CHAPTER 1



Chapter 1

The Meeting of Cultures

Chapter Summary

Before European explorers arrived in the Americas, Native Americans had developed their own forms of social organizations that differed from one another in their levels of achievement. Europeans, concerned first with exploiting the New World and its peoples, regarded the natives as savages and set out to destroy their societies and replace them with a variation of European culture. The biological disaster brought on by smallpox and other diseases made it easier for the Europeans to conquer the tribes and civilizations, and to impose on the Native Americans a number of different colonial systems. To help make up for the Native Americans’ labor lost through wars and epidemics, Europeans brought in African slaves, who added to the cultural diversity of America. Conflicts in the Old World spilled over into the new as different nations got into the race for colonies, and the many connections between events in the Americas and the rest of the world became apparent. By the end of the sixteenth century, the age of discovery was all but over, and the great era of colonization, especially English colonization, was about to begin.

Objectives

A thorough study of Chapter 1 should enable the student to understand

1. The history of the Native Americans before the arrival of Columbus.

2. What the New World was like at the time of Christopher Columbus.

3. The ways in which the peoples of the New and Old Worlds affected each other when their societies came in contact in the late fifteenth century.

4. The changes taking place in Western Europe that resulted in widespread interest in colonization and the connections between what was happening in the Americas and what was happening in the rest of the world.

5. The colonial policies of each nation involved and the effect each had on the future of the Americas.

6. The reasons for the rivalry between Spain and England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the impact of that rivalry on international affairs.

7. The African culture from which slaves were taken and the early development of slavery.

8. The role of religion in European efforts to colonize the New World.

9. The ways in which the experiences of the English in Ireland influenced their efforts to colonize North America.

10. The first efforts of the English to establish a colony, and the reasons for their failure.

11. The host of connections that existed between what happened in the Americas and what was happening in the rest of the world.

Main Themes

1. The colonization of the Americas was a collision of cultures(the European and Native American(that had been developing along completely different lines for thousands of years.

2. A variety of ambitions and impulses (such as international rivalries, the quest for wealth and personal glory, and a desire to spread the Christian religion) moved individuals and nations to colonize the New World.

3. The motives of the colonizers and their experiences prior to immigrating shaped their attitudes toward Native American cultures.

4. How these same motives and experiences helped determine the sociopolitical arrangements in the new colonies.

5. The ways that the Old World influenced the history of the New.

Points for Discussion

1. What was the nature of the Indian societies and their geographic distribution before the coming of the European explorers? What relationship existed between their subsistence patterns and their general culture?

2. What "discoveries" were made in America before 1600? Which of these led to colonization and which did not? What contributed to the success of these colonization efforts?

3. What did the Indian cultures contribute to the Europeans, and why, despite these contributions, did the invaders still think of the Native Americans as savages? (The document in the Study Guide, in which John Smith describes his meeting with the Indians will be useful in showing the attitude of Europeans toward Native American customs and values.)

4. In what ways were the Spanish and English motives for colonization different? similar? How were these motives reflected in the organization of the colonies they established?

5. What was the social and cultural background of the Africans brought to America? How did this background differ from that of the Indians? Europeans? In what ways were the backgrounds of these people similar?

6. In what ways did England, Spain, and other European nations use the experience gained in earlier exploration and colonization when they attempted to colonize America?

7. European colonization has often been said to have been motivated by "gold, God, and glory." Assess this interpretation of the motives behind the European colonization of America.

8. The arrival of Europeans in America resulted in a complex interaction of cultures. Explain how this interaction was harmful and/or beneficial to both Europeans and Native Americans.

9. How did the cultural interaction mentioned in question number 8 change with the arrival of African slaves? Examine the origins of the African slave trade and the impact that Africans had on the economy and culture of colonial America.

10. Who were the "positivists," and why has their approach to history been rejected by most scholars today?

11. Explain the efforts that have been made to determine the population of America before Columbus.

12. Explain the connections that existed between what happened in the Americas and what was happening in the rest of the world.

Interpretive Questions Based on Maps and Text

1. How did the geographic distribution and subsistence patterns of Native Americans influence their cultural development?

2. European exploration and colonization affected Native Americans in many ways. Considering where Europeans explored and planted settlements, which Indian cultures were affected most? How did initial exploration make it easier for future explorers (even from rival nations) to settle the area?

3. How did conditions in Europe help to promote the exploration and settlement of America? How does the location of American colonies reflect the geographic situation of the mother country? (Students may want to consult the world map in the Appendix of the text for this question.)

4. Consider the location of principal Spanish cities. Which of these appear to have been established for trading purposes? For military (strategic or defensive) purposes? For both? How did the Spanish missions fit into this settlement scheme?

5. Compare and contrast the maps in Chapter 1, paying special attention to eastern North America. Based on these maps, what was the impact of the English arrival in North America? Why did the English system prevail in this region? What other factors contributed to English success here?

Essay Questions

These essays are based on the map exercises. They are designed to test students' knowledge of the geography of the area discussed in this chapter and to test their knowledge of its historical development. Careful reading of the text will help them answer these questions.

1. In what ways did European exploration and colonization affect Native Americans? In answering this question, note where Europeans explored and planted settlements. What cultural regions were affected most? Why was the impact of Europeans greater here? How did initial exploration make it easier for future explorers (even from rival nations) to settle the area?

2. What conditions existed in Europe that helped to promote the exploration and settlement of America? How did the geographic situation of European countries influence patterns of colonial settlement? (Students will want to consult the world map in the Appendix of the text for help on this.)

3. Study the maps in this chapter of the text. Based on these, what do you feel was the impact of the English arrival in North America? Why did the English system prevail in this region? What other factors contributed to English success here?

4. Why are there so many different interpretations of the past? What factors make it difficult for historians to agree on events and their meaning? How are these disagreements reflected in efforts to determine the population of America before Columbus?

Internet Resources

For Internet quizzes, resources, references to additional books and films, and more, consult the text’s Online Learning Center at brinkley12.

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