1. European, African and Native American Cultures Collide and Meet
The Great Convergence
European, African and Native American Cultures Collide and Meet

2. Old World and New World Cultures
Europeans: “The Invaders”
Native Americans: “The First People”
West Africans: “The Enslaved People”
The coming together or meeting of these cultures is called the Great Convergence.

3. Selected events and conditions that led to the Great Convergence
Coming of Columbus to New World in 1492 opens the door to European Exploration
Europeans looking for shorter route to the Far East and cheaper access to trade goods.
Europeans were searching for a better life and attempting to get ahead.

4. Life back in Europe Poverty Not enough Food or shelter for all
Disease ridden
Limited wealth
Wealth tied to land ownership
Survival Difficult
Life a precarious possession

5. Encounter
European Exploration brings them into contact with Native Americans.
Where Indians outnumbered Europeans relationships based on trade, fairly friendly
When Europeans outnumbered Indians, Indians exploited for land and labor, relations strained

6. Spanish and Native Americans
Spanish, unlike French and English, saw Native Americans as labor force for raising crops, tending animals and mining
Spanish established missions and churches to evangelize the Native population

7. Introduction of Atlantic Slave Trade
As Native American labor force is decimated, Spain turns to African slaves for Labor
Slavery was the man-power necessary to develop and settle New World.
Slaves produced the products for mass consumer markets of New World products: tobacco, sugar, coffee, cocoa and later cotton.

8. Slavery Among the English Colonies
1st Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619
Status unclear, may have been indentured servants
Indentured servants did not come in numbers sufficient to meet labor demand
Late 1600 Legislation in Virginia made slavery legal, Virginia Slave Codes

9. Impact
African music, dance, decoration, design, and cuisine exerted a profound, ongoing influence on American culture.
Diets of New World and Old revolutionized
Religion: indigenous people introduced to Christianity. See Mexico which remains largely Roman Catholic.
Environmentalism
Racial Slavery

10. Impact
Language
Introduction of Old World animals changes the environment and way of life for many
Names of many cities, counties come from Native Americans.