Unit 3 - Lecture 1

Summary

In this educational video, Nathan Lopez delves into the development of colonial America, focusing on the rise of white supremacy and its impact on economic policies, racial issues, and gender roles. He critiques the notion of inherent white superiority, tracing its origins to the English colonization and the displacement of indigenous peoples. Lopez also discusses the establishment of racial hierarchies and the marginalization of women, particularly in the context of witchcraft trials. The video serves as a critical examination of historical narratives that perpetuate white dominance and the need for a more nuanced understanding of America's past.

Takeaways

• 📚 Unit three focuses on colonial America, exploring the development of ideas that still influence the United States today.
• 💼 The unit delves into the economic policies and the rise of capitalism within the English colonies in America.
• 🏛️ The concept of 'whiteness' and systems of control are discussed, highlighting how racial issues were institutionalized during the colonial period.
• 🧙‍♀️ The role of women in colonial America is examined, particularly in the context of witchcraft and the perceived threat to their autonomy.
• 🌐 White supremacy is defined and its historical roots in the colonial period are explored, including the assumed superiority of English settlers over indigenous peoples.
• 📜 The influence of the Doctrine of Discovery is mentioned, which contributed to the notion that non-Christians could be subjugated and their lands taken.
• 🏰 The contrast between the English and Spanish colonization methods is highlighted, with the English relying on a class system that sent wealthy individuals rather than trained soldiers.
• 🌾 The failure of early English settlers to adapt and survive in the new land is discussed, leading to a shift in tactics that included violence and destruction against the indigenous population.
• 🔥 The script argues that white supremacy was not just about promoting white culture but also about eradicating any challenge to its dominance, including the indigenous way of life.
• 📚 The unit will continue to explore how white supremacy shaped colonial America, including the establishment of racial discrimination and its impact on women, as seen in the Salem witch trials.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Unit Three in Nathan Lopez's course?

Unit Three focuses on colonial America, discussing the development of ideas that still dominate the United States today, including economic policies, racial issues, and the concept of white supremacy.

How does Nathan Lopez describe the development of capitalism in the English colonies?

Nathan Lopez explains that capitalism began to take over the English colonies as part of the development of economic policies, marking a shift towards a system where European and white culture became the default and dominant culture.

What is the significance of the concept of whiteness in the context of colonial America?

The concept of whiteness is significant as it pertains to the systems of control designed to create a racial hierarchy that privileged white people, which is a foundational aspect of white supremacy.

How does Nathan Lopez connect the treatment of women to the broader themes of colonial America?

Nathan Lopez connects the treatment of women to colonial America by discussing how women's autonomy was defined and challenged, particularly in the context of witchcraft trials, which were used to suppress women's independence and reinforce patriarchal norms.

What role does the Doctrine of Discovery play in the development of white supremacy according to Nathan Lopez?

The Doctrine of Discovery is mentioned as a legal framework that justified the enslavement and land seizure from non-Christians, contributing to the assumed superiority of Europeans and the development of white supremacy.

Why did the English colonists struggle upon their arrival in the Americas, according to the transcript?

The English colonists struggled because they assumed superiority and did not send people with practical skills for survival. They were mostly wealthy individuals who were not accustomed to manual labor or farming, which were essential for establishing a new settlement.

How does Nathan Lopez explain the failure of the English colonists in the early days of colonization?

Nathan Lopez explains that the English colonists failed due to their rigid class system, which led them to send wealthy individuals who were not equipped for the harsh realities of establishing a settlement. Their failure was also due to the indigenous people's avoidance and resistance, which was a response to the news of the fall of Tenochtitlan spreading across the Americas.

What is the historical significance of the fall of Tenochtitlan in the context of English colonization?

The fall of Tenochtitlan was significant because it spread fear and awareness among indigenous peoples of the Americas about the Spanish conquest, making them more wary and resistant to the English colonists, which contributed to the English's initial struggles.

How does Nathan Lopez discuss the impact of white supremacy on the indigenous people during the colonial period?

Nathan Lopez discusses the impact of white supremacy on indigenous people by highlighting how the English colonists, in an attempt to assert their superiority and suppress any challenge to their system, resorted to violence against the indigenous people, including torture, burning villages, and destroying their cornfields.

What does Nathan Lopez suggest is the underlying theme of the colonial period that still influences attitudes in the United States?

