Lecture #1: Early
Colonization to 1700
History M07A - Dr. Krister Swanson - Moorpark College
The Beginnings of European Trade
- Mediterranean Trade and European Expansion: Drawn to the Mystery
of the East - Italy held monopoly on eastern goods in 1300’s
- 1400’s A Century of Portuguese Exploration: seek to end Italian
monopoly, explorers “discover Africa”, find new routes
New World in the Western Atlantic
- Columbus refutes notion that finding land to the west is
impossible
- Spain’s trying to beat Portugal to Asia, opens new world view
(Geographic Revolution)
- 1499: Vespucci lands on S. America
- 1519: Magellan’s expedition proves existence of new continent(s)
The Columbian Exchange
- Europeans bring Christianity, iron technology, firearms, wheeled
vehicles, and diseases like small pox
- American goods ranging from corn to potatoes, to tobacco and
exotic fruit return to Europe – fuels interest in exploration
- Bullion not immediately part of this exchange, later becomes very
important
Spanish Exploration and Conquest
- 1520: The Conquest of Mexico: Cortés uses negotiation and
force to bring the Mexica (Aztecs) under Spanish control (searching for
gold)
- Mercantilism drives need for bullion, discovery of Gold fuels
search for other Mexicos
- 1532: Pizarro conquers Incas in Peru & gets massive bullion
- De Soto, Coronado, and Cabrillo all push north but fail to find
new resources
New Spain in the Sixteenth Century
- Spain claims control of Western Hemisphere
- Conquistadores rule through structure of encomienda - exploit
native labor
- Repartimiento intended to reform labor practices, coercion
continues, not slavery, but close
- Spaniards remain a tiny minority, social hierarchy established
with pure European blood at the top
English Colony on the Chesapeake
- Fragile Jamestown Settlement - starts with a fort and defense
from Natives (Powhatan/Pocahantas)
- Life is tough, famine & disease, few settlers survive
- Cooperation and Conflict- Natives attempted to starve settlers
out, settlers used force to reopen trade
- English trade conveniences for food, unwilling/able to labor for
food, not part of their vision
- Powhatan dies, Opechancanough attacks settlers, fails to
eliminate them & makes permanent enemies
From Private to Royal Control
- most mortality from disease & mismanagement
- Government takes over colony - eventually turns to tobacco
production
- Exporting tobacco gives Chesapeake purpose
- Very labor intensive, but tobacco profits could make labor very
rewarding
- Land very cheap (free with paid passage)
A Servant Labor System
- Many poor cannot afford passage, landowners looking for labor
turn to indentured servitude
- Conditions harsh for servants - legal code maximizes
exploitation, half of indentures die before end of term
- Women even more desired as wives/domestic help, at mercy of men
Social & Economic Polarization
- Mostly protestant - Maryland established as Catholic colony (RC
upper class - Protestant lower classes)
- First half of 1600s: split between farmer and servant - changes
after 1650, harder for servants to become land owners, tobacco not as
profitable
- Real split emerges between landed & landless, government
favored landed & increasing restricted trade
Bacon’s Rebellion:
- Poor continue to push into “Indian Lands”, demand protection
& representation
- Governor brands Bacon an outlaw, Bacon declares war on Gov. &
Burgesses
- Crackdown on rebellion makes wealthy even more powerful
- Settlers conclude it’s easier to fight Indians than each other -
class tensions lessen
- # of servants decreases, colonies move…
Toward a Slave Labor System
- Starts with Sugar in the West Indies - sugar production required
capital and slaves
- From Barbados to Carolina, settlers from W. Indies - bring slaves
- Changes in Carolina lead to emergence of slave labor in Chesapeake
- Slaves provide permanent labor supply, easily identifiable, poor
whites enjoy elevated status, legal challenge is now keeping slaves in
their place