Overview
This lecture covers Chapter 1, "The Collision of Cultures," from Alan Brinkley’s American History. It examines pre-Columbian societies, European exploration, the impact of colonization, and the early encounters between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans.
Early American Civilizations
- Early migrations to the Americas occurred via the Bering Strait and seafaring to South America.
- Major civilizations included the Incas in Peru (largest empire), Mayans in Central America (writing, calendar, agriculture), and Aztecs in Mexico (large cities).
- Southwestern U.S. societies farmed maize (corn) with irrigation; Great Plains tribes were nomadic buffalo hunters.
- Northeastern tribes like the Iroquois built permanent villages and practiced agriculture, hunting, and gathering.
- Native American religions were closely tied to nature.
Tribal Social Roles
- Women raised children, prepared meals, gathered food, and sometimes influenced tribal decisions (e.g., Iroquois councils).
- Men were mainly responsible for hunting.
European Exploration and Colonization
- Exploration motivated by population growth, land scarcity, technological advances (e.g., sextant), and the search for markets and wealth.
- Columbus’s voyages increased Spanish interest; Spain overtook Portugal in colonization, claiming most of the New World except Brazil.
- Conquistadors (e.g., Cortés) devastated native populations, mainly through disease (smallpox).
- Spanish colonization focused on extracting gold/silver and spreading Catholicism through missions.
Spanish Colonial Systems and Native Resistance
- Encomienda system granted Spanish landowners labor and tribute from natives, often resulting in exploitation.
- Pueblo Revolt (1680) saw Native Americans in New Mexico successfully drive out the Spanish for over a decade; Spanish later accommodated more native practices.
Colonial Administration and Trade
- By late 1500s, Spanish monarchy tightly controlled colonies, requiring all trade through regulated ports.
- Spanish immigration focused less on population growth compared to British, French, and Dutch colonies.
- The Columbian Exchange involved transfer of crops, animals, people, and diseases between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Social Structure and Slavery
- Spanish social hierarchy: Spaniards at top, mestizos (mixed ancestry) in the middle, natives and Africans at bottom.
- African societies were often matrilineal; slavery existed but was not hereditary as later in the U.S.
- Atlantic slave trade grew as demand for sugar and later tobacco rose; African tribes sometimes traded war captives for European goods.
English, French, and Dutch Colonization
- English colonization driven by joint-stock companies, mercantilism, population pressure, land scarcity, and religious motives (Puritans, separatists).
- English viewed Native Americans as "savages," influenced by their treatment of the Irish.
- French and Dutch colonies focused on trade and alliances/intermarriage with natives, especially in fur-rich regions.
Early English Settlements
- Defeat of the Spanish Armada enabled English colonial expansion.
- Roanoke (the "Lost Colony", 1587) mysteriously vanished.
- Jamestown (1607) became the first permanent English settlement in America.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Bering Strait — Land bridge/migration route between Asia and North America.
- Maize — Corn, a staple crop in early American agriculture.
- Conquistadors — Spanish conquerors of the Americas.
- Encomienda system — Spanish labor system exploiting Native Americans.
- Pueblo Revolt — 1680 Native American uprising against Spanish rule.
- Columbian Exchange — Widespread transfer of people, plants, animals, and diseases post-1492.
- Mestizo — A person of mixed European and Native American ancestry.
- Joint-stock company — Business organization pooling resources for colonial ventures.
- Mercantilism — Economic system prioritizing wealth for the mother country.
- Puritans — Religious group seeking to reform the Anglican Church.
- Predestination — Belief that salvation is determined by God before birth.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the Encomienda system and Pueblo Revolt for their significance in the curriculum.
- Study the differences between Spanish and English colonial systems for future comparison.
- Complete any assigned readings from Chapter 1 as listed in your course materials.