1 America Before Columbus 1764 01 17 2013 Names for Native Peoples Canada First Peoples Australia Aborigines America Indians Native Americans Amerindians Indians considered themselves to be people who belonged to nations not tribes Complex social structures religions beliefs A lot of misconceptions of Indians began with the European explorers Origins Theory of how people got here Bering Land Bridge caused massive migration from Russia in to Alaska no longer exists o Occurred 20 000 years ago lasted for about 10 000 years o Eastern Russia first wave of migration came about by following migratory heard of animals Migration DNA evidence proves people migrated to America 40 000 years ago 3 primary migration patterns o 40 000 12 000 9 000 o Most people arrived in North America within 15 800 19 600 years ago Siberia Eastern Russia Taiwian peoples arrived by boat Polynesian peoples in South America then returned home with the sweet potato Fleeing enemies fleeing disease curiosity of the New World Indians near the Great Lakes European DNA 16 000 Numbers First Europeans observed o 100 s of Indians in N America o 1 000 s in S America o 25 Million in Aztec world Tenothiclan 43 65 Million in N America 18 20 Million in United States 7 10 Million another estimate Largest City in N America Cahokia outside of St Louis around 100 A D Native American Culture and Society Native Americans didn t have the resources to withhold bigger cities They lived in smaller towns world full of spirits Clovis Culture 13 500 13 000 years ago o Named for the dig site where they first found arrowheads in New Mexico Clovis points replaceable spear points Very widespread arrowheads were found in far places o 1st monolithic culture to spread in North America o they hunted wooly mammoths now extinct o eventually die out because they aren t moving chase of their prey Poverty Point 3 400 years ago o Center of trade in North America o Built mounds which become important to people living along the Mississippi o Begins to vanish due to climate change and inability to produce food River and Valley Anasazi 100 Ad 1000 AD o Cliff Dwellers walled cities cut into cliffs safe from attack began to thrive around 100 AD but 900 years later they vanished they discovered a way to use irrigation to grow corn as the rivers dried up they died out of move elsewhere o Cahokia 800 AD 1100 AD Mound builders Just East of present day St Louis 30 000 people were living there center of trade metals obsidian etc may have suffered from severe drought o Similarities 1550s people moved away due to disease accumulate enough power that they don t have to worry about enemies They all successfully implemented agriculture They had to rely on environment natural surroundings Most groups are hierarchical urban All unsustainable Beliefs Inhabited a spirit world good spirits and bad spirits Different rituals that tried to appease spirits o Ex Mickmacks Novascocha Canada if you kill an animal and it s blood touched the ground that animals spirit will seek revenge on you The most important rituals involved killing animals before or after the hunt must seek forgiveness show reverence to the caucus and treat the skin with respect Esp bear Indians most respected animal filled with powers Women had a special connection with the spirit world they can bring life into the o Powers were potent when menstruating or pregnant o Restrictions were put on women s behaviors while pregnant to keep their potency away from hunting men world Harmony Harmonious world keep balance between people and nature Tribes lived violently Analyzing dreams maintained this balance Dictated a gender division of labor o Women growing crops child care seen as important and valued members of society could make decisions on migration o Men war hunting Europeans thought men were lazy for not farming Living in Small Villages Most lived in groups smaller than 350 Farmed 3 crops corn squash and beans creates essential amino acids that can substitute a meatless diet when hunting was scarce There was no set location zones land they inhabited until resources began scarce Seasonal Migration in the winter groups of family extended family around 20 leave the village Being hungry was known to them December February In spring May September return to village and plant crops and men would go coastal and gather fish Property Property Ownership Nobody owns the land o Property something you made with your hands Women baskets kettles farming things Men canoe arrows and bows o Right to the ground part of a community that has defended the territory 2 Expansion of Europe 01 17 2013 Europe in 1491 Background o Europe is hierarchical Kings Queens Nobles o Large population of peasants if not royal o Feudalism Peasants rent the land and work on their landlords land twice a month and eligible to be in scripted into the military Life is dominated by the seasons Summer no crops can repair house free time Fall harvest time Winter slaughter animals and keep inside towards end festivals drinking revilvery Spring plant crops Catholic Church large power largest landowner in Europe The Black Plague In the Wake of the Plague 1350 o Started in China carried by rats originated on flees o Swept across Europe through trading o Caffa launched several infected bodies over the city walls infecting and killing many people o Huns flee back to Italy are not allowed to dock Some sailors sneak into Venice Italy infected with the plague Other sailors sail to France o 30 of European population died 60 of Mediterranean Coast s population o Psychological Effects Plague only killed people didn t destroy property lots of property is inherited and wealthy People begin to change their thoughts on life and death Losing faith and dependence on religion Start thinking more of physical lives buying luxury goods Renaissance Thinking o Started in Italy had the most drastic effects of the plague o Curiosity about humanity Stresses this life rather than the afterlife Develop art architecture science to figure out why the worlds works Finding beauty and pleasure in this world of fleeting life Exploration o Portuguese Prince Henry Go looking for a route around the Italians who were blocking the silk road Did NOT sail west over the Atlantic Ocean Didn t believe that the world was flat but thought the trip was too long to make so focused on going around the coast of Africa First to engage in the African slave trade On the slave coast set up factories trading
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