Colonisation of the Americas

Introduction
By S. Angelo Head Teacher History East Hills Girls Technology High School 2008

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, COLONISATION AND CONTACT HISTORY

COLONISATION & CONTACT:

In this section of the unit you will develop: a knowledge and understanding of the American Indian indigenous cultures , the impact of European colonisation on American Indian indigenous cultures the responses to contact with colonising peoples the impact of colonisation and government policies on American Indian peoples

COLONISATION & CONTACT: FOCUS QUESTIONS

What can we learn about American indigenous peoples?
What has been the nature and impact of colonisation on

American indigenous and non-indigenous peoples?

What do you know?

Why are Native Americans called

Indians? What country did Christopher Columbus think he discovered in 1492? Where did chocolate come from? What did European sailors fear the most? Do you know the names of any American Indian peoples?

Key Terms and Concepts

Assimilation First Nation

Conquistadors
Genocide New World

Great Spirit
Shaman Tipi

Treaties
Colony Discrimination Racist Immunity indigenous

Circle of Life
Glyphs Indian Nomad Travois ancestors

What is Colonisation?
District or country ruled by a different country Spain Portugal Britain France Holland Reasons included Economic land, resources, slaves, markets Religious spread Christianity Political power & prestige

Attitudes and Effects of Colonisation

Belief that non-European people were

backward and needed civilizing Belief that Europe was the centre of civilization Belief that only Christianity was the true religion Lack of recognition for other forms of social structures, economies, political forms Contact and Colonisation often caused massive destruction among indigenous people

The Consequences of Colonisation

Disease Common European illnesses caused millions of deaths due to lack of immunity Measles, small pox, typhus, influenza Genocide Whole villages were killed to gain control of land Large scale murder occurred because of racism Slavery Many indigenous people were placed in servitude They worked in the most dangerous areas such as road building, mining, construction

The Nature of Colonisation

15th Century Exploration

Countries were looking to expand their territory Europeans did not understand the nature of the earths surface Desire for luxury goods provided incentive to look for new land Advances in ship building and navigation aided the early explorers Fear of long voyages meant great rewards if new land could be found

Early Exploration of America

The Vikings 1001 Leif Ericson landed in Newfoundland 1898 a stone with Viking runes on it was found In Minnesota Other Viking artefacts were also found in America (axes, spearheads) The Europeans Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and landed on San Salvador in the Caribbean He thought this was India it was in fact new land not previously on their maps the New World He set up a colony on Hispaniola and mined for gold and grew cotton and sugar cane using the indigenous people as slave labour

The nature of contact between the indigenous and non-indigenous peoples

Describe the contact between the indigenous

American people and the Europeans.

What were the four main issues in this contact?

Dispossession Death Enslavement Deculturation

The Responses of Indigenous and NonIndigenous Peoples to Colonisation

Describe the different responses that

indigenous and non-indigenous people would have had to colonisation.

Protect their land
Hide their goods Kill the invaders Seize land Seize goods Kill the natives Trade

Trade
Treaties

Treaties