Age of Discovery

I. How and Who discovered America? a. Many people believe that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492, but really his three ships from Spain landed in the Caribbean in San Salvador. b. 500 years earlier there was evidence of Norsemen (Iceland) coming to North America led by Leif Ericson c. Truth: America had been inhabited by Native Americans, or Indian tribes, since the Ice Age. II. Native American Culture a. How did the tribes get here without crossing the oceans? i. The Ice Age created land bridges from Asia to the Americas and over thousands of years people migrated ii. Migration- people moving with the purpose of living elsewhere b. Skills in North American Regions i. Northern Coastal - tribes were skilled at hunting, fishing, locating food ii. Northwest-Fishing iii. Southwest- Farming in dry climate, iv. Northeast- hunter and gatherers v. Southeast- builders c. Native American tribes shared common traits i. Societies organized by families ii. Clans- made up of groups that shared a common ancestor iii. Religion iv. Barter System- trade goods for other goods 1. Example: copper for sharks teeth d. Native Americans viewed the land as everyones to use as needed, a view that conflicted greatly with Europeans III. European Culture a. European exploration was a sign that England was coming out of the Middle Ages b. Middle Ages were a period of unrest and feudalism i. Feudalism: A system where nobles divide land among poor (serfs) in return for work ii. This system along with invasions eliminated ties with other countries c. When soldiers returned with goods from other countries it helped to revive the trade and spark interest in traveling. d. The increase in trade stopped Feudalism, created a money system and created a middle class e. Monarchs also saw an increase in power by protecting trade routes i. Monarchs: those who rule over territories or states

Magna Carta (1215)/ Great Charter i. Nobles forced King John to sign this document that gave them legal rights ii. Set foundation for Americans idea of liberty and justice g. Europe was experiencing a Renaissance, where people had a desire for knowledge in fields like art, literature, science and philosophy. h. The combination of the increase in trade and renaissance period enabled France, England and Portugal all became wealthy nations with desire to expand IV. West African Culture a. As a result of the expansion of trade Africans and Europeans met more frequently b. West Africa was a highly traveled place because of the abundance of gold c. West African is a coastal rainforest area d. The people were hunters, fishers, miners and famers e. Like Native Americans, African villages were aligned according to lineage, or common ancestors, and shared common religious beliefs i. Believed in many gods and goddesses f. West Africa Powers i. Benin: wealthy through trade of palm oil, ivory, wood ii. Songhai: strong defenses, complex government, collected taxes from traders V. Christopher Columbus Voyage a. Spanish leaders employed Italian Christopher Columbus to find a trade route to India b. Reasons for Going i. Bring honor and fame, convert people to Christians ii. Find a route other than the Muslim controlled roads between Europe and Asia iii. Gain an advantage over Portugal c. Three ships Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria took two months to reach Caribbean d. Columbus took some natives by force and even took some back to Spain e. Impact i. Italian Amerigo Vespucci explored South America and claimed it was a new world. ii. Columbian Exchange- Europeans received potatoes, and took wheat, cows and horses, guns iii. Europeans also brought diseases with them which in turn killed hundreds of thousands of natives. iv. Line of Demarcation: Spain and Portugal split the world in half between the two countries. 1. Brazil vs. Rest of South America VI. Slavery a. Spain and Portugal set up large plantations to grow crops and forced natives to work, but because of disease and being unaccustomed to the heat were not reliable enough b. Europeans then turned to West Africa, taking millions across the Atlantic to work in the fields and be treated worse than farm animals. The millions of young Africans taken from their homes damaged society in Africa for years after.

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