Download CHAPTER 1: THE MEETING OF CULTURES

CHAPTER 1: THE MEETING OF CULTURES
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By the end of the 15c, when the first important contact with Europeans occurred, America was the
home of many million men and women. Scholars estimate that more 50-75 million people live in
America (more than in Europe).
AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS
The Civilizations of the South
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Most American societies emerged in South and Central America and in Mexico
Peru – Incas created a powerful empire of perhaps 6 million
o Complex political system
o Paved Roads
Central America – Mayas
o Written language
o Numerical system similar to the Arabic
o Accurate calendar
o Advanced agricultural system
Late 13c – Aztecs ruled over Central and Southern Mexico
o Administrative Systems
o Educational Systems
o Medical Systems
o Harsh Religion – Human Sacrifice
o Many Europeans considered the Aztecs savages
o Large cities – Tenochtitlan (capital) had over 100,000
The Civilizations of the North
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The United States and Canada
Subsisted on hunting, gathering, fishing, or a combination
In Southwest irrigation systems were built
Tribal Cultures
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Religion was as important to Indian society as it was to most other cultures
Bound up with the natural world with many gods
All tribes assigned women the jobs of caring for children, preparing meals, and gathering certain
foods
Women tended to control the social and economic organization of the settlements and played
powerful roles within families
EUROPE LOOKS WESTWARD
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Lief Eriksson, an 11c Norse seaman, had glimpsed parts of the New World.
Commerce and Nationalism
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Two important and related changes provided the first incentive for Europeans to look toward new
lands
o Significant growth in Europe’s population
o General increase in prosperity
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By the late 15c, Europe was ready to finance daring voyages
o Portuguese – Price Henry the Navigator
 Western Coast of Africa
o 1486 – Bartholomeu Dias rounded the tip of Africa
o 1497 – 1498 – Vasco da Gama made it all the way to India
Christopher Columbus
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Born in Genoa, Italy
Felt that the Atlantic was narrow enough to be crossed
Failed to win support of Portugal
Turned to Queen Isabella in Spain
o 1492 – Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria
o 10 weeks later sited land
o Called the natives “Indians” thinking he had reached the Indies
o Third voyage in 1498 – concluded that he had not discovered a new route but a separate
continent
o His accomplishments made him popular for a time
Amerigo Vespucci – Portuguese expedition wrote a series of vivid descriptions of the lands he
visited and recognized the Americas as a new continent
Ferdinand Magellan – Portuguese employed by Spain – found the Straits of Magellan at the end of
South America
o First known circumnavigation of the globe (1519-1522).
The Conquistadores
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Spanish – possible source of wealth
Claimed all of new world except Brazil (given to the Portuguese by the Pope)
1518 – Cortes heard stories about great treasures in Mexico and went in search of them
o Met the Aztecs and exposed the natives to smallpox
The Spanish had great brutality and greed
Reasons why they came
o The first Spaniards came for wealth and found more wealth than in all the world (gold
and silver)
o agricultural economic wealth
o Spread Christian religion
Biological and Cultural Exchanges
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Europeans brought disease to the New World
o Influenza
o Measles
o Chickenpox
o Mumps
o Typhus
o Smallpox
Dominican Republic and Haiti
o Population went from 1 million to 500
Mexico
o 95% perished within a few years
New Crops
o Brought to New World – Sugar, Bananas, domestic livestock, and horse
o Taken back to Europe – corn, squash, pumpkins, beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes,
peppers, and potatoes
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Relationships
o Spanish were allowed sexual contact with the native women and marriages were allowed
o Indians were sold into slavery
To meet all labor needs (because the Indians were dying), Slaves were brought in from Africa
THE ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH
The Commercial Incentive
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America seen as a new place to start were a perfect society could be created without flaws from
the Old World
By 1603 – England had an overpopulation of people – people came to America because of growth
Mercantilism – rested on the assumption that the nation as a whole was the principal actor in
the economy, not the individual within it. The goal of economic activity should be to increase
the nation’s total wealth. Mercantilists believed that the world’s wealth was finite. One person
or country could grow rich only at the expense of another. You must find markets for your
exports while trying to limit its imports.
