The First Global Age Europeans encounter the Americas

1. The First Global Age Europeans encounter the Americas George S. Vascik Miami University Hamilton October 14, 2008 Teaching American History, Year I

2. Benchmarks and Indicators • Grade Five, History • Settlement • primary topic • Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America • secondary topic • Describe the lasting effects of Spanish, French and English colonization in North America Teaching American History, Year I

3. Benchmarks and Indicators • Grade Eight, History • The First Global Age • primary topics • Reasons for colonization, including religion, desire for land and economic opportunity • Key differences among the Spanish, French and British colonies • secondary topics • Interactions between American Indians and European settlers, including the agricultural and cultural exchanges, alliances and conflicts • Conflicts among colonial powers for control of North America. Teaching American History, Year I

4. Background readings • Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel • Eric Jones, The European Miracle • Alan Taylor, American Colonies Teaching American History, Year I

5. Why Europe? • In 1400, European civilization was on a par with Chinese and Arab civilizations. • What motivated the European voyages of discovery and the creation of colonial empires? • economic necessity • religious insecurity • the social dynamic Teaching American History, Year I

6. Economic “necessity” • nobles “needed” products from the East to maintain their lifestyle • severed trade links with East when Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453 • new opportunities for profit with the discovery of new areas for raising sugar and other crops • transporting slaves for labor Teaching American History, Year I

7. The religious dynamic • Religious insecurity • The Reformation fractured the unity of the corpus Christiana • Importance of this for the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and France • Religious freedom • only manifested in English colonies Teaching American History, Year I

8. The social dynamic • In 1500, Europe had an excess of young, noble males • only one male could inherit, the others had to find socially acceptable employment • Were commoners driven by poverty? • France, the Netherlands, and England • Opportunities differed by geography • tropics, mountains, woodlands, plains Teaching American History, Year I

9. National distinctions • timing • Portuguese and Spanish; Dutch, French, English • motivation • governance • economic exploitation • interaction with native peoples • settlement (to be discussed in February) Teaching American History, Year I

10. Motivation • push-pull dynamic • to what extent were settlers attracted to new lands, and to what extent did they feel compelled to migrate because of internal conditions in the home country? • varied over time and by country • myth of “poverty driven” colonization Teaching American History, Year I

11. Governance imperial control tradition colonial government Variables country need time English example attracting colonists Teaching American History, Year I

12. National variations • Spanish • viceroy, audencia, cabildo, visita • French • governor-general, intendant, bishop • Dutch • West India Company • English • displayed the most diversity and change over time Teaching American History, Year I

13. Economic Exploitation • Portuguese (spices) • Spanish (gold and silver) • Dutch (sugar, slaves, carrying trade) • French (sugar and furs) • English (sugar, slaves, and raw commodities) • Mercantilism in February Teaching American History, Year I

14. Colonists and native peoples • conquest or accommodation • successful conquest involved exploiting local conditions • disease • labor shortage • Christianization • national variations Teaching American History, Year I

15. Imperial conflict • Which areas mattered and which didn’t? • the gold & silver mines and the Sugar Islands • Furs? • Staple products (wood and food) • A timeline approach • Dutch and English privateering • mid-17th century Anglo-Dutch Wars • More on this in February Teaching American History, Year I

16. Benchmarks and Indicators • Grade Five, History • Settlement • primary topic • Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America • secondary topic • Describe the lasting effects of Spanish, French and English colonization in North America Teaching American History, Year I

17. Benchmarks and Indicators • Grade Eight, History • The First Global Age • primary topics • Reasons for colonization, including religion, desire for land and economic opportunity • Key differences among the Spanish, French and British colonies • secondary topics • Interactions between American Indians and European settlers, including the agricultural and cultural exchanges, alliances and conflicts • Conflicts among colonial powers for control of North America. Teaching American History, Year I