The shaping of north america

I. The Shaping of North America – All of the world’s dry land was one huge continent and eventually broke off into seven – North America was created with The Canadian Shield being the first part to shape – About 2 million years ago, most of the land was covered in ice during the Ice Age – 10, 000 years ago melting of Ice — lakes II. Peopling the Americas – Ice Age caused sea level to drop creating a land bridge that connected North America with Eurasia bringing Asian hunters to America – Land bridge covered by water after ice age — no more immigration for a while – Temperature that ended ice age opened up valleys to Native American peoples – Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs were a few of the many different Native American tribes in existence – Aztecs o Maize o Cities o Stars o Human Sacrifice III. The Earliest Americans – Corn farming spread all over America from Mexico – No “ societies” – After corn planting reached Cahokia, a large group of about 25, 000 lived there — first millennium C. E. – Three- sister farming was the cultivation of maize, squash, and beans — Creek, Choctaw, and Cherokee tribes – Women took care of crops; Men hunted and fished IV. Indirect Discoverers of the New World – Marco Polo traveled to China – Christian crusaders, in failing to take the Holy Land from the Muslims, wanted goods from Asia – Muslim middlemen charged much for good transportation V. Europeans Enter Africa – Pressure to expand Europe – Along with the caravel, traveling methods were improved – Arabs, Africans, and Portuguese — Plantation system — slave trade in Africa – Bartholomeu Dias went halfway down the coast of Africa but Vasco de Gama reached India — spices and jewels – Spaniards wanted to beat rival Portuguese in discovering the riches of the Indies (India) VI. Columbus Comes Upon a New World – Traveling west, Columbus and his crew spotted land next to the Bahamas – While Columbus was looking for a path to the Indies, he accidentally discovered America on October 12, 1492 – Considering Columbus thought he was in India, he named the Native Americans “ Indians” VII. When Worlds Collide – The Columbian Exchange was the connection of the world and the technically new land when Columbus discovered America – Many new plants and animals were discovered in the Americas – Columbus brought back with him to Hispaniola pigs, cows, horses, and sugar cane – Europeans also carried diseases from the new lands such as malaria, smallpox, and yellow fever causing large epidemics and many deaths VIII. The Spanish Conquistadores – Spain used the Treaty of Tordesillas to assure their shared possession of the new land with Portugal – 1500s — Spanish Conquistadores — dominant explorers – The discoverer of the Pacific Ocean, Vasco Nunez Balboa, said all lands washed by that sea belonged to his king – Ferdinand Magellan took a journey in 1519 from Spain, was killed in the Philippines but his ship made it back in 1522 being the first to travel around the globe – Encomienda allowed the government to give Indians to colonists that will Christianize them IX. The Conquest of Mexico – 1519 — Hernan Cortes set sail for Mexico – Saved a Spanish castaway and picked up and Indian female slave – Looking for gold and wealth, afraid of retreat, burnt all his ships – Aztec chieftain Moctezuma believed Cortes was a legendary god and allowed him to the capital Tenochtitlan (eventually destroyed to make Christian cathedrals) – June 30, 1520, Noche triste, the Aztecs attacked Cortes and his crew – Disease and attack caused lots of death – Intermarriage with surviving Indians — mestizos X. The Spread of Spanish America – The Spanish wanted to convert Indians to Christianity – The Battle of Acoma — 1599 — claimed New Mexico with capital Santa Fe – Pope’s Rebellion — 1680 — Indian uprising – Pueblos destroyed every catholic church – The Black Legend — conquerers tortured Indians for their gold and wealth