Noah Minch

Thematic questions

IDENTITY: How did the identities of colonization and the indigenous American societies change as a
result of contact in the Americas?

Before the arrival of the Europeans in the Americas, the Native populations of America were
blessed with several crops that were absent in Europe, such as Maize, Pumpkins, Pineapple, Cocoa,
peppers, squash, potatoes, beans, peanuts, turkeys and several other exotic animals that are idea of
hunting. The Native populations lived in several different structures such as pueblos and wigwams.
These Indian societies enjoyed animist religions, and the natives had social orders organized in
chiefdoms, empires, and even different variants of matriarchies. Before the arrival of the Europeans, an
estimated 30 Million Indians may have inhabited the Americas. (10 Million In N. America; Max of 20
Million in S. America) However, many of the cultural aspects of the Native tribes were eliminated when
the white men came to colonize. The Identity of Indigenous Americans faded most as a result of the
spread of European diseases, such as small pox and influenza. Because the disease killed off so many
Indians, most of the social Hierarchies, such as the Aztec and Inca Empires, crumbled quickly. The
animist religions also were quickly forgotten as several of the European voyages were dedicated to
spread the Christian (Catholic) religion, the process of which included stamping out any false religions,
and the persecution of anyone who openly follows a heathen practice. As a result, there are no
remaining written documents from the Incan empire. The Native Identity was also characterized in the
1500-1800’s by war, whether it be against the French, English, Spanish, or even separate native factions.
The most positive change in the Indian culture that came as a result of European Arrival was the
addition of the horse. Horses proved to be a monumental aid for Indians in their hunting and war
endeavors. The Mobility provided by the horse allowed for Indians living in the plains to hunt Buffalo so
efficiently, the species went into near extinction.

WORK, EXCHANGE, & TECHNOLOGY-How did the Columbian exchange- the mutual transfer of material,
goods, commodities, animals, and disease- affect interaction between Europeans and Indigenous
peoples in North America?

The Products of the Columbian trade help to reinforce trade between the natives and the Europeans, as
most parties had what the other would considers new, useful and innovative merchandise. Europe’s
new found access to biological products such as corn and peppers was incredibly important, as it gave
the continent a new food that they could store in dry conditions to hold the nations over for the winter.
It also added nutritional diversity, and allowed for more exotics flavor to be within reach of the common
man. To the Indians, the Columbian exchange provided access to horses, metal tools and to some
extend firearms, which helped them make short work of game. This trade however, was open to several
moral and biological issues. Thousands of Indians were wiped out as a result of European diseases, and
of the few Indians who remained unaffected by disease, many were taken as slaves to be shipped to
other parts of the country or to the European motherland.

PEOPLING-Where did different groups settle in the Americas (Before contact) and how and why did they
move to and within the Americas (after contact)?
Long before the colonial Era, it is predicted that all native Americans came to America from Asia through
an ice bridge that existed between Alaska and Russia during the ice age. From there the Indian tribes
migrated to middle America (Aztecs) South America (Incas/quechuas) and in north America the Ohio
river valley (Adena-Hopewell) , the Mississippi river (Mississippian) and the southwestern American
great plains (Hohokam-Anasazi). All of these locations were Idea for establishing a society and a culture
because they are all locate near rivers and large bodies of water, which are idea for developing
agricultural items such as Maize, square and other plants. After the arrival of the Europeans, several of
these societies either disbanded and remained in the same area of their respective continent, or
retreated inland and towards the southern regions of North America. Because most settlers never
traveled west of the Rocky Mountains, or far north of Mexico, India’s that fled inland were safe from
European influence, with the exception of spreading disease. The only exception to this would Indians
who were taken captive for the slave trade, where they may have ended up as far as Spain to be used as
unfree labor.

POLITICS AND POWER- How did Spain’s early entry into colonization in the Caribbean, Mexico, and
South America shape the European and American developments in this period?

