HIS 108: History of the United States through 1865

Patterns of Discovery

Culture Clash | European Background of Exploration |Spain and the New World

Background of English Exploration | England Turns to America

Attempts to "civilize" Native Americans:

• Religion (Christianity)
• Education
• Clothing
• Diet
• Housing

Native American reaction to Europeans:

• Rejection of white values and customs
• Accepted products of European manufacturing
• Metal
• Firearms

Impact of disease:

• Decimation of Native American population
• Deprived Europeans of work force
• Called into question traditional Native American beliefs

2. European Background of Exploration (see Goldfield, pp. 13-15)

Norsemen (Viking) expeditions:

• • Eric the Red (984): Greenland
  • Leif Ericson: Vinland (Newfoundland)

Failure of Norsemen settlements:

• Native American hostility, poor lines of communication, political upheavals in Scandinavia

Leif Ericson monument

Europe in the Middle Ages:

• Small, loosely organized kingdoms
• Local awareness only

Changing conditions in the 15^th Century:

• Economic: population growth increased price of land; development of wealthy land-owners; desire for luxury goods
• Political: New Monarchs; development of nation-states
• Henry VII (England)
• Ferdinand of Aragon/Isabella of Castile (Spain)
• Technological: naval improvements—caravels, new rigging
• Intellectual: Renaissance, rediscovery of classical works; printing press

3. Spain and the New World (see Goldfield, pp. 15-23)

Ferdinand and Isabella

• Married in 1469
• Political consolidation of Spain
• Defeat of Granada (1492)
• Use of Inquisition
• Emergence of conquistadors ("conquerors")

Christopher Columbus

• • Background
  • Goal: sail west to Cathay (China)
  • Financial backing provided by Ferdinand and Isabella (sought wealth, empire, converts); Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria
  • Leaves Spain August 1492; reaches New World in October 1492

Columbus requesting aid from Ferdinand and Isabella

Amerigo Vespucci

• Claimed to reach New World for Columbus
• Mapmakers designation of "America"

Amerigo Vesupucci

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

• Spain and Portugal divide the New World

Early Spanish settlements:

• Cuba
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico

Cortez and the Conquest of Mexico

• Hernando Cortez

• Montezuma—Emperor of the Aztecs

Cortez and Montezuma

Other Spanish conquistadors

• Desoto
• Coronado

Long-term impact on Spain

• Great wealth, 1500-1650
• Inflation at home
• Series of harmful wars financed
• Failure to develop economy

4. Background of English Exploration (see Goldfield, pp. 13-15)

First English explorer: John Cabot (1497)

• Commissioned by Henry VII
• Searched for Northwest Passage

Religious Changes in Europe

• Martin Luther (1517) begins Protestant Reformation

• God speaks through Bible
• People are saved through faith alone

Martin Luther

 

• John Calvin: Doctrine of Predestination
• God’s omnipotence over human affairs
• Some chosen for "election"
• Human beings cannot alter this decision
• Followers known as "Puritans" in England and America

Protestant Reformation in England

• Anti-clericalism prevalent
• Henry VIII (1509-1547)
  • Marriage to Catherine of Aragon (1509)
  • Marriage to Anne Boleyn (1533) without permission of pope
  • Act of Supremacy (1534): creation of Church of England (Anglican Church)

Henry VIII

• Edward VI (1547-1553)
• Political instability
• Calvinism introduced in England
• Mary I (1553-1558)
• Attempted to return England to Catholic Church
• Much violence; "Bloody Mary"
• Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
• Maintains Church of England
• Elizabethan Settlement (1550s-1560s)
• Outward conformity to Church of England
• Queen recognized as "Supreme Head of Church of England"

Elizabeth I

Impact of religion on England

• Economic: Protestant work ethic

• Political: turmoil with Spain

Conflict with Spain

• King Philip II (Spain) plans to invade England

• Spanish Armada defeated (1588)

• Spain’s American monopoly broken

Spanish Armada battles English ships

5. England Turns to America (see Goldfield, pp. 24-28)

Sir Walter Raleigh

• Claimed land in North America (1584); "Virginia"
• Sir Richard Grenville heads expedition to Roanoke Island (1585)
• Difficulties: location, Indians
• Sir Francis Drake
• John White heads second expedition to Roanoke (1587)
• Colonists abandoned for three years
• "The Lost Colony"

Richard Hakluyt’s Voyages and Discoveries (1589)

• Stressed England’s need for colonies
• Raised expectations of future settlers