1. US History Chapter 1 Section 1
Beginnings of America
“World before 1500”

2. Early Americas
Around 10K years ago ( ice age) most of earth’s water was frozen
Bering Strait- ice land bridge adjoined Asia and North America (Beringia)
Migration of Hunters (nomads) which transformed from Hunter-Gatherers to Agricultural societies
Mesoamerica
> Olmec- 1200BC
> Maya- 400 BC
> Aztecs AD
Very early cultures: Adena and Hopewell Indians known as Mound Builders / Mississippians were advanced farmers in Southeast and Southern Midwest

4. Regions and Civilizations
What?
Mesoamerica
Olmecs, Mayans, Aztecs
North America
Native American Groups (shared trade and religion)
Africa
Trading kingdoms (gold and slaves)
Europe
Renaissance brought increased trade, explorers looked for new trade routes, Columbus looking for route to India

5. North American Cultures Before 1500
Southwest Great Basin Plateau
Northwest Great Plains
California Eastern Woodlands
Far North Southeast

7. African Cultures Before 1500
Despite Sahara Desert- Trade routes were established- seeking trade of gold, salt, and ivory (Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Benin, and Kongo)
1400s- Europeans in Africa - gold and ivory trade eventually changed to the slave trade
Increase in slave trade once planters in the Americas demanded more workers (continued for 400 years)
> devastated African societies
> decimated population
> weakened Africa and caused divisions among African people

8. European Exploration
Following the Crusades ( )- Europeans were more interested in exploring new lands and new people
At the end of the Middle Ages, increased trade led to population growth and sharing of new ideas
Italy- This new prosperity provided an era of learning / creativity (Renaissance)
Renaissance sparked the question of authority of the church – which led to the Protestant Reformation (Martin Luther)

9. Age of Exploration
Advances in Science and technology as well as newly formed nation-states (Great Britain, France, Portugal, Spain) began a quest to find new lands and sources of trade
1200s- Marco Polo from Italy sails from Venice to China
1400s- Prince Henry the Navigator (Portugal) establishes a school of naval observatory to encourage exploration
1498- Vasco de Gama (Portugal) discovered sea route to India

10. Christopher Columbus
Italian explorer sponsored by Spain to locate a direct sea route to Asia (for trading)
Aug 3, set sail with a 90 man crew aboard three ships (Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria)
Oct 12, Columbus lands on small islands in the Bahamas
Columbus’ impact- Columbus had many clashes with the Native Americans but had idea he could convert them to Christianity and eventually enslave them for Spain
Columbian Exchange- was a result from Columbus’ voyages- exchange of plants and animals between Europe and North American Indians
Disease wiped out most Indians

12. Good ‘Ol Chris’ “Yeah I know…I am cool!”
From the Spanish port of Palos, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sets sail in command of three ships—the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina—on a journey to find a western sea route to China, India, and the fabled gold and spice islands of Asia.
On October 12, the expedition sighted land, probably Watling Island in the Bahamas, and went ashore the same day, claiming it for Spain. Later that month, Columbus sighted Cuba, which he thought was mainland China, and in December the expedition landed on Hispaniola, which Columbus thought might be Japan. He established a small colony there with 39 of his men. The explorer returned to Spain with gold, spices, and "Indian" captives in March 1493 and was received with the highest honors by the Spanish court. He was the first European to explore the Americas since the Vikings set up colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland in the 10th century.
During his lifetime, Columbus led a total of four expeditions to the New World, discovering various Caribbean islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and the South and Central American mainland, but never accomplished his original goal—a western ocean route to the great cities of Asia. Columbus died in Spain in 1506 without realizing the great scope of what he did achieve: He had discovered for Europe the New World, whose riches over the next century would help make Spain the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth.

14. C D C A B