Heimlich's History: AP US History Unit 1 Overview

Introduction

• Focus: Societal makeup of Americas before European arrival and subsequent impact.
• Part of the "AP US History Ultimate Review Pack."
• Key Resources: Note guides, practice exams, multiple-choice questions.

Native American Societies

• Diversity of Native Societies: Diverse cultures based on environments.
  • Misconception: Native Americans as monolithic, nomadic hunters.
  • Reality: Varied lifestyles including agriculture, fishing, and urban centers.

Regional Societies

• Pueblo People (Utah and Colorado)

  • Settled farmers growing beans, squash, and maize.
  • Advanced irrigation systems.
  • Famous for cliff dwellings.

• Great Basin Region (Colorado to Canada)

  • Nomadic hunter-gatherers.
  • Example: Ute people.

• Northwest and Pacific Coast

  • Permanent settlements due to abundant resources.
  • Examples:
    • Chumash (California): Villages, regional trade.
    • Chinook (Pacific Northwest): Plank houses, kinship groups.

• Iroquois People (Northeast)

  • Farmers living in timber longhouses.

• Mississippi River Valley

  • Rich soil for farming, extensive trade.
  • Example: Cahokia civilization (10,000-30,000 people), centralized government.

European Exploration and Arrival

• European Changes (1300s-1400s)
  • Political unification and centralized monarchies.
  • Desire for Asian luxury goods.
  • Sea-based trade routes due to Muslim-controlled land routes.

Portugal's Role

• Trading Post Empire
  • Maritime technology: Astronomical charts, astrolabe, Latin sail, stern-post rudder.

Spain's Role

• Post-Reconquest Ambitions
  • Spread Christianity and seek economic opportunities.
  • Columbus' voyage (1492): Discovery of the Americas.

Columbian Exchange

• Exchange of Cultures and Resources
  • Transfer of people, animals, plants, diseases.
  • From Americas to Europe: Potatoes, tomatoes, maize.
  • From Europe to Americas: Wheat, rice, livestock (cattle, pigs, horses).
  • Diseases: Smallpox to Americas (devastating effect on native populations).

Economic and Societal Shifts in Europe

• Shift from Feudalism to Capitalism
  • Wealth influx promotes private ownership and joint-stock companies.

Spanish Colonization and Impact

• Encomienda System
  • Forced labor of natives on plantations.
  • Introduction of African enslaved labor due to native population decline (smallpox).

Casta System

• Social Hierarchy Based on Ancestry
  • Peninsulares, Creoles, Mestizos, Mulattos, Africans, Native Americans.

European-Native Relations

• Conflict and Cultural Exchange
  • Adoption of useful cultural practices by both sides.
  • European justifications for exploitation (religious and racial beliefs).

Key Figures

• Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda: Advocated native inferiority.
• Bartolomé de las Casas: Opposed harsh treatment, influenced legal changes.

Conclusion

• Important concepts for understanding AP US History Unit 1.
• Recommendations for further resources and study aids.