Settling the New World Unit

Notes and Review Questions for the "Settling the New World" Unit!

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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)

"Team Extreme" students expect only their best!

(The Spanish were the first European nation to establish colonies in the Americas. Their empire stretched from California to Tierra Del Feugo - see map above)

*Download a Printable copy of the Review Questions

1. What is another name for a Spanish governor?

2. Who established New France (Quebec)?

3. Who named Louisiana after the king?

4. Oldest city in the USA?

5. What are the three types of Spanish settlements?

6. Where is Tierra del Fuego

7. What is a Coureurs?

8. Who was Bart. De Las Casas?

9. What were the Law of the Indies?

10. What are the Spanish social classes?

11. Who could own land in New France?

12. Where did the Dutch settle?

13. The 1^st attempt at an English colony in the New World was?

14. The 1^st successful English Colony was?

15. What happened to Roanoke?

16. Why did most settlers go to Jamestown? Who was the leader of Jamestown?

17. What is a joint stock company? What company founded Jamestown?

18. What was the starving time? What saved Virginia?

Essay: Explain why so many people died in Early Virginia. Include facts & details in your answer.