EUROPEAN Exploration and Expansion Europe was the first recorded people to have landed on the shores of America, and one of the first to settle there. If it wasn't for Europe much of what is today would not exist. The European society had caused an order of hierarchy or pyramid of classes. Such as Monarchs being at the top and serfs at the bottom. The European Government has control from monarchs to churches. Having churches control the government at the time causing the Crusades. As well as, the Innovations affected much of the world, with the side affect of Europe gaining world dominance. Such as the invention of the gun, and the printing press.
Society The social order impacted Europe in the 1400's to the 1600's greatly. To start with, the church at the time controlled the state and government. Church was at the top of the hierarchy having the most influence. Also, the social order of classes caused Monarchs(a ruler of a society by hereditary right)and nobles to gain more power. The classes have one ruler at the top giving the serfs less power. Thus leaving the peasants at the bottom of the hierarchy(The Organization of people in which different people are "higher" or "lower" than each other) pyramid. The peasants supplied the nobles and the king with their crops and production. The peasants would also give military service if they had to. Therefore the social order impacts Europe because the church controlled the state and government. as well as the social order. Also the classes having peasants at the bottom and kings at the top was mostly influenced by the church and their actions. Finally the social order impacted Europe greatly. The Church controlled much, such as controlling the state and monarchy. Monarchs where the ruler so that the working class would stay at their level. These workers, serfs, and peasants where the suppliers of the monarchy and have no control over who does what. The social order is what shaped Europe at the time.
Government European government affected both Europe and the Americas. So the controlling absolute monarchy caused blood shed amongst the Natives of North America. Spanish rulers decreed enslavement upon Natives causing bloodshed. Dispute for land was also caused by the monarchy, church, and government. The state was strongly influenced by the church. The crusade(holy war) was ordered by the state which was ultimately influenced by the church at the time.At last, the European government is very infectious. It spread to the Americas and did a huge amount of damage, involving war, enslavement, and mass murder. The government itself had lead to the 100 year war over disputes that brought great losses. As it has been said, the European government is caused of many events in the Americas as well as the Europe. To conclude, European government had an affect on both Europe and the Americas. Being that the government was the one causing slavery and bloodshed in the Americas. The government was also the main reason for the destruction in Europe, so where as the 100 year war took place between Britain and France. The state was also strongly controlled, although not by a government but by the church which overall controlled the state. “The aura of the theocratic death penalty for adultery still clings to America, even outside New England, and looks to the European like serial polygamy, is the moral solution to the problem of the itch.” Anthony Burgess
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Innovations Innovations of Europe impacted exploration and power. Therefore inventions of guns allowed Europe to gain world dominance. That is how they won the battle against the Indians when enslaving them. In addition the improvements of ships helped trade routes flourish and exploration to take place. This allowed Columbus to conduct such a sail to the Americas. Thus news spread quickly through the invention of the printing press. This allowed books to be copied in a machine instead of copying by hand. So as a result, innovations of Europe impacted exploration of ships helped trade routes flourish and exploration to take place. With the invention of gunpowder came what would be the first world dominance. Printing press allowed news to spread quickly besides the old slower method of hand writing. With all the innovations Europe was able to gain world dominance. So in conclusion, the Europeans were the first recorded people to have landed on the shores of America, although they were not the first people to have lived here. Their government was ruled by an absolute monarchy and also the church.
So to wrap this up, even though Europeans were the first people to settle here,they weren't the first people to have lived here. Their social order greatly impacted their way of life in the 1400's through the 1600's. Their government affected both Europe and the America's. And their innovations/inventions greatly impacted their exploration and power.
Questions 1. Identify, who where the rulers of Eroupe at the time, if in fact the Monarchy was not the true ruler? 2. Describe how one way the invention of guns helped the Europeans in their domination of the world.
NATIVE AMERICANS Advancements Native Americans where the first to ever be known to have lived in the Americas, throughout history they played a large role in the settling of Europeans, and the outcome of the American way. Native Americans may have directly or indirectly caused a change of our government for the better. Such as the Iroquois forming a league to show to the colonies as an object of lesson. Native Americans also had a very creative society. Some say it is even "healthier" and others may think of it as violent. The Native Americans inventions helped the colonies and settlers in order to survive. Such as one example: the watertight basket, or even the advanced hunting skills to trade with fur and meat.
Government The Indians may have had the ideas we need in order to change for the better. First, they Iroquois where an object of lesson to the colonies( territory under control politically by a state). Being a self organized government able to reason and create laws as one of the first Native tribes to create such a thing. Secondly, Natives where involved in the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Having a large influence on the fight for freedom they're has been proof of the inspiration given upon the Declaration. Thus the early settlers and pilgrims had a bad relationship with the Natives giving insight on how to change the governing and make a better
community. The pilgrims and Natives formed modern day "Thanksgiving" in celebration of peace between the two. In conclusion the Native Americans have made an impact on the ideas we needed in order to change for the better. As an object of lesson the Iroquois showed and proved to the colonies that they could have an organized government so that they could create peace amongst each other. The Declaration of Independence was a symbol of America but also shown to have proof of Native American influence. As well as the fighting between settlers and Natives would have never ended if it wasn't for the peace created between the two making America capable of peace.