Richard Hakluyt argued that colonies would create new markets for English goods, and siphon off
excess population
The Religious Incentive
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Protestant Reformation
o Began in Germany in 1517, Martin Luther openly challenged the Roman Catholic
Church.
 Catholics believed salvation could be achieved through good works or through
loyalty
 Protestants believed the Bible (not the church) was the voice of God. Salvation
was found through faith alone
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John Calvin believed in the idea of predestination that God had selected to be saved
 People believed that they way you led your life might reveal to them their
chances of salvation
1529 – King Henry VIII wanted a divorce from his Spanish wife. The pope said “NO!”
Henry broke from the Catholic church and established himself as the head of the Church
of England
Mary “Bloody Mary” brought England back to the Catholic Church until 1558.
Elizabeth became Queen of England in 1558 (Mary died). Elizabeth used the Church of
England for her own political objectives; however, she failed to satisfy the religious
desires of many English Christians
 Many wanted more reforms that would “purify” the church; as a result, they
became known as “Puritans.”
 Separatists were determined to worship as they pleased in their own
independent congregations
 Quakers were separatists that allowed women to serve as preachers –
something that other religious groups would not allow
James I, a Scotsman from the House of Stuart, became King in 1603. Believed in
“Divine Right of Kings”
 Favored English Catholics
 He allowed colonization of the New World to rid England of religious
discontent
Henry VIII  Mary  Elizabeth  James I
 = Tutor House
 = Stuart House
The English in Ireland
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England’s first experience with colonization was in Ireland.
o They had certain assumptions that would be used in the New World
 Looked at Ireland as a savage nation
 They could not be assimilated into English society and therefore must be
suppressed (destroyed if needed)
 English settlements must retain rigid separation from the native population
The French and the Dutch in America
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France
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Dutch
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England’s most formidable rival
Quebec in 1608
The French forged close, direct ties with natives deep inside the land
Jesuit missionaries came to talk with natives
Established fur trading as the major industry
Lived among the Indians and married into the tribes
1609
Henry Hudson sailed up Hudson River and established what is now New York State
New Netherland with New Amsterdam as the capital
The First English Settlements
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Due to Sir Francis Drake and his raids on the Spanish, along with the defeat of the Spanish
Armada in 1588 – this gave England the ability to colonize.
First permanent settlement was Jamestown, Va. In 1607
Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh (half-brothers) explored the new world
o Gilbert – Newfoundland in 1588
 Lost at sea when ship sank
Roanoke
 Roanoke was founded and established in Virginia (in honor of Elizabeth – the Virgin Queen)
o Sir Richard Grenville established in 1585
o With supplies running low – they left
 Raleigh tried again in 1587
o The daughter of John White was born in the new world. The first American born English
– Virginia Dare
 White went back to England to bring back more supplies but could not return for
three years
 In 1590 he returned and found everyone gone
 No conclusive solution was ever found for the “Lost Colony”
 In 1606 James I divided America between two groups
o London Group – given the south to colonize
o Plymouth Group – given the north to colonize
CHAPTER 2: THE ENGLISH “TRANSPLANTATIONS”
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Three things characterized the first permanent English settlements
o Colonies were business enterprises
o As in Ireland – there were few efforts to blend English society with the natives
o Almost nothing worked out as they planned
THE EARLY CHESAPEAKE
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London Company – Virginia – A party of 144 men aboard 3 ships
The Founding of Jamestown
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Only 104 men survived
All male colony
The site was low, swampy, hot, humid, thick woods, and within local Indians reach
Jamestown was not very productive
Colonists spend most of the time looking for gold and not growing food
By 1608 – all but 38 dead
Captain John Smith imposed work and order on the community
Reorganization
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The London Company (now called Virginia Company) raised capital by selling stock to
“adventures
