GIGLIOTTI'S CLASS NOTES!
GIGLIOTTI’S CLASS NOTES

SETTLING THE AMERICA’S

THE SPANISH EMPIRE:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
-lands conquered by the Conquistadores
-Spanish king realized that they could profit from their empire and took interest
-Spain controls most of the land between California and Tierra del Fuego (Southern tip of
South America)
-over 200 cities (1570’s) – 160,000 Spaniards
- St. Augustine (1513) first city in what is now the USA
-Spain become rich from gold & silver in the New World
-establishes an Empire in the New World & other places (Europe, Pacific)

GOVERNMENT IN THE SPANISH EMPIRE:
-set up by Charles V in 1535 – lasted over 300 years
-empire was divided into New Spain (holdings in NA, CA, & Carr) & Peru (SA)
-king appointed a VICROY (governor) in each region
-colonists had no say in the government
-LAWS OF THE INDIES: - allows Spain to keep strict control over its colonies
-laws dictated how the colony show be run, what type of crops would be planted, where towns should be built, etc.

SPANISH SETTLEMENTS:
-under the Laws of the Indies 3 types of settlements could be established
1. PUEBLOS: towns which were the center of farming & trade -pueblos had a plaza, a church, homes, etc.
2. PRESIDIOS: forts that were home to soldiers
-rectangular – surrounded by high mud brick walls – horses – weapons
3. MISSION: religious settlements run by Catholic priests and friars to convert the Native Americans
–often forced them to convert and punished them

SPANISH SOCIAL CLASSES:
-people in the Spanish Empire is divided by class
1. PENINSULARES: top class – sent from Spain to rule the colonies (government/priests) – wealthy land owners
2. CREOLES: decadence from the Spanish settlers (born in the New World, but Spanish)-wealthy & educated – owned large farms – could not be in government
3. MESTIZOS: Mestizos: mixed blood (Spanish & Indian)
4. NATIVE AMERICANS

SPANISH TREATMENT OF NATIVE AMERICANS:
ENCOMIENDAS: The Spanish had the right to demand taxes & labor from the
Native Americans
PLANTATIONS: large estates farmed by many workers (found in West Indies)
- grow sugar cane, tobacco, etc.
- originally use Indians as slaves, later Africans
BARTOLOME de Las CASAS: Spanish priest
-he was concerned about the high death rate for Native American slaves
-using Native Americans as slave presented problems
-they died from disease & could easily escape
-Casas felt sorry for the Native Americans and asked the king to make
using them as slaves illegal (1544).
-Spanish kings outlaws using Indians as slaves, instead they would start to
use Africans – Native Americans continued to be mistreated
-Casas felt that Africans would make better slaves because they were
immune to European diseases, were farmers in their own lands, and
could not easily escape – soon thousands would be sold in the New
World
-Casas regretted his actions before he died

SPANISH CULTURE IN THE AMERICA’S:
-the Spanish brought religion, language, laws, learning, etc. to the New World
-Spanish were also influenced by Native American cultures (foods, words, poncho, etc)
-the Spanish built cities on the foundations of Aztec & Inca cities (Mexico City)
-Spanish settlers built libraries, colleges, theaters, churches – brought the printing press
-Missionaries spread Spanish culture & religion (from Argentina to Oregon)
-built settlements in what is now the American South West (Ari, NM) & California.
-founded St. Augustine (1565) – first city in what is now the USA
-Spanish influence can still be found in names, etc. in the USA

FRENCH & DUTCH COLONIES IN THE NEW WORLD:
-other nations saw the Spanish riches in the New World and sought their own.
-French began to fish off the cost of Newfoundland (1500’s)
-1603 Samuel de Champlain brought settlers to the coast of Maine – too cold & they left
-Champlain sets up a new colony in Nova Scotia a year later
-1608 Champlain follows Cartier’s route up the St. Lawrence & founds Quebec (1608)
-French settlers mostly interested in trading furs
-many learned how to trap and survive in the woods (Coureurs de bois)
-got along well with the Native Americans (traded, trapped with, etc)
-many French missionaries traveled with the fur traders to convert Native Americans
-missionaries drew maps, etc. – still looking for the North West Passage
-Marquette & Joliet sailed down the Miss. River – thinking it was the North West Passage
-La Salle – Ohio river – metal plates
-the colonies of NEW FRANCE slowly emerged – but few French moved there
-French tried to encourage settlement – but few French moved except fur traders
-the few settlers received little freedoms – France was strict
-the French explored large parts of North America & built trading posts

NEW NETHERLAND:
-Henry Hudson explored for the Dutch (1600’s) – Hudson River
-1626 – Peter Minuit lead Dutch settlers to New World
-he bought Manhattan from the Native Americans for a couple of dollars worth of beeds
-he called his settlement New Amsterdam – traded furs
-later the Dutch would take over Swedish settlements near the Delaware River
-Dutch culture introduced St. Nicholas, Cookies, and the word “Boss”

