territory in the new world was very intense 1493: Pope Alexander VI suggests dividing the territory Line of Demarcation: imaginary dividing line drawn north to south through the Atlantic Ocean All territory to the west = Spain All territory to the east = Portugal

Line of Demarcation Line of Demarcation (1493)

Line of Demarcation and the Treaty of Tordesillas Rivalry between Spain and Portugal over territory in the new world was very intense 1493: Pope Alexander VI suggests dividing the territory Line of Demarcation: imaginary dividing line drawn north to south through the Atlantic Ocean All territory to the west = Spain All territory to the east = Portugal 1494: Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas – moves the Line of Demarcation further west

Line of Demarcation & Treaty of Tordesillas

Central & South America North America Conquistador: Spanish for conqueror 1519 – 1521: Hernando Cortez defeats the Aztecs Montezuma II – Aztec emperor 1532: Francisco Pizarro defeats the Inca More advanced weapons & DISEASE! By the middle of the 16th century, Spain has an American Empire Northwest Passage: route over North America to Asia France establish colony (New France) in modern day Canada Based on trade English establish colony in Jamestown, Virginia Dutch establish colony called New Netherland in modern day NE United States

Atlantic Slave Trade Europeans seek cheap labor --- began using enslaved Africans Atlantic Slave Trade: the buying and selling Africans for work in the Americas Between 1500 & 1600, nearly 300,000 Africans were transported to the Americas 1700s: nearly 1.3 million

Triangular Trade

Middle Passage Middle Passage: the voyage that brought captured Africans to the West Indies, and later to North and South America Africans packed into ships Whippings, beatings, disease… Estimated that approximately 20% of Africans died on this journey

Slavery in Africa vs. Slavery in the Americas Existed for centuries before European influence Slaved had some legal rights and opportunity for social mobility Slavery is based on race Becomes hereditary… parents = slave, child = slave

Columbian Exchange The global transfer of foods, plants, and animals during the colonization of the Americas