Crash Course U.S. History: Pre-Columbian North America

Introduction

• Host: John Green
• Focus on pre-Columbian North America before European settlement.
• Avoids Eurocentric view of historical progression.

Native North American Society

• No classical civilizations like Aztec or Incas.
• No metalwork, gunpowder, wheels, written languages, or domesticated animals.
• Existence of farming, complex social structures, and trade networks.

Population

• Estimated between 2-10 million within present US borders before Europeans.
• Decimated by diseases like smallpox and influenza (up to 80% population loss).

Civilizations and Decline

• Zuni and Hopi civilizations peaked around 1200 CE, declined due to drought.
• Environmental degradation a common cause of civilization decline.

Diversity and Tribal Organization

• Huge diversity in Native American cultures and societies.
• Tribes organized based on local resources (e.g., fishing, hunting).
• Iroquois Confederacy as a notable league.

Cultural Practices

• Religion: Vibrant spiritual world, focus on animal spirits and harvests.
• Land: Seen as a common resource, not privately owned.
• Gender roles: Some tribes matrilineal, women could be religious leaders.
• Society: Class distinctions existed, but more equitable than Europe.

European Contact and Misunderstandings

• Europeans' view of Native Americans as "noble savages."
• Spanish explorations led by figures like Juan Ponce de Leon.
• Spanish colonization introduced diseases that devastated native populations.

Spanish Colonization

• Spanish missions and military bases established, e.g., in Florida and New Mexico.
• Santa Fe established in 1610 as a permanent settlement.
• Pueblo Revolt in 1680, significant Native uprising against Spanish.

The Black Legend

• Idea that Spanish were uniquely cruel to natives, though used later to justify other European colonization efforts.
• Bartolome de las Casas as a sympathetic figure to Native Americans.

Conclusion

• Importance of questioning historical narratives and understanding perspectives not documented.
• Remembering which voices are heard and which are silenced in historical records.