Heimlich's History: AP US History Unit 1 Overview

Introduction

• Overview of Unit 1 in AP US History curriculum.
• Focus on pre-Columbian Americas and impacts of European arrival.
• Unit is part of an extensive review resource (AP US History Ultimate Review Pack).

Pre-Columbian Native American Societies

• Diversity and Societal Structures:

  • Native American societies were diverse and adapted to their environments.
  • Misconception: Native Americans are often thought of as monolithic, but they had varied lifestyles.

• Regional Societies:

  • Pueblo People (Utah/Colorado):
    • Settled farmers, grew maize, beans, squash.
    • Advanced irrigation systems and clay brick urban centers.
    • Famous for cliff dwellings.
  • Great Basin and Plains (Colorado to Canada):
    • Nomadic hunter-gatherers, organized in kinship bands.
    • Example: Ute people.
  • Northwest and Pacific Coast (California):
    • Permanent settlements due to abundant resources.
    • Chumash: Villages for ~1000 people, engaged in regional trade.
    • Chinook: Built plank houses for extended families.
  • Northeast (Iroquois):
    • Farmers, lived in longhouses made from timber.
  • Mississippi River Valley:
    • Rich soil led to farming and trade.
    • Cahokia: Large civilization (10,000-30,000 people), centralized government.

European Arrival and Motivations

• Europe in 1300s-1400s:

  • Political unification, stronger centralized states.
  • Wealthy upper class desiring Asian luxury goods.
  • Muslim control over land trade routes led to seeking sea routes.

• Portugal's Maritime Advances:

  • Established trading posts (Trading Post Empire) around Africa.
  • Used new maritime technology: astrolabe, updated charts, new ship designs.

• Spain's Entry:

  • Post-reconquest from Moors, motivated to spread Christianity and seek wealth.
  • Christopher Columbus: Sponsored by Spain to find westward route to Asia.
  • 1492: Landed in the Caribbean, sparking European competition for exploration.

The Columbian Exchange

• Definition:

  • Exchange of people, animals, plants, diseases between Old and New Worlds.

• Key Transfers:

  • From Americas to Europe: Potatoes, tomatoes, maize.
  • From Europe to Americas: Wheat, rice, soybeans.
  • Animal Transfers: Turkeys (Americas), cattle, pigs, horses (Europe).
  • Gold and Silver: Moved from Americas to Europe.
  • Diseases: Smallpox decimated native populations.
  • People: Europeans settled in Americas; Africans brought as slaves.

Economic and Societal Changes in Europe

• Shift from Feudalism to Capitalism:
  • Wealth from Americas led to economic shift.
  • Rise of joint-stock companies for exploration funding.

Spanish Colonization

• Encomienda System:

  • Spaniards used natives for agricultural labor and resource extraction.
  • Problems: Native resistance and population decline from disease.
  • Solution: Importation of African slave labor.

• Casta System:

  • Social classes based on racial ancestry:
    • Peninsulares (Spaniards born in Spain).
    • Creoles (Spaniards born in Americas).
    • Mestizos, Mulattos, Africans, Native Americans.

European-Native Relations

• Cultural Exchange and Conflict:

  • Natives taught Europeans hunting, maize cultivation.
  • Europeans introduced iron tools, weapons.
  • Europeans justified harsh treatment of natives and Africans with belief systems (e.g., biblical interpretation of Ham).

• Spanish Priests' Views:

  • Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda: Argued natives were less than human.
  • Bartolomé de las Casas: Advocated for native rights; temporarily influenced Spanish laws.

Conclusion

• Summary of key themes and concepts for AP US History Unit 1.
• Encouragement to subscribe to further learning resources and join the Heimler community.