Raiyat Binzaman September 8, 2012
APUSH Mr. Symons
Outline: Chapter 1 - The Meeting of Cultures I. America Before Columbus * At first, early settlers of America formed small nomadic groups, hunting and fishing to obtain food. * Gradually, stable civilizations were formed, many of substantial sizes and variety. II. The Civilizations of the South * The greatest of these civilizations were in South America and in Mexico * These civilizations developed complex political systems and large networks of paved roads that unified the civilization Incas in Peru. * The Mayas created a written language, a numerical system, an accurate calendar, and an advanced agricultural …show more content…

* Cortes and his army had unknowingly spread smallpox to the Aztecs – this decimated the Aztecs and made it possible for Cortes to succeed in their second attempt at conquest. * Spanish believed the epidemic was vindication of their efforts and believed it was sent by God – “God saw fit to send the Indians smallpox.” * Cortes established a reputation as the most brutal conquistador because of his ruthless suppression of the surviving natives. * The news that there were riches to be found in Mexico caused a wave of conquistadores to descend on the mainland in search of a fortune. * Francisco Pizarro conquered Peru in 1538 where the Incas lived - his deputy Hernando de Soto was the first white man who went past the Mississippi River. * Francisco Coronado traveled to what is now New Mexico in search of gold in 1540. * The Spanish warriors dealt with the natives with brutality and greed and almost exterminated entire native populations – this made possible the creation of the vast Spanish empire in the New World. IX. Spanish America * The history of the Spanish empire in the New World had three different periods of discovery: the age of discovery and exploration starting from Columbus, the age of the conquistadores, and in the 1750’s, when the Ordinances of Discovery banned the most brutal military conquests. * The Spanish became the richest nation on Earth because of the vast riches discovered in the New