AmericanHistory1.docx
American History 1
I learn many things and stuff I already know expand. In this essay, I will show these things that I
learn like social, cultural, economic, and political that develop America what it is today. First the
Native American experience, I mean is the First Americans is the people first came to the
Americas and around 6000 B.C.E., Indians began raising crops, maize. This helped encourage
population growth, especially in present-day Mexico. Later on, American Empires start popping
up like the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlán was the capital established trading routes throughout the
empire and used tribute (taxes). To what I remember the Europeans had a hierarchy, for example,
the peasant society where the poor individuals, mostly farmers; made up most of the immigrants
to the Americas. Europeans also had families patriarchal; property and wealth were based on
male families. But back in those days’ females gave up many rights when married name,
property, expected to submit to the husband. Also, the eldest son inheriting most of the wealth
they are called Primogeniture. This later encouraged immigration to colonies, because the other
son can’t do any without “land”. The people who over Western Europe Roman Catholic Church
with its tremendous power, because it another way to help the king to control their people and
get money. But the Reformation, because of a guy named Martin Luther and his 95 Theses,
protested the sale of indulgences. The Reformation weakened the strength of Catholicism in
Europe. Now on to when European countries came to America and destroy the native population
there. The Aztecs were defeated due to disease, especially smallpox, and the Spanish Invasions.
Out of 120 million Indians in 1500, only 3 million or less survived in 1650 mostly due to the
disease and war. Things started to go downhill with all the religious and social tensions in
America. An example of this is the Salem Witch Trials when hysteria throughout MA in the late
17th century of the accused tended to be wealthier, middle-ages women and were “independent”
which challenged Puritan society. After the hysteria ended, prosecution for witchcraft declined
many colonists started to embrace ideas of the Enlightenment. Bacon’s Rebellion was a conflict
between Natives and “westerners” like Bacon, and then Bacon almost took control, died
suddenly. The stuff I remember from week 2 was slavery in the Chesapeake and South Carolina.
In 1740, slaves made up half the population in the Chesapeake. Slaves were defined by race;
slave owners could not be charged with a crime if they killed their slaves. Slavery was more
arduous in the Caribbean raising sugar and South Carolina raised mostly rice, similar conditions
to sugar plantations. In Chapter 5 that deal with 1754–1776, the only interest thing that sticks
with me is the War’s losers like the Loyalists, Native Americans, and Slaves. Because really
everyone was a loser expect the rich white man. Yet I still know why these three were worst off.
Many loyalists suffered economically; others fled. Native Americans were pushed further west
off their lands and slaves did not gain freedom after the war.
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