Nathan Lopez suggests that the underlying theme of the colonial period that still influences attitudes in the United States is white supremacy, which is the belief in the inherent superiority of white people and the necessity to eradicate any challenge to that belief.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Unit Three: Colonial America

Nathan Lopez introduces Unit Three, focusing on Colonial America. He plans to cover the development of economic policies, the rise of capitalism, and the establishment of racial hierarchies leading to the concept of 'whiteness.' Additionally, he will discuss the role of women and the perception of witchcraft in the colonial period. Lopez emphasizes the importance of understanding white supremacy, not as historical perfection but as a critical analysis of past mistakes. He starts with a quote from historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, discussing the perception of primitive societies and the importance of critically analyzing history to avoid romanticizing the past.

05:09

🏰 The English Colonization and the Fallacy of Superiority

Lopez discusses the English colonization of America, highlighting the misconception of inherent English superiority over the indigenous population. He contrasts this with the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, noting the spread of news and the indigenous awareness of European intentions. The English, sending wealthy individuals unprepared for manual labor, faced significant challenges in establishing colonies. Lopez points out the irony that the English, despite their perceived technological and civilizational superiority, struggled to survive and often resorted to violence against the indigenous people to assert their dominance. He cites historian Edwin Morgan to illustrate the English failure and their reaction to indigenous resilience.

10:21

🔍 The Development of White Supremacy and Its Impact on History

Nathan Lopez explores how the concept of white supremacy was used by the English to justify their colonization efforts and to suppress any opposition. He argues that the positive portrayal of English history as one of success over adversity masks the reality of repeated failures and the subsequent violent responses towards the indigenous population. Lopez suggests that the development of racial discrimination and the subjugation of women, as seen in events like Bacon's Rebellion and the Salem witch trials, are deeply rooted in the ideology of white supremacy. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding these historical attitudes to recognize their lasting impact on contemporary society.

Keywords

💡Colonial America

Colonial America refers to the period of American history when the land was under the control of European powers, particularly the English. This period saw the establishment of colonies, where European settlers imposed their culture, economic systems, and social structures. In the video, the term is used to frame the discussion on how early economic policies, racial issues, and gender dynamics began to take shape and influence what would become the United States.

💡White Supremacy

White supremacy is the belief that white people are inherently superior to all other races, a concept that has significantly shaped American history. In the video, white supremacy is presented as a central theme in understanding how colonial settlers justified their domination over indigenous populations and enforced systems of control. The concept is explored through the actions and attitudes of the English colonists, who assumed their superiority over the indigenous people simply because of their European heritage.

💡Doctrine of Discovery

The Doctrine of Discovery was a legal and religious concept that allowed European powers to claim lands inhabited by non-Christians. This doctrine was used to justify the colonization and subjugation of indigenous peoples. In the video, it is mentioned as part of the ideological foundation that supported white supremacy, enabling European settlers to see themselves as divinely sanctioned conquerors of the Americas.

💡Racial Discrimination

Racial discrimination refers to the unfair treatment of individuals based on their race. In colonial America, this was institutionalized through laws and social practices that favored white Europeans over indigenous peoples and African slaves. The video discusses how the concept of racial discrimination developed during the colonial period, particularly through events like Bacon's Rebellion and the Virginia Slave Codes, which laid the groundwork for systemic racism in the United States.

💡Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples are the original inhabitants of the Americas, who had complex societies and trade networks long before European colonization. The video highlights how the English colonists underestimated the resilience and knowledge of these communities. Instead of easily conquering them, as they assumed, the English faced significant challenges, leading to the development of brutal strategies to assert control.

💡Virginia Slave Codes

The Virginia Slave Codes were laws enacted in the early 18th century that codified the status of slaves and the rights of slave owners. These codes entrenched racial discrimination by legally defining slaves as property and restricting the rights of African slaves and their descendants. In the video, these codes are discussed as a key example of how white supremacy was legally enforced in colonial America, solidifying a racial hierarchy that favored white settlers.

💡Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system where trade, industry, and the means of production are largely or entirely privately owned and operated for profit. The video touches on how early colonial America saw the beginnings of capitalism, particularly through the economic activities of wealthy English settlers who sought to establish profitable colonies. However, their failure to survive without indigenous assistance underscores the disconnect between their economic aspirations and the realities of the new world.

