Native American Trade Networks

Native American Groups and Trade

• Native American groups were diverse, reflecting the environments in which they lived.
• Trade was a crucial factor in bringing Native American people into contact with one another.
• Many tribes established permanent settlements, becoming well-known for specific products or skills.
• An elaborate transcontinental trade network enabled groups to trade without direct contact.

European Settlement and Slavery

• The influx of European settlers led to the deaths of many indigenous people due to disease.
• As a result, the demand for African slaves grew to meet labor needs.
• The European settlers turned to Africa for slaves as the native population declined.

Puritan Government and Laws

• A system of self-government evolved in Puritan communities.
• The Puritan Church played a significant role in the government.
• All adult males who belonged to the Puritan Church could vote.
• Puritan laws criminalized various sins, including drunkenness, swearing, theft, and idleness.

Colonial System and British Rule

• The main purpose of the colonial system was to enrich Britain.
• Britain viewed the American colonies as a market for British goods, a source of raw materials, and a producer of goods for other nations.
• The American colonists began to export goods to other countries, including Spain, France, and Holland.
• Britain passed the Navigation Acts to restrict colonial trade, which benefited Britain and the colonists.

American Revolution and Independence

• Supporters of independence were known as Patriots.
• Patriots drew their numbers from those who saw economic opportunities in an independent America.
• The Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783, ending the American Revolution and granting American independence from Britain.

Constitution and Federalism

• Supporters of the Constitution called themselves Federalists, favoring a balanced power between the states and the national government.
• Federalists believed that the system of checks and balances would protect Americans from tyranny.
• Opponents of the Constitution were known as Antifederalists, who feared a strong central government and the lack of protection for individual rights.

Slavery and the Abolition Movement

• Southern states relied on cash crops, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton, which were labor-intensive.
• Plantation owners turned to African slaves to meet their labor needs.
• The Abolition Movement called for slavery to be outlawed, believing it to be a "great national sin".
• By 1820, there were over 100 antislavery societies, and abolitionists campaigned for emancipation.

American Civil War

• The Confederate States of America was formed on February 4, 1861.
• The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter.
• Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which did not immediately free any slaves but was a military action aimed at states in rebellion.