APUSH Period 1: Fun Review Notes and Quizzes on Native American and European History

Causes and Effects of European Exploration

This page delves into the motivations behind European exploration of the New World and its initial impacts on both continents. Understanding these factors is crucial for contextualizing the APUSH Period 1 notes.

Causes of European exploration:

• Spreading religion, particularly Catholicism
• Seeking wealth and new trade routes
• Competition among European powers
• Advancements in navigation technology

Effects of European entry into the New World:

• Initiation of the Columbian Exchange
• European population growth
• Devastating Native American population loss

Definition: Sextant - An instrument used for celestial navigation to determine latitude and longitude by measuring the angle between the horizon and a celestial body.

Highlight: In the centuries following Columbus' landfall, as many as 90% of Native Americans perished from diseases, enslavement, and armed aggression.

The Columbian Exchange

This page outlines the extensive biological and cultural exchange between the Old and New Worlds, a crucial concept for the APUSH Unit 1 summary. The Columbian Exchange had profound and lasting impacts on both hemispheres.

Items received by Europe:

• Foods: Corn, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, chocolate
• Animals: Turkeys, buffalo, raccoons
• Disease: Syphilis

Items received by the New World:

• Foods: Wheat, sugar, rice, coffee, citrus fruits
• Animals: Horses, cows, pigs, sheep
• Diseases: Smallpox, measles, influenza
• Religion: Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism)
• Technology: Guns, iron tools

Highlight: The introduction of Old World diseases to the Americas had a catastrophic effect on Native American populations, who lacked immunity to these pathogens.

Example: The horse, introduced by Europeans, dramatically changed the lifestyle and hunting practices of Great Plains Native Americans.

Spanish Colonization

This page focuses on early Spanish colonization efforts in the Americas, a key topic for APUSH Period 1 practice tests. Spain was the dominant European power in the early stages of New World exploration and settlement.

Key points:

• Establishment of coastal towns in Central and South America
• Priority on converting natives to Catholicism
• First permanent colony in St. Augustine, Florida (1565)
• Implementation of the encomienda system for labor
• Development of a racial caste system
• Spanish naval dominance until 1588

Definition: Encomienda System - A labor system where Spanish colonists were granted authority over a number of natives, obligating them to protect and convert the natives in exchange for their labor.

Vocabulary: Mestizos - People of mixed Native American and European ancestry.

Highlight: The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English in 1588 opened the door for French and English colonization efforts in the Americas.

Spanish Conquistadors and Early English Colonies

This final page covers the actions of Spanish conquistadors and early English colonial attempts, providing essential context for understanding Native American and European interactions.

Key events and concepts:

• Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) divided New World territories between Spain and Portugal
• Hernán Cortés captured the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan in 1519
• Debates over the treatment of Native Americans in the 1550s
• Establishment of the Roanoke colony in 1585 (which later vanished)
• Spanish mission system in the American Southwest
• Founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English colony, in 1607

Definition: Conquistadors - Spanish conquerors who led military expeditions in the Americas during the Age of Discovery.

Example: The disappearance of the Roanoke colony, known as the "Lost Colony," remains a mystery in early American history.

Highlight: The Spanish mission system in the Southwest aimed to create Christian converts among Native Americans, often using violent methods.

Page 6: Key Events and Systems

The period concluded with significant developments in colonization and Native American-European relations.

Vocabulary: Conquistadors were Spanish conquerors who led military expeditions in the Americas.

Example: The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) divided New World territories between Spain and Portugal.

Highlight: The establishment of Jamestown in 1607 marked the beginning of permanent English colonization in North America.

Native American Societies Before European Contact

This page provides an overview of the diverse Native American societies that existed prior to European contact in 1492. Native American societies before European contact APUSH were well-established and adapted to their environments.

The page outlines various regions and their characteristics:

• Southwest/Desert: Developed sophisticated irrigation systems
• Northeast/Woodlands: Utilized stable rainfall for farming and timber for construction
• Mississippi River Valley: Centered around river-based trade and mound building
• Great Lakes: Focused on fishing and water-based travel
• Great Plains/Great Basin: Relied on buffalo hunting
• Pacific Northwest: Primarily fishing-based societies

Highlight: By 1492, approximately 54 million people inhabited the two American continents, demonstrating the scale and diversity of pre-Columbian societies.

Example: The Anasazi, Hohokam, and Pueblo people in the Southwest were known for their multi-tiered stone buildings (pueblos), agriculture, and pottery.

Vocabulary: Three-Sister Farming - A Native American agricultural technique involving the simultaneous cultivation of maize, beans, and squash to maximize yields.