CHAPTER 2 Europeans and Africans Reach the Americas

TERMS
Protestant Reformation
justification by faith
predestination
Tainos
The Great Dying
Columbian Exchange
The Middle Passage
Price revolution

GEOGRAPHY ITEMS:
Indian Ocean (east of Africa, south of Asia)
West Indies (islands south of Florida)
Geneva
Peru
Niger River
Roanoke Island

American Stories: Old World Sojourners Mingle with New World

Inhabitants.
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and Estevan
Beginnings of a new American culture

I. Breaching The Atlantic

a. The Columbian Voyages
Best understood in context of his own times.
(brutal, violent)
Financed by Spain
Reached San Salvador
Positive reports spread through Europe. (hospitable
people, fertile soil, gold filled rivers.)
Three more larger expeditions.

Portugal extended influence south toward West Africa

then east to East Asia.
Vasco da Gama sailed around cape of Africa all the way
to Indian Ocean (1498) opening trade concessions
 b. Religious Conflict during the Era of Reconnaissance

Criticism of Catholic Church-worldly, indulgences

Martin Luther- broke with Catholic church Protestant
Reformation
Justification by faith-grace not works
John Calvin- predestination-personal relationship with
God, few people saved-all work to God’s end.

II. The Spanish Conquest of America

Spanish settlements on Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Hispanola.

a. Carribean experiments
Columbus 2nd expedition, Hispanola, Tainos incurred
subjugation, biological disease, ecological aterations
3 million in 1508, 1550 no longer a distinct people.
Just the beginning for larger invasions of Mesoamerica
b. The Conquistadors’ Onslaught at Tenochtitlan
Cortes set out in 1519, overwhelmed Aztecs and Incas
through use of Native Americans, horses, firearms,
smallpox,
Pizarro, only 168 men, Incas riddled by smallpox, internal
divisions

c. The Great Dying

Major areas of the Americas under biological disaster,
population decline, before Europeans 50-70 million
Disease, domesticated animals, 2/3 of population died
Exploitation and enslavement speeded death from
disease.

d. The Columbian Exchange

Exchange of animal and plant life from Europeans
brought transformation of landscape, pigs, goats
etc.stripping away vegetation,
Hard to control weeds
New diseases from the Americas as well
 Fruits and vegetables from New World as well were an
advantage. Native American corn.

e. Silver, sugar, and their Consequences

Silver abundant in the Americas (Mexico, Bolivia, Peru).
Flood of silver into Europe spurred more trading in East
Asia, sugar and spice accessible
Price revolution-the supply of silver increased faster than
the demand for goods. Value of silver declined.
Prices rose, wages didn’t keep up, pressure to immigrate
to Americas
Portugese in Brazil sugar plantations, oceanic transport of
African Slaves

f. Spain’s Northern frontier

Mexico and Peru, silver rich
Southern fringes of North America
III. England looks West
a. England Challenges Spain
Slowest of European to explore and colonize
England’s first interest was fish
Elizabeth and Phillip II battle over Protestant-Catholicism
Elizabeth aids Dutch
Spanish are defeated stalemate in religious wars
England and Dutch seas are open to them
b. The Westward Fever
Hakluyts advertise colonizing across Atlantic
Ireland colonized first
First overseas attempts are small and feeble and met with
failure

c. Anticipating North America

English uninformed about indigenous people, dual image
Friendly reception and savage and hostile
English settlers said they wanted to share land with
natives
Denying humanity justifies taking land
IV. African Bondage
a. The Slave Trade
 Started as a way to fill labor shortage in Mediterannean.
Slavery part of life for most Africans already.
Early trade by Spanish and Portugese, 100,000 enslaved
before Columbus
Sugar transformed slavery
Europeans nations compete for West African trading
rights
African kings, neighboring tribes kidnapped and enslaved
Young men 10-24

b. The Middle Passage

Middle Passage- West African coast across the Atlantic.
Brutal time for captured Africans, forced marches,
ferrying, miserable conditions on ships,6 months from
time of capture

c. Slavery in Early Spanish Colonies

15th century Slaves in North America before England
Slavery distinct, labored in fields, construction of
churches, valuable as soldiers, guides, linguists, go-
betweens, crossing of blood between Africans, Spanish,
Native Americans.