Three Discoveries of America & Historiography

I. Native Americans-

A. Land bridge theory

Variation in dates:1. 30,000 - 10,000 yrs ago 2. 50,000 - 10,000 yrs ago

B. Gary Nash- Red, White, & Black:

Peoples of Early North America

1.Central argument -story of America

mixing of three cultures

2. Chapter 1- Before Columbus Southeastern migration Environmental Determinism

II. Vikings 800-1100 ADA. Norse Seafares- from

Scandinavia B. Erik The Red-

1.Sagas (Scandinavian folk tales)

2. Leif Erikson- most likely 1st European to reach America

3. 1100- hostilities begin between Native American and Vikings

Vikings leave and never return

IOW / IOT

III. World Systems Analysis A. Immanuel Wallerstein – The Modern World System

1. World systems- a multicultural social system that trades everyday commodities through a division of labor

2. Focuses on European based world system from 16th

century to present 3. Characterized by core area that dominates & exploits

the peripheral areas

4. Several core powers in competition

B. Janet Abu-Lughod- Before European Hegemony: The World System A.D. 1250-1350 (1991)

1.World system existed before European system

2. Stretched from China to Europe

3. Emphasis on role of ports not nations

4. No hierarchal structure / no core

5. IOT made European entry & dominance possible

IV. 1492A. Columbus 1.Born 1451 Genoa, Italy 2. Studies navigation in Lisbon, Portugal: Greek

geography& read “Travels of Marco Polo.”

3. Financed by Spain

4. Spanish monarchs

Ferdinand & Isabella pay for voyage

5. Made a total of four voyages to the New World

B. Results of Columbus’ Voyage:

1. Columbian Exchange

2. Increased competition between Spain &

Portugal

3. Pope Alexander VI- Line of Demarcation 1493-all

lands west belong to Spain& all lands east went to Portugal

4. Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494- officially ends the dispute & sets Line of Demarcation at 48 degrees west longitude

At this time England is still out of the picture. The unrest caused by the Protestant Reformation further delays both England & France

V. Advances and Exploration Before Columbus

A. Portugal- 1. Prince Henry the

navigator2. Establishes school in

Lisbon to promote the scientific study and

advance of navigation

B. Bartholomeu Diaz 1488- Portuguese explorer & 1st to round the tip of Africa after being blown of course

C.Vasco da Gama 1498- rounds the tip of Africa and discovers a trade route to India

D. Scientific Advances 1. Astrolabe- Navigation

instrument used to observe the position of the stars

2. Quadrant- Navigation instrument that measured the distance between sun & stars to find a ship’s location

3. Carrack- Large merchant ship

4. Scurvy- sickness caused by lack of vitamin c