Society The Native American society is a very creative and controversial society. First of all, is the religion in the society. Their religion is said to be "healthier" in their life-views. Anthropologist(the study of humans throughout time) Fredrick Turner once said that the European of religion "was a shockingly dead view of creation." Secondly, the Native Americans had a strong society , body wise, while also appearing to be friendly and peaceful. American History says "these agricultural( cultivating land for crops) people where mostly peaceful, though they could fight fiercely to protect their fields. Finally, art depicted by Indians where different through the 1500's. Some examples are of Natives Americans hunting instead of farming after the Europeans came. To conclude the Native Americans society was creative. The Natives had religion that was different from Europeans. They had a strong society in order to organize well. As well and made art that Indians created to show their culture.
The way to kill a man or a nation is to cut off his dreams, the way the whites are taking care of the Indians: killin familiar spirits.” William S. Burroughs
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Innovations Native American innovations not only helped the Indians but also helped the Europeans in their struggle to survive in American. To begin with, the Native Americans way of farming during the time spanned often allowing them to gather more than twice the amount collected. "Indian farmers in some tribes drew two or three times more nourishment from the soil than we do." Also, the Indians knew how to use the world around them for their advantage. "..members of Indian nations possessed a variety of sophisticated skills from the ability to weave water tight baskets to an understanding of how certain plants can be used to reduce pain." Finally, they have also played a part in naming some of the places/ landscape in the country. As what was once said, "Native Place names dot our landscape." Concluding, the Natives innovation not only helped the Indians but also helped the Europeans in their struggle to survive. For example: farming during the time spanned often allowing them to gather more than twice the amount collected. Natives knew how to use the world around them,
and they have named areas of land. The European settlers would have never survived if it wasn't for the Natives assistance in giving inventions and new ways of survival.
Questions 1. Describe, how did the Native Americans adapt tothe Eroupean's arrival? 2. Yes, or no? Did the Native Americans give America an idealistic veiw for a government? Explain how.
WESTERN AFRICANS West Africans also shared a part of making our country the way it is now. When the Europeans came over they took back African ideas on government,innovations/inventions, and society ideas. The West Africans created an advanced trading route that would help increase their wealth and status. They had trusted the Europeans when they had first gone over to their land but soon regretted it when the Europeans captured them and brought them to America as slaves.
Government Their government was central to familial ties. Such as matriarchs and lineages were made in most African societies. Lineages would mainly go down one generation or kinship. Also, the families were extremely close, the eldest member of the family would go to the meetings on behalf of the family. The elders were often the chiefs or their families leader. It was their responsibility to pass on the stories from generation to generation. So the chiefs and leaders would speak to the people as a whole. It was their responsibility to lead their tribe they would make the decisions that would influence the tribe. So summing this up, government and family were closely related. Concluding the fact of their government being attached to the family ties. Matriarchs, lineages where the most common in African society. Lineages would mainly go down one generation of kinship where people would be the leaders depending on age. Older people would be considered elders or chiefs amongst the people. The governing of African cities was by the family member who was the oldest or the one who had the most responsibilities.
Innovations Also, Western African inventions helped trade with the Muslims and also helped better themselves. First of all, the Africans had built the biggest empires known in African history. The largest empire, Songhai, lasted from (1404-1591) and was ruled first by Sunni Ali and then by Aski Muhammad. Secondly, the Africans knew how to make clothes and cultivate their lands. Africans in the Savannah produced cotton for clothing and cultivated Millet, rice, and sorgum and those are just a few examples. Also, West Africans were skilled at making art that would depict their religion. Some figurines that were made were used in funerals, rituals, medicine, and in coming-of-age practices. So as the inventions came to be in Africa, trade was helped with the Muslims and also helped themselves. The Africans built large cities and empires, such as Songhai. The ability to make clothes and cultivate land was also a trade help. From all of this religion was as well spread from trade routes centralized on one city. This concludes the innovations of Western Africa.
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“Tears were to me what glass beads are to African traders.” Quentin Crisp
Society West African society was strongly focused on family and social orders. First of all, they would arrange things based on familial bonds, they lived in hamlets(towns with a few houses of sorts) or villages full of their extended families. "They usually lived in hamlets or villages composed of extended families and clans called lineages." Also, it was believed that men owned their women and it was common for them to have more than one wife. However the women also had a fair amount of freedom. "...it was custom for men to take two or more wives, and, to a degree custom held women to be the property of men .""...women also enjoyed a relative amount of freedom." Finally, many of them lived in a hierarchy, while some didn't. They had a royalty, launders, nobles, warriors, peasants, and bureaucrats. The lower classes included blacksmiths, butchers, weavers, woodcarvers, tanners, and griots. " So to wrap this up West African society was strongly centered on family and social orders. They would arrange things based on familial ties. Also, it was a common belief that the women would belong to the men, although they would enjoy a relative amount of freedom. And many of the tribes had a social hierarchy that they lived by. To conclude, the West African soiety was strogly focused on the family ties and social ordrs. Such as arranges based on fimiliar bonds and having lived in hamlets. The villages where composed of lineages as well as men owning the women, were everyone had a class within every village's style of social order.
Questions 1. How is life overall tied to the family bond of Western Africans? 2. If Sanghai where to be the most rich an powerful govrnment ever in Western African history, then how did it become so?