💡Witchcraft and Women’s Autonomy

Witchcraft in colonial America often symbolized fears surrounding women’s autonomy and societal roles. The video suggests that the treatment of women during this period, particularly in the context of witchcraft trials like those in Salem, was influenced by the broader theme of white supremacy and control. Women who defied societal norms or posed a challenge to male authority were often accused of witchcraft, reflecting the limited roles allowed for women in a patriarchal society.

💡English Class System

The English class system refers to the hierarchical social structure in England, which was rigid and deeply ingrained. The video discusses how this class system influenced the early failures of English colonies in America, as the settlers who came were often wealthy and unaccustomed to the labor needed for survival. This class-based arrogance contributed to their initial difficulties in establishing successful settlements.

💡Bacon’s Rebellion

Bacon's Rebellion was a 1676 uprising in the Virginia Colony, led by Nathaniel Bacon, against the rule of Governor William Berkeley. It was fueled by tensions between frontier settlers and the colonial government, particularly over issues of land and Native American relations. In the video, the rebellion is used as an example of how racial tensions and economic disparities contributed to the development of white supremacy, as the rebellion ultimately led to stricter racial laws and a hardening of racial divisions.

Highlights

Discussion on Unit Three focusing on colonial America and its impact on modern-day United States.

Development of economic policies and the rise of capitalism in the English colonies.

Evolution of racial issues and the creation of systems of control leading to the concept of 'whiteness'.

Role of women in colonial America, especially in the context of witchcraft and autonomy.

The underlying theme of white supremacy and its historical roots in colonial America.

Quote by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, an indigenous American historian, on the perception of primitive societies.

The Constitution's aim to form a more perfect Union and the progressive narrative of American history.

Critical analysis of past mistakes to avoid the assumption of the United States' infallibility.

Definition and explanation of white supremacy as a concept of inherent superiority of white people.

Assumption of English superiority over indigenous people upon arrival in the Americas.

The doctrine of discovery and its influence on the perception of non-Christians as enemies of Christ.

The development of white supremacy as an extension of European and white cultural dominance.

The English colonists' struggle for survival and their initial failure to subdue indigenous people.

Comparison of the Spanish success in Mexico with the English failure in establishing colonies.

The class system in England and its impact on the early English settlements in America.

Indigenous people's avoidance of English colonists and the resulting isolation of the settlements.

Historian Edwin Morgan's perspective on the English colonists' struggle and their eventual violent response.

The development of white supremacy as a means to destroy anything standing against it, including indigenous ways of life.

The impact of colonial attitudes on modern racial discrimination and gender roles in the United States.

Upcoming discussion on how white supremacy was used to establish colonies and develop racial discrimination.

The influence of colonial period on attitudes towards women, exemplified by the Salem witch trials.

Transcripts

Nathan Lopez: Alright, welcome back everyone so today we're going to begin our discussions on unit three, which means i'm going to have a few different videos for this unit so i'm going to try to keep them under an hour long so.

Nathan Lopez: For unit three we're going to discuss colonial America, and what that means is.

Nathan Lopez: we're going to discuss other than what you're going to read in the textbook the development of various ideas that dominate, but we still call the United States today right.

Nathan Lopez: And what we'll see here is the development of economic policies, or at least a perspective of how capitalism begins to take over the United States or in this case the English colonies still.

Nathan Lopez: um we're going to see the development of racial issues in how systems of control were specifically designed to ultimately create what we today call whiteness.

Nathan Lopez: And then we'll also see the way that women are going to be defined by this in specifically in the way that we approach things like witchcraft.

Nathan Lopez: And the autonomy of women right, so one underlying theme that I think you've already gathered as to what we're going to discuss in our class is.

Nathan Lopez: The concept of white supremacy right, and in order to really understand this concept we We really need to understand what white supremacy is and what it is right, so.

Nathan Lopez: i'm gonna start off by looking at this quote by a historian an indigenous American historian her name is roxanne do bar or fees and she writes.

Nathan Lopez: When citizens of modern states and anthropologists and historians look at the way they can sit a primitive societies.

Nathan Lopez: They identify their origin minutes quaint and in hearing stories but fantastic one's not grounded in reality.

Nathan Lopez: meaning when we think about our past when we think about how we as Americans look at the history of the United States.

Nathan Lopez: One thing that we'd like to look at is what the Constitution says that we are here to form a more perfect Union that the past may have been wrong but we're working towards progress.

Nathan Lopez: kind of this really progressive idea of history right, but how we think about the past is also just as important, because.

Nathan Lopez: If we simply say oh those mistakes and not critically analyze them then we're going to fall in danger of thinking that everything the United States has done has been absolutely perfect.

Nathan Lopez: Right, which, if you're a person of color in this country, you understand that that hasn't really been the case right and so.

Nathan Lopez: This is why we need to understand what white supremacy is white supremacy essentially is the concept that argues white people have an inherent superiority superiority over all other people simply because they are white right.

Nathan Lopez: What this means that, within the context of the first arrival of English men and women on the American coastline is.

Nathan Lopez: An assumed superiority over the savages of the Americas this assumption that simply because they were European they were they were English, they were able to come and.

Nathan Lopez: Take over right and this concept of superiority over non Europeans is an extension of what we discussed in the previous unit with things like doctrine of discovery.

Nathan Lopez: The idea that the pokemon legalized the enslavement and capturing and the status of land, simply because anyone who isn't.

Nathan Lopez: A Christian is an enemy of Christ right and so over time, what we see developed with white supremacy is the assumption that European and white culture is the default culture of all keep.

Nathan Lopez: That this is the one standard that we begin to view the world through, and that is really not the best way to look at the world mostly because.

Nathan Lopez: It defines what is accepted, and what is not accepted, and if everything European is accepted and that's, the only thing that will be accepted.

Nathan Lopez: Does saying anything that is that European is an acceptable and this savage or primitive.

Nathan Lopez: Right and so when we look at white supremacy white supremacy had a presumption of success when the English colonists arrived on the American.

Nathan Lopez: coastline so on the east coast and places like Virginia, for instance.

Nathan Lopez: They struggled to stay alive right they honestly assume that indigenous people would easily succumb to just.

Nathan Lopez: Their power, the fact that they were English was enough to get them to just do whatever they want in indigenous people will just fall in line and just begin to become servants in fact.

Nathan Lopez: white people from England were so are presumed that they would be so successful they mostly sent wealthy people, and if you know anything about wealthy people.

Nathan Lopez: They don't really work with their hands, they don't really know how to farm they don't know how to build a house and that's exactly what you need when you come to a new land right.

Nathan Lopez: Thanks simply assume that it would be easy for the English to take over the Americas because of the success, the Spanish had in the city of dentistry plan which, as we discussed in the previous unit.

Nathan Lopez: What is today Mexico City right there no she plan was this amazing city that indigenous America.

Nathan Lopez: As Madeline the islands and had the largest city in the Americas rivaling that the on the populations of London and Paris between the two biggest cities in Europe at the time.

Nathan Lopez: then define have just many people in fact more people in places like Rome or my buddy which is insane and so when the Spanish take over no she's on.

Nathan Lopez: The word of mouth is to spread across the Americas like oh my God this happened to them actually plan how.

Nathan Lopez: We talked about in unit one all of the trade routes, like the new spread across the entire continent over what happened in the city.

Nathan Lopez: and indigenous people were now more wary of white Europeans when they arrive on shore and so.

Nathan Lopez: When the English showed up they thought well if we're superior to the Spanish and Spanish are superior to the Internet indigenous that clearly we are superior to the indigenous right.

Nathan Lopez: And so, even now in American history we assumed that indigenous people lack contact right because, again, the news of the fall of dental shipments spreads like wildfire across the entire continent, because of the extensive trade networks that existed in the Americas.

Nathan Lopez: But what the English fail to realize it's not that indigenous people would know about this is who the Spanish sent right.

Nathan Lopez: The Spanish army was sent by Spanish Government and the Spanish Government ensured that the people who showed up in Mexico or what is now Mexico what was then known as generally as missile America middle America.

Nathan Lopez: They were members of the army, so if you understand anything about any army armies are taught how to survive in harsh conditions and that's simply like harsh physical conditions, but not having a place to live, not having a roof over your head, they are taught to survive those things.

Nathan Lopez: The Iberian peninsula under the basis of nationalistic and a religious cause to them, it was a holy national war, a nationalistic war and they come with the zeal, that means.

