The Americans
Chapter 1 Outline
Sanchez

Three Worlds Meet

I.	Peopling the Americas
a.	Ancient Peoples come to the Americas
i.	How did the first people come to the Americas
ii.	What was the life like for early Americans?
iii.	When and why did agriculture develop?
b.	Complex Societies Flourish in the Americas
i.	When did the first civilizations start to form in the Americas?
ii.	Who were the Olmec?
iii.	What were some other notable large civilizations and what did they 
accomplish?
iv.	Who were the early North American civilizations?
v.	Who were the Mound Builders and what were the mounds used for?
II.	Native American Societies around 1492
a.	Native Americans live in Diverse Societies
i.	What factors influenced the diversity of early American cultures?
ii.	What were traits of each Native American group?
1.	California
2.	Northwest coast
3.	Southwest
4.	Eastern Woodland
b.	Native Americans Share Cultural Patterns
i.	What kinds of trade existed among the Natives?
ii.	How did Native Americans view land?
iii.	What were some of the spiritual beliefs of Native Americans?
iv.	In what ways was society organized in Native cultures?
III.	West African Societies around 1492 
IV.	European Societies Around 1492
a.	The European Social Order
i.	How were European societies arranged?
ii.	What groups in European society experienced social mobility?
iii.	What was the Nuclear family?
b.	Christianity Shapes the European Outlook
i.	How did the missionary call of Christianity influence Europeans?
ii.	What was the Reconquista and why was it important in Spanish history?
iii.	What were the consequences of the Crusades?
iv.	How did the Protestant reformation contribute to the colonization of the 
Americas?
c.	Changes come to Europe
i.	What were Joint-stock companies?
ii.	Why was the advent of international banking houses and corporations 
significant at the time of their creation?
iii.	How did the growth of population contribute to the rise of colonization in 
Europe?
iv.	How was unification related to colonization?
v.	What does Renaissance mean?
vi.	What helped spread the Renaissance idea?
vii.	How did the Renaissance contribute to colonization?
d.	Europe Enters a New Age of Expansion
i.	What were the problems associated with getting goods from Asia?
ii.	What new technologies prompt the beginning of exploration?
iii.	What was Portugal's role in expanding exploration?
V.	Transatlantic Encounters
a.	Columbus Crosses the Atlantic
i.	Describe Columbus' first experiences in the New World.
b.	The Impact on Native Americans
i.	How did the Spanish and Natives get along with each other?
ii.	What diseases killed the Natives?
c.	The Impact on Africans
i.	Why was it difficult to use the Native Americans as a slave labor force?
ii.	What was the effect of the slave trade on African societies
d.	The Impact on Europeans
i.	What changes take place in Europe as a result of colonization?
ii.	What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
iii.	What was the Columbian Exchange and what were some of the items 
involved (from where to where)?
e.	A New Society is born