Chapter 1
Beginning Of America
This chapter shows how the meeting of three different
worlds can affect the outcome of America. How slavery and trade
and power all started from Europeans, Native Americans, and
West Africans. In this chapter you will cover the trade routes of
West Africa, to how the Indians ran their governments, to the dif-
ference in societies between all three regions.
This is our
This is our
This is our
Europe in the Late 1400’s
Main Idea Why it matters now Terms
This section is how the
Europeans discovered the
Americas and used their ad-
vanced technology to con-
quer the new world.
Social Order
Reconquista
Ideological
Theological
European Society
European society was very strict and rarely changed. First off,
Europe had a fixed social order during the 15th-17th century, based on
their place in society where they were born into. The highest rank was
nobility, such as monarch, church, and knights. Then at the bottom are
the peasants, such as farmers, craftsmen, sets and slaves. Also, people
rarely ever leave their social class that they were born into but it is pos-
sible. Merchants and artisans moved up in the 1400’s due to increase in
trade. Lastly, there is
Beginning of America 2
This letter is from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Santangel-
“ … I write you this letter, by which you shall know that in thirty-three
days I passed over to the indies’ with the fleet which the most illustri-
ous king and queen , our lords, gave me where I found very many is-
lands peopled with inhabitants' beyond number…”-
This letter show how they discovered the Indians and how they got
their money for their voyages from the queen
This matters now because
this is how Columbus dis-
covered the new world and it
became America.
the Christian Catholic church; a powerful faith in European society. Just as im-
portant as the kings and queens, Christianity is the most influenced religion in
European back in the 15th century. Everybody was afraid to disrespect or go
against it. As a result, European society, unlike America today, hardly ever
changes, and it is based on where you are at in society.
Europe’s Government
The European Government played a very big role of solving
problems and giving commands
for future steps in the 15th-17th
centuries. First off, Queen Isabella
was the most powerful monarch of
her time. She expelled the Mus-
lims and Jews from Spain in 1492
so that Europe could be ruled by
Catholics alone in a process
known as the Reconquista, which
solved Europe's "problem" with
having more than one religion.
Also, the Roman Catholic Church
controlled religion over almost all
of Western Europe, up to the year
1517. Their influence was great
upon Europe due to the high reli-
gious count, and their government
was a Catholic Monarchy. This led
to a big step with Catholicism being forced onto the Native Ameri-
cans when Columbus discovered the Americas. Lastly, the govern-
ment gave large amounts of money for exploration and empire
building. They funded many of Columbus's voyages to the Ameri-
cas for colonization. Overall, the government was a very compe-
tent monarchy in the 15th-17th centuries.
Beginning of America 3
Europe’s Innovations
European innovations and inventions were great and helped them to conquer the new world. First, one of the most important inventions was their weapons or warfare. These played a great role for their military success. Their weapons, such as guns, and cannons, ushered them to be ready to fight.
These tools gave them a better advantage in wars and in tak-ing over new lands. Europeans easily over powered the Native Americans, since they never seen or own anything like these weapons. Another important invention was that Europe had been social technology such as the printing press. These in-ventions helped them spread the news of Columbus's findings much faster than other groups, like the Vikings. The final in-vention was the development in ideological or even theologi-cal. These weren't exactly innovations but more of a way that they took the new world. For instance by dominating others they became the strongest or more dominate group in the world. Such as how they dominated over the Native Ameri-
cans, by taking them as slaves and using the Indians land as their own. In conclusion Europe's inventions and innovations played a huge role in how they were able to take and domi-nate the world with advanced technology.
Taste of Next Section The European’s discovery of America might have been good for them but it affected the lives of the Natives that were living there in many different ways. The collision of these two different cultures brought many different thing to the New
world that later shaped the outcome of America...
Beginning of America 4
Main Idea Why it matters now Terms
Native American’s in 1492
Extended Family
Iroquois Grand
Council
Native Terms: Mis-
sissippi, skunk….
Native American’s had a va-
riety of many cultures
amongst themselves that
shaped their different yet
similar ways of life.
Beginning of America 5
Native American Society
Native American society was very unique, and organized. For exam-
ple, much like the Europeans focused mostly on 'nuclear family', the Na-
tive Americans focused mostly on 'extended family'. Their lives revolved
around everyone in their family, not just mom, dad, and children. They fo-
cused on everyone such as aunts, uncles, cousins and others. Also, they had
very distinct roles in their community based on gender. Men mostly
hunted, gathered, and protected the village, and the women cooked, and
took care of the children. Last, their religion was that they believed all
things had
This letter was wrote by Powhatan to John Smith-
“ ..I wish their experience was equal to mine; and that all your love to us
might not be less than ours to you…..”-
This letter is telling John Smith how he wishes that his children and
grandkids had the experience of a great life about before the Europeans
came over to the Americas and took over.
spirits or spiritual essence. They believed to have spirits,
things such as animals, plants, and even none living things,
like rocks. Overall, Native Americans had a very unique, but
very organized societies.
