The original players in the founding of our nation.

The Beginning...

Three Regions That Contributed People/Culture to Colonial America

Native Americans

West Africans

Western Europeans

Native Americans in 1400s• Diverse populations (see pg. 7).• Developed societies along waterways.• Intricate trade routes

Common Characteristics:1. Land belongs to all of us2. Every living thing is sacred3. Family is VERY important

Santa Ynez, CA Chumash dwelling Taos, NM Pueblo adobe dwellings

New York Iroquois longhouse

West Africa in 1400s• Diverse societies • Engaged in competition for trade regions.

– trade routes brought in revenue – POWs / slave

trade existed

Common Characteristics: 1. Collective ownership of land2. Family VERY important3. Believed in 1 single creator,

but worshiped many gods

Benin Kingdom people, Nigeria, 1400s

Mali, 13-15 c.

W. African warrior, 1400s

Europe• Business interests influenced exploration in 1400s

– Countries race to claim resources- Spain wants gold & silver, also convert Natives to Christianity- French want fur for trade

In the Americas… The British

• settle and develop new communities • push out Native Americans

• The Great Migration (1603) to Americas– Puritans flee religious persecution

Interaction Between Groups• Columbian Exchange: Euro’s traded livestock, grains, & disease for

corn, potatoes, and tobacco from Nat. Americans • Africans traded POWs (slaves) to Europeans

for firearms.• New commercial slave trade develops

smallpox

herpes

“New Spain”: empire built by conquering land

- What were the three groups of people who helped to found the Americas?- What were some of the reasons Europeans came to the Americas?- Why did Africans come to the Americas? - What two (or more) things did you learn?

Please underline or highlight important vocabulary words

Please summarize your notes: