AP United States History/1491-1607

Introduces Native American societies as well as how and why Europeans first explored, and then began to colonize, the Americas.

Objectives and Skills
Topics may include:
 * Native American societies before European contact
 * European exploration in the New World
 * The Columbian Exchange
 * Labor, slavery, and caste in the Spanish colonial system
 * Cultural interactions between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans

Study Notes

 * 1) Bering Strait - people from Siberia crossed this ice bridge to reach warmer climate while it was frozen. as the glaciers melted the people who crossed it could never get back
 * 2) Christopher Columbus - skilled Italian seafarer persuaded the Spanish monarchs to outfit him with three tiny but seaworthy ships, manned by a motley crew. Six weeks at sea he discovered land (the Bahamas) on October 6th, 1492. Global economic trade market developed to his finding of the two Americas. Went back in 1493 and found Hispanola, with 17 ships which unloaded 1200 men and horses, cattle, and swine.
 * 3) Montezuma - chief of the Aztecs, allowed Hernan Cortes to approach his city of Tenochtitlan, because he believed he was Quetzacoatl, god who returned from the eastern sea. He lived in harmony with Cortes until they needed gold. On June30th, 1520, the Aztecs attack driving the Spanish down the causeways from Tenochtitlan in a frantic, bloody, retreat. Cortes then laid siege to the city and it capitulated on August 13th, 1521. Smallpox also afftected his people and it helped them lose the war. Tenochtitlan was destroyed.
 * 4) William Berkeley - governor of Virginia appointed by Charles I, favored no expansion of Virginia; fled his state when Bacon’s Rebellion started but came back when Bacon died. He crushed the servants’ uprising and hung 20 of them.
 * 5) Nathaniel Bacon - cousin of William Berkeley, an indentured servant who was moved to the backcountry, led Bacon's Rebellion - teamed up with poor people, slaves, Natives, to destruction of Jamestown for 3 months in retaliation of disintegrating economy
 * 6) Powhatan - native American tribe, dominated Virginia vs. Chief Powhatan - leader of Indians in James River formed Powhatan Confederacy. Tried keeping peace but was unsuccessful. Fought in first Anglo-Powhatan war and lost but gained a peace treaty; launched a raid on colonists that killed 347; started the second war and lost again; fell victim to three D’s: disease, disorganization and disposability
 * 7) population of Americas in 1492 - 54 million people inhabited the 2 continents split into countless tribes over 200 languages and religions, cultures, and ways of life eliminated  90% of its original population by white peoples diseases and guns
 * 8) maize - important crop introduced by the natives, the colonists nearly lived off of it
 * 9) three-sister agriculture - skillful planting of squash, maize, and beans; produces a favorable relationship - maize provides structures for beans to climb, beans provide nitrogen to soil for other plants, squash spreads around thus preventing weeds
 * 10) Iroquois confederacy - 5 Indian tribes : the Mohawks, the Oneidas, the Onondagas, the Cayugas, and the Senecas. Founded by Deganawidah and Hiawatha. Remained independent of one another and banded together to be a force against the Dutch, English and the French. Were nearly wiped out by white mans diseases and muskets. \
 * 11) the Crusades - many Spanish ships raided
 * 12) Jamestown - first permanent settlement, built by Virginia Company
 * 13) Massachusetts Bay - John Winthrop founded it, revived after King Philip's war
 * 14) Hernando de Soto - six hundred armored men, undertook a fantastic gold seeking quest during 1539-1542. Going through marshes and pine barrens from Florida westward, he discovered the Mississippi River just north of its junction with Arkansas River. Mistreating the Indians he died of fever and wounds. Troops buried him in Mississippi, lest the Indians exhume and abuse his body
 * 15) defeat of Spanish Armada - Philip II of Spain created an invincible armada (ships) for an invasion of Engalnd. It happened in 1588 when the ships went into the English Channel. English sea dogs fought back. Using craft that were swifter, more maneuverable, and more ably manned, they inflicted heavy damage on the cumbersome, overladen Spanish ships. Storm arose scattering the Crippled Spanish fleet.