History Chapter 1; Collision of Cultures

Early Migration and Cultures

• Clovis Peoples: Migrants of Mongolian descent who entered the Americas via the Bering Strait.
• Challenges to traditional migration history indicate some migrants traveled by sea, suggesting earlier maritime exploration.
• Archaic Period: Transition from hunting and gathering with stone tools to sedentary farming and permanent settlements.

Major Civilizations in the Americas

• Incan Civilization: Founded by Pachacuti, expanded over 2,000 miles along western South America through alliances and military force.
• Mayan Civilization: Notable for advancements in written language, numerical systems, calendars, agriculture, and trade routes.
• Mexica (Aztec) Civilization: Succeeded the Mayans, establishing Tenochtitlan, which became a major city with a population of 100,000 by 1500.

Diverse Societies Across Regions

• Northern civilizations varied and were not large empires; relied on hunting, gathering, and fishing.
• Eskimos: Inhabitants of the Arctic who survived through fishing and hunting.
• Pacific Northwest: Permanent settlements, primarily focused on fishing salmon and resource competition.
• Desert Southwest: Developed large irrigation systems for farming and built towns as trade centers.
• Great Plains: Predominantly sedentary farming with some nomadic tribes.
• Eastern Woodlands: Rich food resources allowed for farming, hunting, gathering, and permanent settlements.

Transformations in Societal Structures

• Agricultural Revolution: Marked shift toward sedentary lifestyles and permanent civilizations.
• Gender Divisions: Gender-specific roles in labor, with variations among tribes regarding farming and hunting responsibilities.

European Exploration Motivations

• Increase in population post-Black Death boosted land value and commerce.
• Advances in navigation and shipbuilding facilitated long-distance sea travel.
• Centralization of European governments fostered strong monarchies eager to expand territories.

Pioneering Explorers and Discoveries

• Prince Henry the Navigator: Portuguese figure who promoted exploration along the African coast.
• Bartholomeu Dias and Vasco de Gama: Key figures in rounding Africa and establishing trade routes to India.
• Christopher Columbus: Italian navigator funded by Spain, credited with opening the Americas to European exploration.

Impact of Voyages and Conquests

• Spanish Conquistadores: Notable figures included Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, who facilitated the Spanish Empire's expansion through military conquest and disease.
• Introduction of smallpox devastated Native populations, aiding Spanish conquests in Mexico and Peru.
• Three Phases of Spanish Empire: Discovery, Conquest, and Colonial periods characterized the Spanish expansion in the Americas.

Structure and Control of the Spanish Empire

• Ordinance of Discovery: Banned severe military conquests, shifting toward expansion with regulated control.
• Catholic Church’s influence in the New World focused on converting Native peoples and establishing missions.
• St. Augustine: Spain's first permanent settlement in the U.S., established as a military and missionary fort.

Cultural and Economic Exchanges

• Columbian Exchange: Resulted in widespread impact from disease, crops, livestock, and cultural intermarriage between Europeans and Natives.
• Labor Systems evolved, primarily utilizing natives for labor, leading to the early foundations of a slave trade system.

Origins of African Slave Trade

• West Africans sold into slavery since 700 CE, with demand rising due to sugarcane cultivation needs.
• The African slave trade expanded significantly in the Americas by the 1700s.

Religious and Social Movements in Europe

• Protestant Reformation initiated challenges to Catholic authority, inspiring movements like Calvinism and the formation of the Church of England.
• Puritans sought further reforms, and with King James I's reign, faced increased persecution prompting migration to the New World.

Relationships with Indigenous Peoples

• French settlements like Quebec fostered close ties with local tribes through trade and intermarriage, contrasting with Spanish and English approaches.
• Dutch exploration led to the founding of New Amsterdam, promoting trade and agricultural settlement through charters and land grants.

Notable Early Colonies

• Roanoke: Established but mysteriously vanished, marking one of the earliest failed English attempts at colonization.
• Jamestown and Plymouth: Two key early English colonies with charters granted for settlement, shaping the future of colonization efforts in America.

Explore the key concepts from Chapter 1, which delves into the Collision of Cultures. These flashcards cover topics such as the Clovis Peoples and alternative theories regarding early human migration to the Americas. Test your understanding of early migration and its implications on historical narratives.