Nathan Lopez: that they will be willing to die in the name of their God and when they come to the Americas they do that they engage in combat.

Nathan Lopez: As if they were fighting the mores again because it was their idea of what was true against what they thought was false, which was the indigenous way of life.

Nathan Lopez: So they are willing to die for this, whereas the English they send the wealthy people, because who better to establish an economy, they thought and wealthy people.

Nathan Lopez: But the problem is, is that wealthy people don't know how to do anything because they don't work their hands, they work with money right.

Nathan Lopez: So, to this day, the English failure is really based on the class system that first you call it is that were established in what we now call the United States.

Nathan Lopez: failed because it was wealthy people, because the class system is so rigid in England, to this day, the fact that they have a monarchy.

Nathan Lopez: reinforces the need for a class system where you have upper middle and lower classes right, and so, when the English arrive there are able to subdue the indigenous people.

Nathan Lopez: Right, in fact, but indigenous people actually do is they hide they stay away as much as they can from the British right indigenous people, ignore the British.

Nathan Lopez: Which further isolates these first few settlements of the the the English and when it gets to the point that the indigenous people are just outnumbering the English.

Nathan Lopez: There really is no need or desire to fight them if your English because indigenous people out number you so fighting them is untenable So how do you survive right so historian Edwin Morgan says this.

Nathan Lopez: If you were a colonist you knew that your technology was superior to the Indians.

Nathan Lopez: You knew that you were civilized and they were savages but your superior technology had proved it's insufficient to extract anything.

Nathan Lopez: The Indians keeping to themselves laughed at your superior methods and live from the land more abundantly and with less less Labor Thank you did.

Nathan Lopez: And when your own people started deserted, in order to live with them, it was too much, so you killed the Indians torture them burn their villages burn their Cornfields.

Nathan Lopez: It proved your superiority in spite of your own failures and you gave similar treatment to any of your own people who have come to their savage ways of life that you still did not grow much corn.

Nathan Lopez: what he is saying is essentially the crux of the problem of white supremacy is that at the end of the day, white supremacy is a prison assumption of success in a superiority right.

Nathan Lopez: A positive telling of history validates the fact that the English were in fact superior to everyone else and conquered people right and again.

Nathan Lopez: How we think of our history, absolutely matters right, because what the reality of what happened was that the English failed significant they failed over and over and over until they got it right.

Nathan Lopez: And, rather than telling a story of failure, we have a positive history, which says look through adversity, they succeed right.

Nathan Lopez: Telling the story of the Elder does not validate the superiority of the Englishman right in fact chevalier leads to attention which, in many ways we still see today right.

Nathan Lopez: Because the English failed in these early settlements, they throw a tantrum They ensured that.

Nathan Lopez: Their superior methods would be the only things that would be available to the people in that land So what do you do when you fail, you want to make sure that you are the successful one, you get rid of anything that proves that you failed, and so what we start to see is that.

Nathan Lopez: The way white supremacy begins to develop in the Americas is not simply as a way to promote whiteness over everybody else.

Nathan Lopez: But to destroy anything that is willing to stand up against it and indigenous people, the fact that they were able to grow food abundantly less Labor with less quote unquote technology.

Nathan Lopez: You have to get rid of it because it only proves the failure of your system and if there's anything you want to make sure it doesn't happen.

Nathan Lopez: Is that someone can prove why your system spell right, so in this unit what we're going to discuss our how the British.

Nathan Lopez: are really the English because they're still not British yet um how the English begin to use this concept of white supremacy to one established colonies.

Nathan Lopez: develop the concept of racial discrimination that we still see today in things like bacon's rebellion the Virginia slave codes.

Nathan Lopez: And then, more importantly, how this ultimately becomes a white supremacy for men, because women themselves are also going to suffer.

Nathan Lopez: Especially when we look at things like i'm the witchcraft trials in Salem so the colonial period very much informed, a significant amount of attitudes.

Nathan Lopez: That we still have in the United States that the basis of this is white supremacy it's the idea that whiteness has to succeed, no matter what, and any challenge to that.

Nathan Lopez: has to be eradicated before it becomes too much of a problem right so we'll continue this in the next video.

Nathan Lopez: As always, if you have any questions in the comments any concerns feel free to email me also don't forget, you have a class discussion page on and, if not i'll see you in the next lecture take care.