Planters and poor were given free passage along as they agreed to work for the company for 7
years
1609 – 600 people including women and children headed for Virginia
o Winter of 1609 – Starving Time
 Local Indians killed off livestock
 Kept colonists trapped
 Colonists lived off what they could find: dogs, cats, rats, snakes, toadstools,
horsehides, dead bodies
 60 out of 500 alive for summer
Lord De La Warr – first governor
o Organized settlers into work gangs
Governor Dale
o Allowed private ownership and cultivation of land
Tobacco
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Colonists had seen Cuban natives smoking small cigars which they inserted in the nostril
King James I against smoking
1612 – Jamestown planter John Rolfe started planting tobacco
transformed the area in fundamental ways
o increase need for land
Expansion
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Headright system: 50 acres to each new settler
o 100 acres to each current colonist
o If you paid for someone to come over – you received more land
o Must contribute a small amount to the company (one shilling)
1619 – 100 Englishwomen came – they could be bought for 120 lbs. of tobacco
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July 30, 1619 – established the House of Burgesses – first representative assembly in the New
World
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August 1620 – Dutch ship arrives with 20 African Slaves
o They were thought of as servants and could buy their freedom or work to be free
Became a Royal Colony in 1624
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Maryland and the Calverts
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Lord Baltimore (George Calvert)
o Saw as a retreat from Europe for Catholics
o Was true and absolute lord of all
Leonard Calvert – governor
o 200 to 300 passengers
o Founded St. Mary’s
Indians provided temporary shelter, land, food
Protestants outnumbers Catholics
Policy of religious toleration – freedom to worship for all Christians
Protestants in majority and in 1655 civil war broke out (put down)
Government
o Two-houses
o Governor appointed
o The Proprietor retain absolute authority
1640 started Headright System
o 100 acres for each male settler
o 100 acres for wife and each servant
o 50 acres for each child
Tobacco became chief product
Turbulent Virginia
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Settlements moved west and Indian conflicts grew
Sir William Berkeley 1642-1670s
o Appointed governor by King Charles I
o Organized colonies and put down Indian uprising
 Agreed to prohibit whites to settle west
 He had fur trade agreements with the Indians
 Grew in power
Population grew
o 1640-1650 = from 8,000 to 16,000
o 1660 = 40,000
Bacon’s Rebellion
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Nathaniel Bacon
o Arrived in 1673
o Part of governors council
o Well known in colony
Developed grievances that made him the opposing leader
o Doeg Indians killed a white servant
 Local whites struck back
 Berkeley told them to stop
 Bacon dismissed from the council
 Proclaimed himself and his men rebels
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Bacon’s Rebellion
o Led men against Jamestown and won temporary pardon
o Led men against Jamestown and burned the town
 Drove governor out of the city
o October 26, 1676 – died of the “Bloodie Flux” and “Lousey Disease” (body lice). His
body was burned by his followers and never found.
o Berkeley regained control and forced then force the Indians to sign treaty to allow
settlements
o Outcomes
 Continuing struggle to define boundary
 Settlers unwilling to abide by earlier agreements
 Competition between east and west landowners
 Colonies instability
 The need to import black slaves instead of large white lower class (slaves could
be easy to control)
CARIBBEAN COLONIZATION
The West Indies
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The Spanish Empire claimed title to all islands in the Caribbean
Economy based on export of crops
o Sugar
o Sugar Cane to Rum
Masters and Slaves
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1660 – all the islands enacted legal codes to regulate relations between masters and slaves and to
give the white people absolute control of Africans – a master could even murder a slave
It was cheaper to buy a new slave than to take care of those you owned
Caribbean important to colonies
o Atlantic trading to the world
o Source of sugar and rum
o Principal source of African slaves
o Provided models that many mainland people followed concerning slavery
Southern Work Patterns
o Most slaves worked as field hands
o House servants lived in better circumstances, but isolated from the other slaves
o On large plantation slaves learned trades and crafts – blacksmithing, carpentry,
shoemaking, midwifery
THE GROWTH OF NEW ENGLAND
The Plymouth Plantation
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It was illegal to leave England without the consent of the king.
