Chapter 1 Beginning Of America This chapter shows how the meeting of three different worlds can affect the outcome of America. How slavery and trade and power all started from Europeans, Native Americans, and West Africans. In this chapter you will cover the trade routes of West Africa, to how the Indians ran their governments, to the difference in societies between all three regions.
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Europe in the Late 1400’s Main Idea This section is how the Europeans discovered the Americas and used their advanced technology to conquer the new world.
Why it matters now This matters now because this is how Columbus discovered the new world and it became America.
Terms
Social Order Reconquista Ideological Theological
This letter is from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Santangel“ … I write you this letter, by which you shall know that in thirty-three days I passed over to the indies’ with the fleet which the most illustrious king and queen , our lords, gave me where I found very many islands peopled with inhabitants' beyond number…”This letter show how they discovered the Indians and how they got their money for their voyages from the queen
European Society European society was very strict and rarely changed. First off, Europe had a fixed social order during the 15th-17th century, based on their place in society where they were born into. The highest rank was nobility, such as monarch, church, and knights. Then at the bottom are the peasants, such as farmers, craftsmen, sets and slaves. Also, people rarely ever leave their social class that they were born into but it is possible. Merchants and artisans moved up in the 1400’s due to increase in trade. Lastly, there is
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the Christian Catholic church; a powerful faith in European society. Just as important as the kings and queens, Christianity is the most influenced religion in European back in the 15th century. Everybody was afraid to disrespect or go against it. As a result, European society, unlike America today, hardly ever changes, and it is based on where you are at in society.
Europe’s Government The European Government played a very big role of solving problems and giving commands for future steps in the 15th-17th centuries. First off, Queen Isabella was the most powerful monarch of her time. She expelled the Muslims and Jews from Spain in 1492 so that Europe could be ruled by Catholics alone in a process known as the Reconquista, which solved Europe's "problem" with having more than one religion. Also, the Roman Catholic Church controlled religion over almost all of Western Europe, up to the year 1517. Their influence was great upon Europe due to the high religious count, and their government was a Catholic Monarchy. This led to a big step with Catholicism being forced onto the Native Americans when Columbus discovered the Americas. Lastly, the government gave large amounts of money for exploration and empire building. They funded many of Columbus's voyages to the Americas for colonization. Overall, the government was a very competent monarchy in the 15th-17th centuries. Beginning of America
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Europe’s Innovations European innovations and inventions were great and helped them to conquer the new world. First, one of the most important inventions was their weapons or warfare. These played a great role for their military success. Their weapons, such as guns, and cannons, ushered them to be ready to fight. These tools gave them a better advantage in wars and in taking over new lands. Europeans easily over powered the Native Americans, since they never seen or own anything like these weapons. Another important invention was that Europe had been social technology such as the printing press. These inventions helped them spread the news of Columbus's findings much faster than other groups, like the Vikings. The final invention was the development in ideological or even theological. These weren't exactly innovations but more of a way that they took the new world. For instance by dominating others they became the strongest or more dominate group in the world. Such as how they dominated over the Native Americans, by taking them as slaves and using the Indians land as their own. In conclusion Europe's inventions and innovations played a huge role in how they were able to take and dominate the world with advanced technology. Taste of Next Section The European’s discovery of America might have been good for them but it affected the lives of the Natives that were living there in many different ways. The collision of these two different cultures brought many different thing to the New world that later shaped the outcome of America...
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Native American’s in 1492 Why it matters now
Main Idea
Terms
Native American’s had a variety of many cultures amongst themselves that shaped their different yet similar ways of life.
Extended Family Iroquois Grand Council Native Terms: Mississippi, skunk….
This letter was wrote by Powhatan to John Smith“ ..I wish their experience was equal to mine; and that all your love to us might not be less than ours to you…..”This letter is telling John Smith how he wishes that his children and grandkids had the experience of a great life about before the Europeans came over to the Americas and took over.
Native American Society Native American society was very unique, and organized. For example, much like the Europeans focused mostly on 'nuclear family', the Native Americans focused mostly on 'extended family'. Their lives revolved around everyone in their family, not just mom, dad, and children. They focused on everyone such as aunts, uncles, cousins and others. Also, they had very distinct roles in their community based on gender. Men mostly hunted, gathered, and protected the village, and the women cooked, and took care of the children. Last, their religion was that they believed all things had Beginning of America
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spirits or spiritual essence. They believed to have spirits, things such as animals, plants, and even none living things, like rocks. Overall, Native Americans had a very unique, but very organized societies. This picture show how many of the Native American villages looked from where they would hunt to where they would hold community feasts or honor their religion.