This picture show how many of the Native
American villages looked from where they
would hunt to where they would hold com-
munity feasts or honor their religion.
Native American Government
Native American democracy was the main type of government in the
U.S. in the 15th century. First, the Iroquois created democracy with the Iro-
quois League. The Iroquois League was created for the purpose of ending the
fighting between the many Iroquois groups by having a democratic Council.
Second, the Iroquois Grand Council consisted of 50 Iroquois leaders. This was
the biggest point that led to a government ruled by the people. Last, this Na-
tive American democracy greatly influenced
Beginning of America 6
This is a picture of them hunting their
food as you can see they are all male, as
that is one of their roles in the commu-
nity
Benjamin Franklin in his creation of the Colonial Governments. This Co-
lonial democracy even led to the Boston Tea Party, which released the
U.S. from Great Britain's control for a government ruled by the people.
In conclusion, the Native American Democracy has greatly influenced
our government even today.
Beginning of America 7
Native American Innovations
The Native Americans innovations and inventions were very advance in
the 15th century. There are several examples that show this and one of them
is the watertight basket weaving was one of the many things they used until
the Europeans came onto their land. It was passed down from generation to
generation, mostly to women. Furthermore, they were not just hunters; they
were also fine in agriculture. More than half the crops around the world
were created by Native Americans. On top of that, many words and terms
we use today came from the Native Americans. Natives created words for
many things of nature such as Mississippi, skunk, and hurricane. To con-
clude, Native Americans advanced inventions and innovations helped them
in many ways for the future to come.
Taste of next Section Much like the Native Americans the West Africans had many things
in common. How their lands were invaded and they were taken to
work as slaves. Also to how their communities and governments
functioned. Along with the similarities there were many differences,
in their innovations to how they got their goods and money…...
Beginning of America 8
Main Idea Why it matters now Terms
West Africa
Islam (Islamic Religion)
Iron Ore
Monarchy
West Africa had one of
the most wealthy and
cultural kingdoms in
the late 1400s
Trading was a big part of West African Society and brought
many different things to their country because of it. One fact is, Africa had
many trade routes leading through
many major cities. West Africans
had closer relationships with Euro-
pean traders because of this. Add-
ing to that, the power and wealth
of most major cities came from
trade. This caused many cities like
Songhai to become the largest
kingdoms in Africa. Moreover, not
only did they trade goods on the
trade routes. They also traded
other things such as religion. Euro-
peans "traded" their Christianity
and in-turn was shown Islam by
the West Africans. As a result, by the mid-1400s, West African trading was
so great that it attracted many people from the outside world.
West African Society
This matters now because
how their trading Africans
revolutionized to the Ameri-
cas which is how slavery and
discrimination started.
The kingdoms in West Africa were different from one another but
each had one thing in common: government structure. First of all,
Songhai's government was monarchy.
Their ruler was Sonni Ali. This leader
ruled over Songhai during the Mid 15th
century. Moreover, there was Kongo, the
second major kingdom. Located in West
Central Africa, their government struc-
ture was also monarchy; the king was
Manikongo. In addition to those, the
third kingdom is Benin. Benin's govern-
ment was obviously monarchy, though it
does not state who was their leader in a
certain period. Overall, monarchy basi-
cally dominated how West Africa was
back then.
West African Government
West African Innovations
West Africans had many innovations and inventions that would not be
used or thought of by other countries for some time. First of all, West
Africans were amazingly skilled at making things out of iron ore.
With this metal they made many things such as weapons. Another in-
teresting fact is, storytelling was an exciting way to tell stories of the
past to others. For generations upon generations, tribe elders would
pass down stories of the past to children who would then pass them
down as they grew up. Also, the West Africans did not "invent" fertile
soil, but made very good use of it anyways. Many crops were grown
in this fertile soil and thus forth gave the West Africans an easier time
with farming. In summary, the West African innovations and inven-
tions worked very well in their favor and helped them to grow, both as
a country and as a kingdom.
Beginning of America 9
Overall the meeting of these three worlds made a great
impact not only back then in the late 1400s, but also in the fu-
ture and now. How they used trade to make money and how
Native Americans used specific terms that we still used to day.
Or how slave trading started between the Africans and Portu-
guese, then later came to America and became a great big deal.
So small things that happen back in the 1400s are still a big
problem to day, or a big help such as how we got our govern-
ment ideas from the Iroquois Grand Council.
Conclusion
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Compare
How did the invasion of the Portuguese and Europe-
ans affect the Native Americans and West Africans ?
(Think about their trading and slavery)
2. Compare and Contrast
How were the West African and Native Americans
alike and different ?
Beginning of America 10
Works Cited
Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995
Gerald A. Danzer, Jorge Klor de Alva, Larry S.
Krieger, Louis E. Wilson, Nacy Woloch.
Americans. Evanston, IL: McDougal Little, 2005
Darlene Clark Hine, Willam C. Hine, and Stanely
Harrold.
Upper Saddle River, NJ : Pearson education Inc., 2006