The Merging of Cultures During the New World Discovery Essay

Prior to European contact, Native Americans lived as hunter-gatherers, living and traveling in groups typically less than 300. These Native Americans had over 400 languages along with a myriad of different religions (The American Pageant). Across the continent, the Natives built homes

During the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, the Europeans decided to embark on many journeys that would change their way of life forever. These journeys and the exchange of people, ideas, animals, food, and diseases between the two groups shaped history for the next five hundred years. When the Europeans arrived at this new-found land, they discovered what they considered to be an entirely new species of humans, the Native Americans. These two newly encountered groups of people had a few of the same characteristics and way of living, but overall the differences between them were extremely immense.

During the fifteenth century, two major state-based agrarian civilization, Aztec and Inca empires, played a huge role by making up the population of the Americas. With this being said, a lot of the Americas history lies within the boundaries of the empires. This history includes literary tradition, records about the civilizations culture, and observations of the Spanish who conquered them in the early sixteenth century. Document 12.1 concentrates on giving evidence through the eyes of two Spanish observers, both of whom at least tried to connect with the civilizations and record first hand records.

It all started with the Scandinavians who discovered native peoples in North America around A.D. 1000. Short lived as their stay was, this would be the beginning of a very violent and dangerous path for the Native American people. Spain, France, and England would follow the Vikings lead nearly 500 years later and the clash of cultures began. America was appealing to these European nations because of the desire to expand their countries power, the natural resources this "new world" offered and for some, religious freedom. The Europeans brought with them livestock, plant life, disease, and often times an attitude of superiority to these "primitive" native peoples. All of the aforementioned would forever

During the sixteenth century European pilgrims migrated across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in North America. North America had just been introduced to the Western Civilization. The America’s were home to the indigenous people, that were made up of several tribes that were called Indians by the early settlers. Together the Indians and settlers began to thrive. Growth and development in the new world was made possible by the abundant amount of natural resources.

1) The book, 1491, by Charles C. Mann gives readers a deeper insight into the Americas before the age of Columbus, explaining the development and significance of the peoples who came before us. Moreover, Mann’s thesis is such; the civilizations and tribes that developed the Americas prior to the discovery by Europeans arrived much earlier than first presumed, were far greater in number, and were vastly more sophisticated than we had earlier believed. For instance, Mann writes, regarding the loss of Native American culture:

The Mesoamerican and North American societies were more advanced than the Europeans thought. Agriculture and specialization were booming among the societies, which created surplus and merchandise. Before these advances in the indigenous societies, nomadic groups roamed the region and these groups had a lifestyle of migrating to areas where food was abundant. These groups were known as the Paleo-Indians, who which spread throughout the Americas, creating many culturally distinct societies. Some of these societies might have had the same language and appearance between them; however, their cultures were different and this was due to their environment. For instance, some of these societies had to experience a region that was not adequate for farming; therefore, they had to invent other ways to farm. Along with these inventions, the indigenous people were busy with other things. Pyramids were being built, trading was occurring between the different regions, calendars were being designed, and several writing systems were being created.

Farming initially developed in the Middle East, the Fertile Crescent. Grains such as barley and wild wheat were abundant. Also, not heavily forested, and animals were in short supply, presenting a challenge to hunters. 10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE. Notice: it took thousands of years for this “revolution” so not fast but profound for history. Agriculture was hard for many hunting and gathering peoples to adopt – lots of work. Those in agricultural communities developed diseases, which they became immune. The agricultural people would unintentionally infect the hunters.

American archaeologist and anthropologist, Stephen Plog, wrote an account of the pre-Columbian natives of the Americans titled Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest. Plog’s purpose is to communicate the cultural and ritualistic lifestyles of the prehistoric natives of the southwest, which spans across the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada with some mention of trade with Mexico. The author has demonstrated an effective approach of an objective viewpoint on the lives of the prehistoric south westerners using sources from excursions from previous archaeologists such as, Paul S Martin and David R Wilcox among many others who excavated the vacant villages of the southwest.

#1:The Black Legend, Native Americans, and Spaniards • Pre-Columbian North America o Native North Americans ♣ Population • About 2-10 million ♣ Didn’t metalwork, had no gunpowder ♣ Networks • social, political, trade ♣ No classical civilizations, monuments, architecture • 1200 CE-developed civilizations o collapsed from environmental degradation such as drought ♣ Zuni-Southwest ♣ Hopi-Southwest ♣ Organized as confederacy made by tribes • Tribes were matrilineal • Iroquois o Great League of Peace • Different lifestyles by region o West coast ♣ Fished, hunted sea mammals o Great Plains ♣ Hunted buffalo • European discovery of North America o

In a time when Spanish and New England colonies journeyed to explore and to colonize the New World in the 1600’s. The colonies both looked to gain more power and wealth. It is in this context that the ways of the Spanish and English colonies varied when it came to settlement and survival on the land in the New World. The difference between the Spanish and New England colonies in the New World between 1492 to 1700 differed considerably in religious beliefs, economy, and treatment of the indigenous people because of the significant change that occurred when the colonies migrated into the New World.

Early civilization shared similar common features, because all of these societies were under the same pressures. Their whole purpose was survival as it is to this day. Each societies main focus was to become established, stay in one place provide food, shelter and protection for their families. Early civilizations materialize along rivers, because rivers supplied a continuous and dependable supply of water for farming and human consumption. Agriculture today has had an enormous benefit on today’s society, there are now more farmers growing organic fruits and vegetables because the realize the great health benefits organic foods have on human consumption, providing less risk of pesticides and or chemicals on their food.

The late 15th century marked the beginnings of a period of discovery and expansion for Europeans. During these years of discovery, great forces behind drive for expansion existed. The Spanish and Portuguese's main forces included: the lust for the wealth of gold and silver, the acquisition of new lands which brought nobility, and the spread of their Christian based religion. The Spanish and Portuguese conquest of Latin America provides us with insight of these drives in the ultimate search for power. Unfortunately, these motives caused a European-Indigenous syncretism that virtually changed the native peoples way of life. Ultimately, syncretism meant survival for Native Americans in a world where their way of life did not suit the life

The Native cultures Columbus found in the New World displayed a huge variety of languages, social customs, and creative expressions, with a common practice of oral literature without parallel east of the Atlantic. »full text

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the movements to explore the new world increased rapidly. Among them was the arrival of the early Europeans on Americas. Only in a few decades this arrival has changed the land and the people of the Americas both on the physical the non-physical outcomes.