EUROPEAN Exploration and Expansion

Europe was the first recorded people to have landed on the shores of America, and one of the

first to settle there. If it wasn't for Europe much of what is today would not exist. The European

society had caused an order of hierarchy or pyramid of classes. Such as Monarchs being at the

top and serfs at the bottom. The European Government has control from monarchs to churches.

Having churches control the government at the time causing the Crusades. As well as, the

Innovations affected much of the world, with the side affect of Europe gaining world dominance.

Such as the invention of the gun, and the printing press.

Society

The social order impacted Europe in the 1400's to the 1600's greatly. To start with, the church

at the time controlled the state and government. Church was at the top of the hierarchy having

the most influence. Also, the social order of classes caused Monarchs(a ruler of a society by

hereditary right)and nobles to gain more power. The classes have one ruler at the top giving the

serfs less power. Thus leaving the peasants at the bottom of the hierarchy(The Organization of

people in which different people are "higher" or "lower" than each other) pyramid. The peasants

supplied the nobles and the king with their crops and production. The peasants would also give

military service if they had to. Therefore the social order impacts Europe because the church

controlled the state and government. as well as the social order. Also the classes having peasants

at the bottom and kings at the top was mostly influenced by the church and their actions.

Finally the social order impacted Europe greatly. The Church controlled much, such as

controlling the state and monarchy. Monarchs where the ruler so that the working class would

stay at their level. These workers, serfs, and peasants where the suppliers of the monarchy and

have no control over who does what. The social order is what shaped Europe at the time.

Government

European government affected both Europe and the Americas. So the controlling absolute

monarchy caused blood shed amongst the Natives of North America. Spanish rulers decreed

enslavement upon Natives causing bloodshed. Dispute for land was also caused by the

monarchy, church, and government. The state was strongly influenced by the church. The

crusade(holy war) was ordered by the state which was ultimately influenced by the church at the

time.At last, the European government is very infectious. It spread to the Americas and did a

huge amount of damage, involving war, enslavement, and mass murder. The government itself

had lead to the 100 year war over disputes that brought great losses. As it has been said, the

European government is caused of many events in the Americas as well as the Europe. To

conclude, European government had an affect on both Europe and the Americas. Being that the

government was the one causing slavery and bloodshed in the Americas. The government was

also the main reason for the destruction in Europe, so where as the 100 year war took place

between Britain and France. The state was also strongly controlled, although not by a

government but by the church which overall controlled the state.

“The aura of the theocratic death penalty for adultery still clings to America, even outside New England, and multiple divorce, which

looks to the European like serial polygamy, is the moral solution to the problem of the itch.”

Anthony Burgess

( http://www.euratlas.com/big/bis1400.htm)

Innovations

Innovations of Europe impacted exploration and power. Therefore inventions of guns allowed

Europe to gain world dominance. That is how they won the battle against the Indians when

enslaving them. In addition the improvements of ships helped trade routes flourish and

exploration to take place. This allowed Columbus to conduct such a sail to the Americas. Thus

news spread quickly through the invention of the printing press. This allowed books to be copied

in a machine instead of copying by hand. So as a result, innovations of Europe impacted

exploration of ships helped trade routes flourish and exploration to take place. With the invention

of gunpowder came what would be the first world dominance. Printing press allowed news to

spread quickly besides the old slower method of hand writing. With all the innovations Europe

was able to gain world dominance.

So in conclusion, the Europeans were the first recorded people to have landed on the shores of

America, although they were not the first people to have lived here. Their government was ruled

by an absolute monarchy and also the church.

So to wrap this up, even though Europeans were the first people to settle here,they weren't the

first people to have lived here. Their social order greatly impacted their way of life in the 1400's

through the 1600's. Their government affected both Europe and the America's. And their

innovations/inventions greatly impacted their exploration and power.

Questions

1. Identify, who where the rulers of Eroupe at the time, if in fact the Monarchy was not the true

ruler?

2. Describe how one way the invention of guns helped the Europeans in their domination of the

world.

NATIVE AMERICANS Advancements

Native Americans where the first to ever be known to have lived in the Americas, throughout

history they played a large role in the settling of Europeans, and the outcome of the American

way. Native Americans may have directly or indirectly caused a change of our government for

the better. Such as the Iroquois forming a league to show to the colonies as an object of lesson.

Native Americans also had a very creative society. Some say it is even "healthier" and others

may think of it as violent. The Native Americans inventions helped the colonies and settlers in

order to survive. Such as one example: the watertight basket, or even the advanced hunting skills

to trade with fur and meat.

Government

The Indians may have had the ideas we need in order to change for the better. First, they

Iroquois where an object of lesson to the colonies( territory under control politically by a state).

Being a self organized government able to reason and create laws as one of the first Native tribes

to create such a thing. Secondly, Natives where involved in the signing of the Declaration of

Independence. Having a large influence on the fight for freedom they're has been proof of the

inspiration given upon the Declaration. Thus the early settlers and pilgrims had a bad

relationship with the Natives giving insight on how to change the governing and make a better

community. The pilgrims and Natives formed modern day "Thanksgiving" in celebration of

peace between the two.

In conclusion the Native Americans have made an impact on the ideas we needed in order to

change for the better. As an object of lesson the Iroquois showed and proved to the colonies that

they could have an organized government so that they could create peace amongst each other.

The Declaration of Independence was a symbol of America but also shown to have proof of

Native American influence. As well as the fighting between settlers and Natives would have

never ended if it wasn't for the peace created between the two making America capable of peace.

