The history of the United States 1492-1865

LECTURE ONE

András Tarnóc PhD

The Age of Discoveries

• Europe’s political landscape in the fifteenth century

• Leading powers Spain, France, England• Expansion of Ottoman Empire

The Crisis of Feudalism

• Political aspect: Centralization• Spain: Reconquista, England Henry VII, France,

Charles VII• Economic aspect: Rise of Maritime Merchant States• Venice, Genoa, accumulation of capital• Challenge to feudal order, rise of the middle class

The crisis of feudalism

• Cultural aspect: Renaissance, Humanism• Man is in the center, self-realization becomes

important• Technological aspect:• New navigation devices, astrolabe, caravel light

weight sailing ship, cannons can be attached• Book printing, the movable type, democratization of

the accessibility of information, • Marco Polo’s Travels

European colonization

• First colonial power• Portugal• Prince Henry the Navigator• 1415: Ceuta• Use of caravels, Bartholomew Diaz reaches

the Southern tip of Africa , Vasco da Gama, reaches India

The rise of Spain

• Challenge: Spain • United by Reconquista• The realization of the challenge• Columbus• First astronaut using the achievements of

contemporary science and technology• Caravel, astrolabe, map of Toscanelli

Motivation for colonization

• God: religious expansionism, spreading of Christianity

• Gold: material wealth, • Glory: aggrandizement for ruler or state,

personal fame

NUEVA ESPANA

• Main features:• Tight centralized control• Gender-based colonization Mestizo population, • Cruelty to Natives Black Legend Zacatecas,

Batholomeo Las Casas• Transplantation of feudal institutions: encomienda• Infusion of hard currency, gold, silver into Europe,

inflation in the continent

THE BEGINNINGS OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA

• German Reformation: 1517 Martin Luther: 95 Theses salvation through direct relationship with God

• Calvin in Geneva Predestination Puritans • English Reformation: Henry VIII 1534 Act of

Supremacy

Demands of Puritans

• eliminate church hierarchy,• establishment of independent church• membership should be based on

predestination

Political basis: Spanish-English rivalry

• 1567 Elizabeth I offers clandestine support to Dutch rebels against Prince Alba during the revolution in the Spanish Netherlands

• 1577. Francis Drake’s piracy• 1588 Defeat of the Gran Armada

Reasons for colonization

• Overpopulation• Economic crisis• Society wide dissatisfaction• Religious persecution

Early efforts at colonization

• Claim: John Cabot, or Giovanni Caboto 1497: New Foundland

• First colony: Roanoke• Colony fails, lack of agricultural skills,• Search for gold, • Only tangible result: Virginia Dare first English

person born in the New World