APUSH Unit 1: Long Term Consequences of Discovering the Americas

Summary

In this educational video, Mr. Jacobson explores the profound long-term effects of the Americas' discovery on world history. He delves into the Colombian Exchange, detailing the bi-directional transfer of goods, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds, which spurred population growth and economic shifts. The rise of capitalism, the encomienda system, and the emergence of the slave trade are highlighted, illustrating the complex social and economic changes that reshaped the Americas and influenced global dynamics.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The discovery of the Americas by the Spaniards led to the Columbian Exchange, a massive transfer of goods, animals, and ideas between the Old and New Worlds.
• 🌾 The introduction of crops like sugar cane, bluegrass, and livestock such as horses, oxen, and cattle to the Americas significantly changed the agricultural landscape.
• 🐪 The Americas lacked large beasts of burden before the arrival of the Spaniards, with the llama being the largest domesticated animal.
• 🔪 Steel, guns, and diseases like measles and smallpox were transferred from Europe to the Americas, impacting the native populations.
• 🍠 In return, Europe received new foods like beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco, which contributed to population growth worldwide.
• 📈 The population spike and increased trade led to the rise of capitalism, with joint-stock companies and laws protecting investors, replacing the mercantilist system.
• 🏭 The demand for labor in the Americas due to new land acquisitions resulted in the exploitation of native populations and the development of the encomienda system.
• 👥 Disease and the inability to effectively enslave natives led to the rise of the transatlantic slave trade, importing Africans to work on cash crops like sugar.
• 🎵 African culture influenced the Americas through contributions to music, religion, and food, despite the brutal conditions of the Middle Passage.
• 🏷 The Spanish created the casta system, a complex social hierarchy based on racial ancestry, reflecting the racial mixing that occurred in the Americas.
• 🤝 The English and French had different approaches to interaction with the Americas, with the English focusing on trade and the French on fur trading and alliances with natives.

Q & A

What is the Columbian Exchange?

The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492.

What were some of the items exchanged from Europe to the Americas during the Columbian Exchange?

Items from Europe that were exchanged to the Americas included sugar cane, bluegrass, beasts of burden like horses, oxen, cattle, steel, guns, and diseases such as measles and smallpox.

What were the long-term effects of the Columbian Exchange on the world's population?

The Columbian Exchange led to a spike in the world's population, primarily due to the introduction of crops like corn and potatoes, which were new to Europe, Africa, and Asia and helped to support larger populations.

How did the discovery of the Americas impact the economic system in Europe?

The discovery of the Americas led to an increase in trade and the rise of capitalism as the favored economic system. Joint stock companies emerged, allowing for investment in shipping and trade without the risks being borne by a single government or individual.

What was the encomienda system and how did it affect the indigenous people of the Americas?

The encomienda system was a Spanish system where indigenous people were granted land and protection in exchange for labor. However, it often resulted in forced labor and harsh conditions for the natives, contributing to their decline due to disease and overwork.

Why did the Spanish begin to import Africans to work in the Americas?

The Spanish began importing Africans to work in the Americas because the indigenous population was decimated by disease and the natives were not well-suited for the heavy labor required in the mines and fields. Additionally, many natives managed to escape enslavement due to their knowledge of the land.

What was the significance of the caste system, or 'casta system', that developed in the Spanish colonies?

The casta system was a complex social hierarchy that developed in the Spanish colonies, categorizing individuals based on their racial ancestry. It reflected the mixing of European, African, and indigenous populations and influenced social status and opportunities.

How did the attitudes of Bartolome de las Casas and Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda differ regarding the treatment of indigenous people?

Bartolome de las Casas advocated for the humane treatment of indigenous people, recognizing their humanity and arguing against their enslavement. In contrast, Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda believed that the indigenous people were less than human and justified their exploitation and enslavement.

What was unique about the English approach to settling in the Americas compared to the Spanish?

The English settlers typically did not settle in areas heavily controlled by large indigenous empires and often brought their families with them, reducing the likelihood of intermarriage with natives. They also focused more on trade and coexistence rather than conquest and enslavement.

How did the French differ from the English and Spanish in their interactions with the Americas?

The French were primarily interested in trading opportunities rather than settling and establishing large empires. They built trading posts and engaged in trade with the native populations, sometimes intermarrying, but did not typically settle and displace the indigenous people.

What cultural contributions did the Africans brought to the Americas make to the New World?

African culture contributed significantly to the Americas, influencing food, music, and religion. The introduction of rice was important for agriculture, and the banjo and other musical instruments brought by Africans had a lasting impact on American music.