Society

The Native American society is a very creative and controversial society. First of all, is the

religion in the society. Their religion is said to be "healthier" in their life-views.

Anthropologist(the study of humans throughout time) Fredrick Turner once said that the

European of religion "was a shockingly dead view of creation." Secondly, the Native Americans

had a strong society , body wise, while also appearing to be friendly and peaceful. American

History says "these agricultural( cultivating land for crops) people where mostly peaceful,

though they could fight fiercely to protect their fields. Finally, art depicted by Indians where

different through the 1500's. Some examples are of Natives Americans hunting instead of

farming after the Europeans came. To conclude the Native Americans society was creative. The

Natives had religion that was different from Europeans. They had a strong society in order to

organize well. As well and made art that Indians created to show their culture.

The way to kill a man or a nation is to cut off his dreams, the way the whites are taking care of the Indians: killing their dreams, their magic, their

familiar spirits.”

William S. Burroughs

(http://patriotimports.com/index.php/products/products-page/)

Innovations

Native American innovations not only helped the Indians but also helped the Europeans in

their struggle to survive in American. To begin with, the Native Americans way of farming

during the time spanned often allowing them to gather more than twice the amount collected.

"Indian farmers in some tribes drew two or three times more nourishment from the soil than we

do." Also, the Indians knew how to use the world around them for their advantage. "..members

of Indian nations possessed a variety of sophisticated skills from the ability to weave water tight

baskets to an understanding of how certain plants can be used to reduce pain." Finally, they have

also played a part in naming some of the places/ landscape in the country. As what was once

said, "Native Place names dot our landscape."

Concluding, the Natives innovation not only helped the Indians but also helped the Europeans

in their struggle to survive. For example: farming during the time spanned often allowing them to

gather more than twice the amount collected. Natives knew how to use the world around them,

and they have named areas of land. The European settlers would have never survived if it wasn't

for the Natives assistance in giving inventions and new ways of survival.

Questions

1. Describe, how did the Native Americans adapt tothe Eroupean's arrival?

2. Yes, or no? Did the Native Americans give America an idealistic veiw for a government?

Explain how.

WESTERN AFRICANS

West Africans also shared a part of making our country the way it is now. When the

Europeans came over they took back African ideas on government,innovations/inventions, and

society ideas.

The West Africans created an advanced trading route that would help increase their wealth and

status. They had trusted the Europeans when they had first gone over to their land but soon

regretted it when the Europeans captured them and brought them to America as slaves.

Government

Their government was central to familial ties. Such as matriarchs and lineages were made in

most African societies. Lineages would mainly go down one generation or kinship. Also, the

families were extremely close, the eldest member of the family would go to the meetings on

behalf of the family. The elders were often the chiefs or their families leader. It was their

responsibility to pass on the stories from generation to generation. So the chiefs and leaders

would speak to the people as a whole. It was their responsibility to lead their tribe they would

make the decisions that would influence the tribe. So summing this up, government and family

were closely related.

Concluding the fact of their government being attached to the family ties. Matriarchs, lineages

where the most common in African society. Lineages would mainly go down one generation of

kinship where people would be the leaders depending on age. Older people would be considered

elders or chiefs amongst the people. The governing of African cities was by the family member

who was the oldest or the one who had the most responsibilities.

Innovations

Also, Western African inventions helped trade with the Muslims and also helped better

themselves. First of all, the Africans had built the biggest empires known in African history. The

largest empire, Songhai, lasted from (1404-1591) and was ruled first by Sunni Ali and then by

Aski Muhammad. Secondly, the Africans knew how to make clothes and cultivate their lands.

Africans in the Savannah produced cotton for clothing and cultivated Millet, rice, and sorgum

and those are just a few examples. Also, West Africans were skilled at making art that would

depict their religion. Some figurines that were made were used in funerals, rituals, medicine, and

in coming-of-age practices.

So as the inventions came to be in Africa, trade was helped with the Muslims and also helped

themselves. The Africans built large cities and empires, such as Songhai. The ability to make

clothes and cultivate land was also a trade help. From all of this religion was as well spread from

trade routes centralized on one city. This concludes the innovations of Western Africa.

(londonist.com/.../0902-horniman-uwangue)

“Tears were to me what glass beads are to African traders.”

Quentin Crisp

Society

West African society was strongly focused on family and social orders. First of all, they

would arrange things based on familial bonds, they lived in hamlets(towns with a few houses of

sorts) or villages full of their extended families. "They usually lived in hamlets or villages

composed of extended families and clans called lineages." Also, it was believed that men owned

their women and it was common for them to have more than one wife. However the women also

had a fair amount of freedom. "...it was custom for men to take two or more wives, and, to a

degree custom held women to be the property of men .""...women also enjoyed a relative amount

of freedom." Finally, many of them lived in a hierarchy, while some didn't. They had a royalty,

launders, nobles, warriors, peasants, and bureaucrats. The lower classes included blacksmiths,

butchers, weavers, woodcarvers, tanners, and griots. " So to wrap this up West African society

was strongly centered on family and social orders. They would arrange things based on familial

ties. Also, it was a common belief that the women would belong to the men, although they would

enjoy a relative amount of freedom. And many of the tribes had a social hierarchy that they lived

by.

To conclude, the West African soiety was strogly focused on the family ties and social ordrs.

Such as arranges based on fimiliar bonds and having lived in hamlets. The villages where

composed of lineages as well as men owning the women, were everyone had a class within every

village's style of social order.

Questions

1. How is life overall tied to the family bond of Western Africans?

2. If Sanghai where to be the most rich an powerful govrnment ever in Western African history,

then how did it become so?