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Competition in North America

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The Age of Exploration

  • In the late 1400s, European nations raced to explore and control new lands.
  • The “Age of Exploration” was driven by the 3 Gs:
    • Gold – wealth from trade and natural resources
    • God – spread of Christianity, especially Catholicism
    • Glory – expand national pride and political power

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Look out! Here we come!

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  • Portugal
  • Spain
  • France
  • England

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New Spain

  • Christopher Columbus (1492) arrives in the Caribbean
  • Conquistadors like Cortés (Aztecs) and Pizarro (Incas) expanded control in Central/South America
  • St. Augustine, Florida (1565): Oldest European city in what is now the U.S.
  • Colonized large areas of Mexico, Southwest U.S., Florida, and Caribbean

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Spain – Economy and Society

  • Established the Encomienda System: forced Native labor to mine silver/gold
  • Created plantations (haciendas) in the Caribbean and Central America
  • Catholic missions attempted to convert and “civilize” Native peoples
  • Introduced African slaves after Native populations declined
  • Spanish colonial cities: grid layouts, plazas, churches, and forts (presidios)

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Dutch Colonization

  • Founded New Netherland in 1624
  • Henry Hudson Landed in modern day New York and Helped found NY and Canada
  • Major city: New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island
  • Controlled Hudson River Valley for trade access
  • Sponsored by the Dutch West India Company

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New Netherland

  • The Dutch began to settle in the area that Henry Hudson had explored.
  • This area was called New Netherland (The Dutch are from Netherland).
  • Their first settlement was a fur-trading post.
  • The governor of New Netherland bought Manhattan Island from the Indians and started a settlement called New Amsterdam.
  • The Dutch also took over a Swedish colony in the area.

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Settlers in New Netherland

  • New Amsterdam had one of the best harbors in North America. It was located at the mouth of the Hudson River.
  • The Dutch West India Company could not get many people from Netherland to go to the New World.
  • They had to look for settlers from other countries.
  • This gave New Netherland its diversity.
  • Diversity is the

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New York

  • In 1664, the English attacked the New Netherland colony.
  • The colonists were so unhappy that they did not fight back.
  • England claimed the Dutch colony and named it ‘New York’ after Duke York from England.

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New France

  • In the early 1600’s, France claimed land in present day Canada.
  • This land was called ‘New France’.
  • Not many settlers lived there. The cold climate made farming hard.
  • Most of the settlers who lived there were fur traders and they lived near the fur trading post of Quebec.

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The Fur Trade

  • French merchants made money selling the fur from the animals that lived in the area: beaver, fox, and otter.
  • The fur traders traded with the Indians.
  • The Indians gave the French traders fur and the French gave the Indians goods such as beads, pots, knives, and cloth.

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The French and Indians become partners

  • The French formed a partnership with the Huron and Algonquin Indians.
  • The Huron and Algonquin Indians were currently at war with the powerful Iroquois Indians.
  • French fur traders, led by Samuel de Champlain helped the Huron and Algonquin Indians fight the Iroquois Indians.

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Exploring the Mississippi River

  • Jacques Marquette was a missionary in New France.
  • In 1673, he and Louis Jolliet traveled by canoe down the Mississippi River to set up missions.
  • Formed alliances with tribes like the Huron and Algonquin
  • Traders known as coureurs de bois lived and worked with Native communities
  • Built trading posts, not large towns or cities

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England’s First Steps Toward Colonization

  • England was late to colonization compared to Spain, Netherlands, and Portugal.
  • Motivated by:
    • Wealth from the New World (gold, cash crops, trade)
    • Rivalry with Spain (military, religious, political)
    • Desire to spread Protestantism
    • Colonization seen as a way to expand English influence and population
  • Sir Walter Raleigh sent expeditions to Roanoke Island (North Carolina)
  • First colony (1585) abandoned due to lack of food and conflict with natives
  • Second colony (1587) led by John White

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The Mysterious Disappearance

  • England returned to the colony in 1590—three years later
  • Found the colony completely abandoned
  • No bodies, no signs of attack or struggle
  • Only clues:
    • Word “CROATOAN” carved on a post
    • “CRO” carved into a tree
  • Theories include:
    • Integration with Croatoan tribe
    • Starvation, disease, or drought
    • Killed by hostile tribes or Spanish raiders