Unit 1: Agricultural Practices and European Exploration
This part of the guide discusses important agricultural practices of Native American societies and the beginnings of European exploration in the Americas.
Vocabulary: Maize cultivation - A major food source in Native society that spread from South America to North America, part of the "three sisters" agricultural system.
The guide explains how maize (corn), beans, and squash formed the basis of many Native American agricultural systems, particularly in the Mississippi River Valley.
Example: The Mississippi River Valley developed into a significant agricultural society based on the cultivation of the "three sisters."
The section then transitions to European exploration, mentioning Ferdinand & Isabella of Spain, who funded Christopher Columbus's voyage to America, marking the beginning of Europe's involvement in the Americas.
Definition: Protestant Reformation - A religious movement of the 16th century initiated by John Calvin that sought to reform the Roman Catholic Church, resulting in the creation of Protestant churches.
The Protestant Reformation had significant implications for European colonization of the Americas, as it brought Protestant settlers to the New World.
Highlight: The Columbian Exchange is emphasized as a crucial concept, describing the transmission and interchange of plants, animals, diseases, cultures, human populations (including slaves), and technologies between the New World and the Old World.
The guide notes that while the Columbian Exchange greatly benefited Europe and Asia, it simultaneously brought catastrophe to American Indian populations and cultures, particularly through the introduction of diseases like smallpox and measles.