Spain’s early entry into colonization and exploration is not significant for the physical
settlements or conquest of the new world, but much rather how their actions in a new world sparked
interest in the rest of Europe. Much like the space race between the U.S. and Russia, the astonishing
discovery of easy riches in gold and silver found by Spanish explorers Cortes and Pizzaro set the motion
of event that would lead to Nations like France and England to try their hands at exploration and
colonization. When the Spanish arrived in the new world, they had a very strict and merciless approach
to dealing with the natives, such as using humans as beast of burden, murdering those unwilling to
convert, and the Encomienda system. The Spanish arrival also marks the first time disease like small
poxes were introduced to the natives, marking the beginning of a depressing plague that will last almost
another century.

AMERICA AND THE WORLD- How did European attempts to dominate the Americas shape the
relationship between the native Americas and the Europeans.

Europe’s Strict approach to dominating the America natives was an excellent example of the
level of entitlement felt by Europeans who had come in the name of God. Because many of the
Europeans held the view that the Americas were land granted by god to the saints, who are the settlers,
and that the Indians were just an added annoyance. The Spanish Encomienda system, alongside
England’s use of Indians of the slave market, and the overall abundance of armed conflict that occurred
between the two factions. Because most of the conflicts started with Europe, the Indians quickly came
to resent the white man, the people who stole their land and would last send a majority of Indians to
Wyoming in a miserable train of tears.

ENVIROMENT AND GEOGRAPHY- How did pre-contact populations of North America relate to their
environments? How did contact with Europeans change these relations in North America?

The pre-contact Native Americans had to be very in tune with nature, being experts of horticulture,
agriculture, hunting and knowing how to use the local land to their advantage. People who lived in the
southern most regions of America wore little to no clothes, given the humid and hot conditions closer to
the equator. Similarly, Indians who lived closer to the north, like the Salish may have needed animal
skins and pelts to survive the more frigid temperatures. After the Arrival of the Europeans, Indians had
access to more weapons, which in turn allowed then to collect more animal pelts, which help to make a
few lucky Indians rich. When they arrived, they also come with the intent to westernize the Indians, and
the Natives who were enticed (or enslaved) stopped like their animistic, nature driven life in exchange
for the industrial European back ground. Aside from the converted Indians, regular Indians life just got
easier with better technology, which in a sense separates the natives from nature.

IDEAS, BELIEFS, AND CULTURES- How did cultural contact challenge the religious and other values
systems of peoples from the Americas and Europe?

The only real victim of religious and values conflict in the American colonization was the Native
Americans. Native were often hunted and executed for their heathen beliefs, and were expected to
abandon their traditional lifestyle for a stringent European one. Indians constantly had their land seized,
and could do very little but revolt to no avail, or give up to the white man. When an Indian surrendered
his beliefs, he was expected to hut his hair, gain a western name, and swear to never worship a false
good again. The only real struggle Europeans faced was manual hardships during dry winters, embracing
religious independence in the face of growing denominations, and in some colonies tolerance of other
who carry different beliefs.

Discussion Questions

1. In 1600, which European nation seemed to have the best chance at eventually controlling what
is now the United States? Why?

In the year 1600, Spain had the most claim and potential for ruling over current day U.S.A. . The
reason is because it already had more land in North America with its fort of St. Augustine, and
because the nation also already own most of south and central America, meaning they had the
most knowledge of trade and cartography of all the European countries. They also were very
rich at the time as a result of the gold and silver flowing in from the Americas. At this point
Great Britain does not yet have its foot far into colonizing the Americas. The year 1600 is only
three years away from the historic date where Queen Elizabeth die shortly after the failure of
the Roanoke colony.

2. The title of this chapter is “The Collision of Cultures.” In which ways is this phrase an accurate
assessment of the early relationship between the old world and the new world? Explain?

The late fourteen hundreds to the 1600’s is a time frame where not only is Europe becoming
more enlightened religiously, academically and artistically, but it also marks a time where they
are being exposed to factors and societies that not even the Greeks and romans before them
had a chance to encounter. In this time not only are millions of Christians arguing over the
logistics and translation of the Bible, but a who new culture of animist are discovered, and are
squashed miserably. In this time Europeans also found new foods, animals, and art styles in the
form of architecture and pyramids that they had not yet seen before. At this time, people from
all very Europe are bleeding into this new America, and taking their heritage and possessions
with them, creating a very diverse foundation for what will soon become the famous melting
pot of the world.