MODULE ONE BIG IDEAS AND MAIN CONCEPTS

History 1301US History to 1865

ObjectivesUnderstand the key characteristics of

Western European, Native American and West African societies during the 1400’s and be able to compare/contrast them

Understand why Europeans embarked on voyages of exploration

Understand why conflict started/increased between and among the different people groups

ObjectivesBe able to compare/contrast the Spanish,

French, Dutch, and English colonies (in general)

Be able to compare/contrast the English New England colonies with the English Chesapeake colonies

Be able to craft a narrative of how the various English colonies were planted in America

Understand how key themes such as concepts of liberty, slavery, and the interaction of Europeans/Indians had their roots in these early colonial times

1492Key date in American HistoryNative American History

started thousands of years before this date

United States History has its root at this point because you start having a mix of European/Native American/African peoples from this point

Native American Culture Areas

Native Americans in 1400’sDiverse cultures,

languages, religionsHunter-gatherer bands

to settled villages and chiefdoms

Complex civilizations in Mexico and South America

Not as technologically advanced as Europe, Asia

Go Vols!

Europe

Europe in 1400’sDiverse languages, culturesChristianityNot politically united

European Exploration-Why?Commerce (Desire for Trade

Goods)Urbanization-rise of cities

which fed demand for goodsRise of Centralized States-now

you have states with enough resources to explore

Competition with other StatesReligion-spread ChristianityGo Vols!

GoldGodGlory

European ExplorationPortugal started-African Exploration and

route to India (Vasco da Gama )Spain then started-Christopher ColumbusSpain built huge empire in Americas

Cortes and AztecsPizarro and IncasConquistadores

AfricaBerbers (North

Africa)Swahili (East Africa)Sahara Desert Mali, Ghana, Songhay,

Benin, ZimbabweWest Africa (Guinea)Go Vols

Africa in the 1400’sDiverse languages, cultures, religionsHunter-gatherer bands to complex

civilizationsWest African peoples and kingdoms key in

early American settlement

Columbian ExchangeExchange of cultures, goods, crops, animals,

diseases between Africa, America, EuropeMeasles, smallpox, syphilis, potatoes, horses,

corn, swine, etc., etc., etc., Affected how people on all three continents

livedGood and bad effects………….?

America-Africa-Europe

European RivalryMajor players in colonial game: Spain,

England, France, Netherlands (Dutch)Each started colonies with distinct traitsWhat were these differences?

How did they interact with Native Americans? Number of European immigrants?Commerce/trade/economy?Racial/ethnic makeup (for example, Spanish

colonies had greater numbers of mestizos than English colonies)

English ColoniesAll colonies were important but tend to focus

on English colonies the most because they were the “seed” that grew into the United States

So, what do you most need to know?JamestownPilgrims and Puritans—Go Vols!Differences between New England and

Chesapeake: economy, religion, rural versus town, immigration of families versus singles, etc.

Spread of English colonies: Pennsylvania, New York, etc.

Africans and the New WorldSlave trade already existed in West AfricaEuropeans got involved and vastly expanded

the scope of the trade New World plantations needed labor Brutal Atlantic crossing Most slaves went to South America/Caribbean

English slaveryInitially not much difference between slaves and

indentured laborAs 1600’s progressed, racial attitudes hardened-

slave codes grow more strict

Okay, Big IdeasKey themes in American History can be

traced to this period:Diversity: mixture of religious, ethnic, racial

groups Read and get understanding of growth of slave

trade Early patterns in relations between Indians and

EuropeansIdeas of Liberty:

Examples of religious toleration (Maryland, New York City, Pennsylvania)

Early institutions of representation (Puritan town meetings, Virginia House of Burgesses, etc.)

Go Vols!