Separatists
o Left England a little at a time and traveled to Holland
o Obtained permission to settle Virginia
 King gave assurances that they would not be harmed
 Opened up English America to dissenting Protestants
o Pilgrims
 William Bradford – leader
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September 1620 – set sail from Plymouth on the Mayflower with 35 saints and
67 strangers
Landed at Cap Cod
Captain John Smith named area Plymouth
Mayflower Compact
 Signed and created a civil government
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Allegiance to the king
December 21, 1620 – Plymouth Rock
First Winter half died
The Indians helped out
 Shown how to gather seafood, corn, and hunt
October 1621, after first harvest – gave thanks with the first Thanksgiving
1622 – Miles Standish established military rule
Population grew to 300
Always poor but held to the belief that God had put them in the New World for
a purpose
The Massachusetts Bay Experiment
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Charles I – tries to restore the Catholic Church in England and the Puritans become targets for the
government
Massachusetts Bay Company established in the New World as a haven for Puritans in New
England
o John Winthrop – governor
o 1630 – 17 ships and about 1,000 people sail for the New World (mostly families).
o The large family groups helped ensure a feeling of commitment to the community and a
sense of order among the settlers.
o The colonists would be responsible to themselves and not a company in England
o Boston became company HQ and the Capital
o In other areas “freeman” meant just stockholders; however, here it meant all male citizens
o The Congregational Church
 The community church had complete freedom to stand alone (unlike England
who were part of the main church)
 Chose their own ministers
 Serious and pious people
 Church members were the only people who could vote or hold office
 Government supported the church, protected the ministers, taxed the people,
enforced the laws requiring attendance to Church.
 A theocracy had started – a society in which the lines between the church and
the state was hard to see.
The Expansion of New England
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Massachusetts considered religious dissent a threat to the community
Connecticut Valley
o Attracting English families
o Appealed to Thomas Hooker
 1635 – led his congregation from Massachusetts to establish the town of
Hartford
 established a colonial government and adopted the “Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut”
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The “Fundamental Articles of New Haven (1639) established an even stricter religious
government than Boston
Rhode island
o Roger Williams – founder
 Called for a complete separation of church and state to protect the church from
the corruption of the outside world
 1644 – obtained a charter from Parliament
 Government gave no support to the church and allowed “liberty in religious
concernments”
o Anne Hutchinson
 Believed that only the “elect” were entitled to any religious or political authority
 In order to be “elect” you must undergo a conversion experience
 Clergy who were not among the elect had no right to spiritual office
 Such teachings “hostile to the law”
 She offered active role to women in religious affairs
 Because she continued to defy clerical authority and she claimed to have
communicated with the Holy Spirit (passed the time of revelations) – she was
convicted of sedition and banished
 Moved to New York and died in 1643 in Indian attack (some claimed that it was
God’s Will that she died)
New Hampshire colony in 1679.
Maine remained a part of Massachusetts until 1820
Settler and Natives
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Indians provided assistance to the early settlers as they adapted to the new lands, Important trading
partners, and Important markets for European goods
Some Puritans believed that Indians should either be civilized to Christianity and European Ways
or exterminated.
