Early America and the Age of Christopher Columbus

Land Bridge Invites New People  Glaciers froze enough water that the Berengia (a land bridge) was exposed allowing people to cross. Russia Alaska Bering Strait

Native American Societies Around 1492  Aztec Empire in Mexico  Remnants of the Mayan City-States in Central America  Incan Empire in South America  U.S. and Canada- Variety of cultures and tribes living in all types of geographical and climatological regions (See map page 11)

Back in Europe around 1492

Christianity  Christianity shapes the outlook of Europeans – There was a call to convert people of other faiths – Crusades, Martin Luther and Protestantism, Catholic Monks

Map of the splits in Christianity and the Islamic/Turkish Empire

Portuguese  The Portuguese were the first to arrive in West Africa in the 1400’s – This interaction brought West Africa and European trade closer together – Portuguese were the first to create plantations run by slaves –A practice that was so efficient it would be used in mass quantity in American society

Age of Exploration  Portugal takes the lead – Prince Henry the Navigator used the innovations and sent his captains farther and farther – Barthalomeau Dias rounded the southern tip of Africa in 1488 – Vasco de Gama reached India ten years later

Reasons for Voyage and Exploration  Seek a Passage through Americas to the Far East  Gold, Silver and other Valuables  Establish claims to new land  Spread Christianity

Reasons for Voyage and Exploration  Convert Indians to Christianity  Intellectual curiosity  Pave the way for trade routes and new settlements

Christopher Columbus  Columbus felt there was a faster way to Asia— Across the Atlantic – Queen Isabella of Spain was encouraged to fund an expedition…the payoffs could be great and the cost would be minimal

Columbus  Queen Isabella of Spain heard of Columbus and decided to fund his adventure – On August 3 rd 1492 Columbus set sail out of a Spanish port

In 1492 Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue…  Columbus set sail with three vessels… The Nina The Pinta The Santa Maria  A little more than 2 months later (October 12 th 1492) the Pinta discovered land

The Mission  Columbus was on a mission to discover Gold  He wished to claim land for Spain  He also promised that he would spread Christianity

First Encounter  Columbus encountered a group of people calling themselves Taino  He renamed the Island San Salvador Zinn Reading- annotate and notebook questions

Diseases and Enslavement decimate the Native Americas  Diseases Include: – Small pox – Mumps – Measles – Chicken Pox – Typhus

“Discovery” of the Americas Has Huge Effects  Monarchs see their ability to increase wealth  Citizens can live in a society with few constraints  New plants and Animals are introduced  Columbian Exchange

Columbian Exchange  Used to describe the exchange of plants, animals, human populations and diseases between the Old and New world. Old World New World

Rivals  Portuguese are resentful of the Spanish  In order to avoid war, the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed between the Spanish and the Portuguese

Treaty of Tordesillas  June 7 th 1494  Divided the Western Hemisphere Vertically  The Americas belonged to Spain  East of the line including Brazil belonged to Portugal

Multiculturalism  Elements of all three of these worlds can be seen in our society  Multiculturalism is one of our greatest struggles and assets.