 When does American History begin?

o 1492: Colombus’s arrival to America

o 1619: first slave ship arrived at America
o 1776: Declaration of Independence was signed
o 1783: America won Revolutionary War
o 1491: one year before the European’s came (snapshot before Europeans came)
 Chinook Indians were nomadic within tribal area in the Northwest
o Hunting and fishing
o Social hierarchy (caste system)
 Slavery
o Gender roles: women could lead clans
 Miwok Indians were in northern California with villages and hunting and gathering
o Deer was a central animal for food, tools, and clothing
o Acorns were central to diet
o Trade
o Animism
 European colonization
o Spanish: “God, Glory, and Gold”
 Conquistadors: Columbus, Hernan Cortes (conquered Aztec Empire),
Francisco Pizarro (conquered Inca Empire)
 Encomienda: slavery and Catholicism
 COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE!!
o French
 Catholocism: Jesuits
 Fur trade: mapping
o Dutch
 Trade: New Amsterdam (NY), less focus on religion
 Only trying to make money