EARLY ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS IN NORTH AMERICA

ROANOKE:
-1585 Sir Walter Raleigh raises money to send seven English ships to North America
-ships landed at Roanoke island off the coast of North Carolina – settlers did not stay
-1587 John White returns with settlers to build a colony
-supplies ran low, White returned to England leaving 177 people behind
-White asked settlers to leave a mark on a tree if they moved or if they were attacked
-White did not return until 1590 due to a war between England & Spain
-White found no settlers upon his return
-the word “CROATOAN” was carved in a tree
-no one knows if the settlers moved or were killed

JAMESTOWN:
-established by Virginia Company of London in 1607
-kings gives company a CHARTER: a legal document giving certain rights to a person or company to establish a colony
-charters allows company to establish a colony between the Potomac River & N. Carolina
-while the chart spoke of spreading Christianity, it was primarily motivated by economics
-Virginia Company was a JOINT STOCK COMPANY: a company which sells shares to investors.
-investors share both the risk and the profit
-it is hoped that the colony can produce riches (gold, crops, etc.) for its investors
-first colonist leave England with three ships (Susan Constant, Discovery, Godspeed)
-arrive at Chesapeake Bay and sail up river they name the “James” after King James I
-use local forests for wood and begin building a settlement (homes & stockade)
-they location was chosen to protect settlers from Native Americans, however it was located on a malaria ridden swampland. (mosquitoes & bad wells cause disease – many die)
-London Company appointed a council of 13 to govern the colony, however the council argued with each other and there was no clear leadership in Jamestown – real power remained in England with company
-settlers failed to plant crops due to the lateness of the season
-settlers spent their days hunting for gold rather than planting crops
-settlers lacked skills needed to survive - gentleman settlers did not wish to work – Jamestown is in bad shape after the first year
-during the first year over ½ die
-John Smith takes charge of the colony after the first year
-Smith was a soldier of fortune in Eastern Europe – even enslaved in Turkey
-Smith seeks help from near by Indians (Powhatan)
-he feels the English need to dominate the “proud savages” without bloodshed
-the Powhatan chief was said to be annoyed with the English settlement (not afraid)
-legend claims that he took Smith prisoner and threatened to execute him
-Smith was saved by the chiefs daughter Pocahontas (know one knows if this is true)
-Smith was able to get food from the Indians (forced to help colony)
-later (1609) Smith is forced to return to England after he is injured
-things begin to go wrong in Jamestown once again
-many die of starvation, disease, Indian attacks
-cannibalism even occurs in Jamestown

THE STARVING TIME:
-the Virginia Company sent more settlers – most die of disease & starvation
-Virginia Company spends 160,000 pounds & send 2000 settlers between 1606 and 1622
-yet no profits were made – fewer than 2000 alive by 1622
-only profits were made in selling wives to settlers
-forced to live off of dogs, cats, toadstools, horses, etc.

TOBACCO:
-this product would save the colony
-John Rolfe learns to grow tobacco from Native Americans (1612)
-Rolfe also famous for marrying Pocahontas
-tobacco was sent back to England - became very profitable
-by that time most original settlers had worked off their 7 years
-most profits went to individuals and not the company
-later to much production would lower the price in Europe
-growing tobacco is very difficult
-settlers force Native Americans to work on plantations
-later African slaves would be used – 1619 a Dutch ship accidentally lands in Jamestown -that marked the start of slavery in what would later become the USA
-settlers begin to spread out into surviving area (colony of Virginia)
-in 1624 The king revokes charter & Virginia become a royal colony

THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH:
-known as Separatists in England because they wanted to reform the Church of England
-King James I disallowed any other religions in England
-Separatists were persecuted in England
-they search for a place to practice their religion freely
-Separatists leave England and settle in the Netherlands (early 1600’s)
-they did not like Netherlands (disliked cities – children were becoming Dutch)
-English refer to the Netherlands as Holland
-the Separatists now Pilgrims - return to Plymouth, England & receive a charter to establish a colony in Virginia
-others will travel with them as well (Pilgrims were short on money – form Joint Stock)
-they set out for Virginia on a ship called the Mayflower
-they did not land in Virginia – instead they ended up near Cape Cod (Mass.)
-storms knocked ship off course
-because they were not in Virginia their charter was not valid
-they drew up a new government for the colony in the Mayflower Compact
-41 signed the document – promised to consult each other when making laws
-the Pilgrims named their settlement Plymouth (because the sailed from Plymouth Eng.)
-their first governor was named William Bradford
-spent the first winter in sod houses – many hardships
-by spring more than ½ had died of starvation & disease –believed it was God’s will to remain in Plymouth
-Pilgrims plant crops with the help of a Native American named Squanto (spoke English)
-in the fall the Pilgrims had a good harvest which saved the colony
-Pilgrims hold the first Thanksgiving (to thank God for saving them)