16c – 100,000 Indians in New England by 1675 – 10,000 remained
King Philip’s War
o 1675 – A Chieftain named King Philip fought the English over the settlers settling Indian
land.
o Three years the natives fought in Massachusetts
o The settlers fought back using King Philip’s rival tribe ( the Mohawks)
THE RESORATION COLONIES
The English Civil War
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Charles I dissolved Parliament in 1629 and ruled as an absolute monarch
Parliament called back to collect more taxes
In 1642 – English Civil War – lasted seven years
o Cavaliers (King)
o Roundheads (Parliament)
 Defeated the king’s forces
 Captured Charles I and put him under palace arrest
 Because he tried to return as ruler – was beheaded (only Monarch to be killed in
English history).
o Oliver Cromwell became leader of England – when he died, his son was to take over and
create a new line of common monarchs – failed
o King Charles II returned to claim the throne
 Gave large amounts of land to friends in the New World
 Established colonies of : Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
The Carolinas
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Named after Charles
Political freedom – laws were made by a representative assembly
Charles Town became the capital in 1690
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John Locke helped draw up the Fundamental Constitution for Carolina in 1669
o System of land distribution
o Social order
The Northern and Southern regions remained separated
o Northern –
 Backwoods farmers
 Isolated
 Hard life
 No slaves
o Southern
 Fertile land
 Trade in corn, lumber, cattle, pork, and rice
 Sea ports
 Established a similar slave based plantation society like the Caribbean
The King divided the two in 1729
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New Netherland, New York, and New Jersey
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The English did not like the Dutch in North America
1664 – English Fleet sailed into New Amsterdam and they surrendered without a fight – in fact the
city ran the governor out and into the bay
James, the duke of York, renamed the colony New York
o New York contained Dutch, English, Scandinavians, Germans, French, Africans, and
Indians.
o The laws established local government and religious toleration
o By 1685 – 30,000 population
o In 1685 the duke of York became James II King of England
Sir George Carteret – New Jersey
o Enormous ethic and religious diversity
o Small farmers
The Quaker Colonies
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Pennsylvania – dissenting English Protestants to find a home
Rejected the idea of predestination and original sin
All people have divinity within themselves
o All who cultivated that divinity could attain salvation
o Women within the church equal to that of men
o All could become preachers and define church doctrine
Most democratic of all colonies
No church government
No paid clergy
Confirmed pacifists – refuse to fight in wars
William Penn – founder
o Charles II paid off a debt with land
o Liberal Frame of Government with a representative assembly
o Indians respected Penn as a honest man
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New Sweden established in 1638 at the mouth of the Delaware River
The colony of Delaware established 1703
The Founding of Georgia
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1733 – Georgia was the last established on the mainland
Military barrier between English America and Spanish due to War with Spain in 1701 called
“Queen Anne’s War” or “War of the Spanish Succession”
James Oglethorpe – charter in 1732 from Charles II.
o Limited size of landholdings
o Excluded Africans
o Prohibited rum
o Excluded Catholics
1740
o removed limitations on landholdings
o ban on slavery
o prohibition
1770 – over 20,000 non-Indians residents (over half of then slaves)
THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMPIRE
The Drive for Reorganization
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Imperial reorganization – increase the profitability of the colonies and the power of the English
government to supervise them
Colonies would provide markets for English goods and a source of raw materials
Exclude foreigners from colonial trade
Benefits to the colonies – a ready market for their raw materials and manufactured goods from
England
Charles II – Navigation Acts
o 1660 – closed the colonies to all trade except that carried in English ships
o 1663 – provided that all goods being shipped from Europe to the colonies had to pass
through England
o 1673 – provided for the appointment of customs officials to enforce the navigation Acts.
o The colonies created an important shipbuilding industry and learned how to produce their
own goods they needed (iron, silk, etc.)
The Dominion of New England
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Charles II and James II tried to create a single Dominion of New England thereby making all of
the colonies under one government.
The “Glorious Revolution”
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James I had two daughters (Mary and Anne) both were protestant; however, he had one son who
was going to be raised Catholic.
Parliament invited Mary and her husband William to take over the rule of England.
James II fled to France when they arrived and offered no resistance.
This was called the Glorious Revolution
William and Mary restored separate colonial government.
As a results the colonies revived their governments and thwarted the plan of unification