This is a picture of them hunting their food as you can see they are all male, as that is one of their roles in the community
Native American Government Native American democracy was the main type of government in the U.S. in the 15th century. First, the Iroquois created democracy with the Iroquois League. The Iroquois League was created for the purpose of ending the fighting between the many Iroquois groups by having a democratic Council. Second, the Iroquois Grand Council consisted of 50 Iroquois leaders. This was the biggest point that led to a government ruled by the people. Last, this Native American democracy greatly influenced
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Benjamin Franklin in his creation of the Colonial Governments. This Colonial democracy even led to the Boston Tea Party, which released the U.S. from Great Britain's control for a government ruled by the people. In conclusion, the Native American Democracy has greatly influenced our government even today.
Native American Innovations The Native Americans innovations and inventions were very advance in the 15th century. There are several examples that show this and one of them is the watertight basket weaving was one of the many things they used until the Europeans came onto their land. It was passed down from generation to generation, mostly to women. Furthermore, they were not just hunters; they were also fine in agriculture. More than half the crops around the world were created by Native Americans. On top of that, many words and terms we use today came from the Native Americans. Natives created words for many things of nature such as Mississippi, skunk, and hurricane. To conclude, Native Americans advanced inventions and innovations helped them in many ways for the future to come.
Taste of next Section Much like the Native Americans the West Africans had many things in common. How their lands were invaded and they were taken to work as slaves. Also to how their communities and governments functioned. Along with the similarities there were many differences, in their innovations to how they got their goods and money‌...
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West Africa Main Idea West Africa had one of the most wealthy and cultural kingdoms in the late 1400s
Why it matters now This matters now because how their trading Africans revolutionized to the Americas which is how slavery and discrimination started.
Terms
Islam (Islamic Religion) Iron Ore Monarchy
West African Society Trading was a big part of West African Society and brought many different things to their country because of it. One fact is, Africa had many trade routes leading through many major cities. West Africans had closer relationships with European traders because of this. Adding to that, the power and wealth of most major cities came from trade. This caused many cities like Songhai to become the largest kingdoms in Africa. Moreover, not only did they trade goods on the trade routes. They also traded other things such as religion. Europeans "traded" their Christianity and in-turn was shown Islam by the West Africans. As a result, by the mid-1400s, West African trading was so great that it attracted many people from the outside world.
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West African Government The kingdoms in West Africa were different from one another but each had one thing in common: government structure. First of all, Songhai's government was monarchy. Their ruler was Sonni Ali. This leader ruled over Songhai during the Mid 15th century. Moreover, there was Kongo, the second major kingdom. Located in West Central Africa, their government structure was also monarchy; the king was Manikongo. In addition to those, the third kingdom is Benin. Benin's government was obviously monarchy, though it does not state who was their leader in a certain period. Overall, monarchy basically dominated how West Africa was back then.
West African Innovations West Africans had many innovations and inventions that would not be used or thought of by other countries for some time. First of all, West Africans were amazingly skilled at making things out of iron ore. With this metal they made many things such as weapons. Another interesting fact is, storytelling was an exciting way to tell stories of the past to others. For generations upon generations, tribe elders would pass down stories of the past to children who would then pass them down as they grew up. Also, the West Africans did not "invent" fertile soil, but made very good use of it anyways. Many crops were grown in this fertile soil and thus forth gave the West Africans an easier time with farming. In summary, the West African innovations and inventions worked very well in their favor and helped them to grow, both as a country and as a kingdom.
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Conclusion
Overall the meeting of these three worlds made a great impact not only back then in the late 1400s, but also in the future and now. How they used trade to make money and how Native Americans used specific terms that we still used to day. Or how slave trading started between the Africans and Portuguese, then later came to America and became a great big deal. So small things that happen back in the 1400s are still a big problem to day, or a big help such as how we got our government ideas from the Iroquois Grand Council.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Compare How did the invasion of the Portuguese and Europeans affect the Native Americans and West Africans ? (Think about their trading and slavery) 2. Compare and Contrast How were the West African and Native Americans alike and different ?
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Works Cited Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995 Gerald A. Danzer, Jorge Klor de Alva, Larry S. Krieger, Louis E. Wilson, Nacy Woloch. Americans. Evanston, IL: McDougal Little, 2005 Darlene Clark Hine, Willam C. Hine, and Stanely Harrold. Upper Saddle River, NJ : Pearson education Inc., 2006