Week 1: Colonization Flashcards
1
Q
Who supposedly “discovered” America? When ? How did it happen?
A
- Christopher Colombus
- 1492
- Spain sent him to find a westward route to the Indies
but - he found the islands of the Caribbean
- he called the people who were there “Indians” because he supposed the lands he had found were part of Asia
2
Q
Who was already in America before European colonists came?
A
- indigenous populations whose ancestors had come 15,000 years earlier from Asia.
- Aztecs, Mayas, Incas, etc.
3
Q
Who ruled over most of the continent in the 16th century? Where exactly?
A
- Portuguese and Spanish
- most of Central and Southern America
4
Q
What happened to Indian populations after colonists arrived on their lands?
A
- colonists often attacked and killed natives but also traded with them
- they were also decimated by European diseases, especially smallpox
5
Q
What led to the first wave of English Colonization of the New World? How did it turned out?
A
- England wanted to rival Spain’s successes in the New World
- Spanish had found gold in South America and English thought they would do the same in North America
- They sent many ships
- They established a colony called ‘Virginia’ in honor of Queen Elizabeth I: condition were harsh and many people died during the voyage or in the colony
- They didn’t find any gold
6
Q
Jamestown, Virginia
A
- the London Company founded the first English plantation in 1607, on the James river in Virginia
- they called it ‘Jamestown’ after King James I
- It was the starting point of the history of the people known as Americans
- Captain John Smith
7
Q
Who was Captain John Smith? When did he live?
A
- 1579-1631
- soldier who sailed with the first settlers
- became the leader of the settlement
- left remarkable accounts of himself and his experiences: propaganda for the colonization movement
- map-maker: explored the surrounding area with a handful of companions
8
Q
real Pocahontas’ story
A
- John Smith was captured by Native Americans and taken to chief Powhatan
- according to legend, Powhatan’s daughter (Pocahontas) saved him from execution
- led to a temporary reconciliation between Indians and settlers based on trade
- Pocahontas’ interactions with colonists have been mythologized ever since
- She acted as a mediator with the Jamestown settlers
9
Q
Why did the Virginia Colony ultimately flourish?
A
- land
- tobacco
- cheap labor/slavery
10
Q
tobacco
A
- smoking tobacco became fashonable in the late 16th century in Europe
- anyone could grow it and it was sold at a profit: in 20 years, tobacco produced in the colony of Virginia multiplied by 75
- made vast fortunes for producers
11
Q
slavery and cheap labor in Virginia
A
- Africans were brought to Virginia for the first time by Dutch traders in 1619: excluded from the privileges of civil society
- indentured servants
- new gentry emerged: quickly enriched itself by its effective monopoly of land, labour and political power
12
Q
Who were the Pilgrims? What did they want?
A
- Separatist Protestants
- Emigrated to New World via Netherlands
- Wanted to break with the Church of England reaching Virginia colony but settled in Plymouth
- sought to establish a religious community
13
Q
What was the Mayflower?
A
- the ship the Pilgrims used to navigate to the New World
- landed near Cape Cod on 9 november 1620
14
Q
Who founded the Plymouth Colony?
A
William Bradford
15
Q
Mayflower Compact
A
- contract signed on November 11th 1620
- established a provisional government
- first attempt of democracy at the time
- established by Plymouth Colony
- became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
