1. Objective:
TLW examine the causes of European exploration and the effects on the native people through notes, activity, and discussion.

2. Exploration
Throughout high Middle Ages and Renaissance, Europeans more wealthy b/c of trade
fascinated by Far East (Marco Polo)
most countries settled down, kings had consolidated power
new inventions/ideas from East: astrolabe, compass, deep-draft ships, caravel
3 main reasons for European expansion
(the 3 G’s): God, glory, gold, conversion of heathen for God, glory for nation/monarch, gold for merchant/ adventurer

3. American Civilizations

4. Maya

5. Maya c. 300-900 AD Central America
had large cities centered around pyramid w/ shrine to gods
city-states w/ hereditary rulers, nobles, artisans/merchants, peasants, slaves
polytheistic, used human sacrifice to appease gods and celebrate events
Sophisticated calendar used both solar calendar (365 days) and sacred calendar
don’t know why it declined

6. Aztec

7. Aztec c. 1100s-1500s AD Mexico, capital at Tenochtitlan
powerful warriors
believed in human sacrifice
scientific, calculated movement of some planets
believed sign of arrow through a tree meant gods returning (Spanish cross)
Conquistador – Spanish military leader who fought against Native Americans
Hernan Cortes- landed 1519 AD, welcomed by Montezuma (king) but soon took him hostage and destroyed Aztec civilization
Aztecs defeated by disease (smallpox) as much as by weapons

8. Inca

9. Inca c.1400-1535 AD Peru/Chile area
used llamas to transport goods
great builders: roads and bridges, monuments w/o mortar (Machu Picchu)
no written language, kept records w/ knotted rope (quipu)
Francisco Pizarro- landed 1531 and defeated Incas after leader Atahualpa wouldn’t convert
Incas and Aztecs defeated by disease (smallpox) as much as by weapons
Which reason for exploration does Francisco Pizarro fall under? God, glory or gold?