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CHAPTER 1
The Collision of Cultures
This chapter examines the origins and diverse nature of native civilizations in the New World, the
motivations for European exploration and colonization, the Spanish conquest of the land and its
people, and developments in England and France that led to colonies in the Americas. The chapter
also includes a discussion of the Columbian exchange and the response of indigenous peoples to
their own “new” world.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Early Cultures in America
A. The Mayas, Incas, and Mexica
i. The Incas
ii. The Mexica (Aztecs)
B. North American Civilizations
C. Diverse Societies
i. The Southwest
ii. The Northwest
iii. The Great Plains
iv. The Mississippians
v. Cahokia
D. Eastern Woodland Peoples
iii. Eastern Woodland Indians
II. European Visions of America
A. The Renaissance
B. The Rise of Global Trade
iii. Naming America
iv. Professional Explorers
III. Religious Conflict in Europe
A. Martin Luther
i. The Catholic Reaction
B. John Calvin
iii. New Spain
iv. A Catholic Empire
V. The Columbian Exchange
A. The Exchange of Plants and Foods
B. An Exchange of Diseases
A. Hispanic America
i. St. Augustine
ii. The Spanish Southwest
a. New Mexico
iii. Catholic Missions
iv. The Mestizo Factor
v. The Pueblo Revolt
B. Horses and the Great Plains
i. Buffalo Hunting
C. The Spanish Empire in Decline
VII. Challenges to the Spanish Empire
A. New France
B. The Dutch Revolt
C. The Defeat of the Armada
VIII. English Exploration of America
LECTURE IDEAS
1. A lecture on pre-Columbian America is very appropriate. Give a general overview of the Western
Hemisphere, including the Inca and Mexica cultures. Then focus in on the rest of North America,
2. Depending on the size of your class, divide students up into groups and assign each group a
European country that established colonies in the Western Hemisphere (Britain, France, Spain,
3. The subject of Columbus will be of great interest to your students. You can discuss the impact
his voyages had on America. Did he discover America? What impact did he have on indigenous
populations? What were some of his misperceptions about the people and cultures he met in
the Americas? What impact did his discoveries have on the European community and
perception of the world? See the following sources:
(1992)
4. A discussion of the collision of cultures invariably leads to the Columbian Exchange. Challenge
(1992)
5. A discussion about Native American/European relations would be recommended following
your lecture on the European arrival in the Americas. This will allow you to establish a
6. Write a lecture on the biological exchange, beginning with the European arrival in the New
World, that focuses on plants, animals, and diseases. For the groundbreaking studies of this
7. The beginnings of Spanish North America can be discussed by relating the amazing story of
Cabeza de Vaca, who, after his shipwreck on the coast of Texas, spent eight years in the
8. Elizabeth I is considered one of the great monarchs in European history. However, modern
students who view history through a twenty-first-century lens likely do not appreciate the
(1999), but Jeffrey L. Singman’s Daily Life in Elizabethan England (1995) should offer a strong
treatment of the strictures of Elizabethan society.
IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES
1. Tending to think of the English colonies, many students come into the course having spent little
time considering the Spanish, French, and Dutch influence over the development of North
America. Examine the legacy of Spain in the future United States paying particular attention to
2. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, European powers began colonizing the New
World. Examine this multinational phenomenon with an eye toward the reasons why explorers
3. The Columbian Exchange is one of the most important events in world history but is often
overlooked in favor of the discussion of wars, political developments, and powerful personalities.
4. In tandem with Spanish authorities, the Catholic Church long took a prominent role in colonizing
New Mexico. While some Indians accepted the presence of the Spanish, others fought their
5. Before class, have students read an excerpt from Chapter 18 of Voltaire’s Candide. This chapter
describes “El Dorado” as the opposite of Europe—isolated, spiritual, and united. During class, ask
students to discuss the impact of the idea of the “new” world versus the “old.” According to
Voltaire, what challenges did Europe face and why? What were the contradictions between seeing
a pristine “new” world while also imposing slavery?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Examine the motivating factors that influenced Spanish and English settlements in the New
World.
3. Traveling to California, Texas, and Florida exposes Americans to modern Spanish influences.
Examine how those influences came about and their historical antecedents.
4. Spain and Portugal entered the fifteenth century as two of the most powerful nations in Europe.
Why did they choose to colonize so far from their homelands?
5. England was an unlikely competitor for New World colonies. Examine the progress of England
6. Discuss the conditions that led to the Pueblo Revolt. What tactics did the Pueblo use during the
revolt, and what were some of the event’s consequences?
PRACTICING CITIZENSHIP
This chapter emphasizes the great success of Indians as farmers and the contribution their crops
made to the world once they were introduced to Europeans. Americans are becoming more and
more conscious today of the economic, environmental, and nutritional benefits of growing our own
food. To make a contribution in this area, see if your college has a learning garden. If so, volunteer to do
