APUSH Period 1 Critical Thinking Questions
*Comparison:* Compare the regional differences among Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans
Before the arrival of Columbus to the New World, it is important to note that no major civilization in North America controlled a large amount of land like the Aztecs and Incas. In North America, the type of lifestyle a civilization developed was heavily contingent upon the region in which they lived. The Great Plains and the Great Basin lacked abundant rainfall, and thus agricultural activity was minimal and most civilizations observed nomadic lifestyles (with the exception of the Anasazis). On the other hand, the sea coasts offered abundant sea life and rainfall, so both agriculture and fishing were present in civilizations such as the Chinooks. Lastly, areas in midland-North America where large amounts of water were present (rainfall and/or lakes), moderate scales of agriculture were produced alongside hunting and fishing and gathering like the Arikaras of the Missouri City River Valley
*Historical Causation:* What were the cause and effects of the beginning of Importing African slaves into the Americas?
Despite the fact that African slavery was more expensive than Native slavery, Spain and Portugal began to import them since natives were succumbing to disease－something Africans were immune to. As a result, the economy and productivity of the colonies increased and a new social class was born, mulattoes－children born of a European father and African mother. Africans, mainly male, were constantly being imported due to the high mortality rate of the slaves, and thus caused the females to out number the males leading many tribes, (if they didnt already), to practice polygamy
*Historical Causation:* Identify the positive and negative impact of the Columbian exchange on both European and Native populations in North America
Despite their populations being decimated by European diseases, Natives were able to adapt a hunting lifestyle while being pushed west because of the horse acquired through the process of the Columbian Exchange. The acquisition of Native Crops such as corn and potatoes allowed Europeans to sustain themselves a lot better than had they used Old World Crops. This was because native crops were a lot better adapted to new World conditions given that's where they originate. The Columbian Exchange, on the other hand, hurt the Europeans in the long run. With the French trading guns for fur, the Natives were able to use the European's own deadly weapon against them making conflicts much more bloodier and devastating.
*Periodization:* Within the context of the time period, what was the impact of mercantilism on the European colonization of the New World?
Mercantilism shaped the entire approach to the colonization of the North America. Originally, the mother countries saw North America as an outlet for excess population, and thus she set up joint-stock companies to attract people there to benefit her and not the people that went. Life in the colonies was harsh as many perished during winter and periods of drought, but had the mother country intervened more, it wouldn't of had to be that way. Sadly, there was no period of time in which mother countries focused more on the welfare of her colonies than herself.
*Comparison:* How did patterns of settlement differ among the Spanish, English, French, and Dutch immigrants?
The Spanish set up missions and encomiendas with the goal of exploiting natural resources and converting natives to the Roman Catholic religion. As a result, majority of the population were slaves as the encomiendas were large with few white owners. The Dutch did not come to the Americas to convert natives like the French and Spanish. Instead, they came to expand trade setting up a shareholding labor system called the patroon system. Despite their religious freedom and economic opportunities, New Netherlands was a small settlement. The French mainly established trading posts for fur, which flourished, but trapping and trade were not the life for a family, and thus their settlement grew slowly. Their missionaries, Jesuits, likewise were faced with slow progress. On the other hand, English settlements were well fit for family life, as the mother country was trying to rid herself of surplus population. Slaves were used a lot less asa resource as families worked in indentured servitude under joint-stock companies to pay off the voyage.