AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION

How is the development of agriculture positive and how is it negative?

Through agriculture, people actually had a controllable food supply and did not have to
spend nearly all their time foraging; and obviously, they were less likely to starve. When people
spend less time foraging, they start to focus more of their attention on other things that
contribute ultimately to the creation of cities. On the other hand, widespread agriculture can take
a toll on the planet itself, since people have to alter the planet drastically (e.g., deforestation,
irrigation, etc.). Also, in agricultural societies, not everyone who is responsible for farming
necessarily wants to do the hard labor, so this often resulted in the exploitation of others.
How is herding better and worse than agriculture as an alternative?
Domesticating animals results in an abundant supply of food and other materials needed
for shelter, clothing, etc. However, the life of a herder was a very nomadic one, and as a result,
it was difficult to settle down and build cities.
How do historians explain the entrance of agriculture in human daily life?
Historians have several theories for how the agricultural revolution came about, but the
most likely and reasonable driver was simply the desire to have an abundant food supply
without having to spend so much time and effort foraging for food. The agricultural revolution
wasnt some worldwide event that happened all of a sudden; rather, agricultural societies sprung
up sporadically all over the world. Over time, people naturally wanted to make their lives easier
in this sense.
COLUMBUS, DE GAMA, AND ZHENG HE! 15TH CENTURY MARINES
Why did the voyages of Zheng He end?
The deaths of both Zheng He and his patron, the Yongle Emperor, marked the end of
those voyages, of course; in addition, the emperor's successors put voyages and trade on the
back burner, so to speak, and focused primarily on protecting China from enemies.
Why is Columbus voyage seen both as a great success and a great failure?
Despite promising to bring back spices and gold, he found neither; eventually, after
Columbus' voyage Spain managed to become an incredibly wealthy world power.
Why did Vasco de Gama set out and what did he actually accomplish?
Portugal was resource-poor and relied heavily on trade; also, there was a spirit of
Christian crusading during that time; therefore, Prince Henry the Navigator wanted sailors to find
a path to the Indian Ocean and subsequently get in on the spice trade, as well as to find the
kingdom of Prester John, whose assistance was wanted in crusading. They were able to create
a number of coastal cities, or trading post empires. They also inspired Spain to go find their own
route to the Indies.

THE SPANISH EMPIRE, SILVER, & RUNAWAY INFLATION

Why might the silver from the New World not been a good thing for Spain?
The sudden increase in the amount of silver contributed to severe inflation, rendering the
imported silver almost worthless.
Why, in logistics, were the Inca and the Aztec civilizations especially well suited for a
hostile take over by the Spanish?
Although they were very powerful civilizations, the Europeans managed to find ways to
overthrow them - for example, the Aztecs conquered and terrorized thousands of people, which
motivated the oppressed peoples to ally with the Europeans in fighting the conquering natives.
Additionally, both societies were structured similarly in regards to how they organized
themselves, and there were similarities in both secular and religious ruling.
Why did the Spanish not use slaves to mine silver and which system did they use to find
labor and how did that system work?
The Spanish adopted the mita system, which was essentially indentured servitude (1/7
of the adult male population was required to work in the silver mines for one year). It was
cheaper to use indigenous slaves rather than importing African slaves. Plus, African slaves,
compared to indigenous slaves, didn't have the experience working at high altitudes.
THE BLACK LEGEND, NATIVE AMERICANS, AND SPANIARDS
What did Spanish explorers encounter when they traveled through the New World and
what do you think the original explorers intent was?
They encountered complex agricultural societies, with advanced social and political
structures and trade networks. They also found that the natives were very diverse people. The
original intent of the Spanish explorers was to find a trade route to Asia, but once they
discovered the Americas, their mission was to convert the natives to Christianity and acquire
gold, silver, and so forth.
What is the major factor that determined regional Indian culture and what aspects of
Native culture did not mesh well with the Europeans?
Indians based their lives upon the natural resources immediately available to them; for
example, those who lived along the coast relied on fishing. The Europeans considered the
natives to be "savages", and the biggest reason for conflict was the fact that the natives had
their religions and forms of worship, and didn't want to be converted to Christianity; this caused
the Europeans to become much more aggressive in trying to push their religion onto the natives.
What were the results of the Pueblo uprising and what united the different Southwestern
tribes to a common cause?
Their populations were decimated and the Europeans became much more aggressive in
attempting to convert them. As a result of the Pueblo uprising, about 400 colonists were killed,
and the rest fled Santa Fe. Pueblos demolished the Christian churches and built their own

places of worship. The Spanish were more tolerant of native religions and abolished the
encomienda system.

THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE

How did the spread of diseases affect both the new and old world?
The deaths of Incan and Aztec rulers resulted in wars, which in turn made it easier to
spread disease. Even so, those leaders just kept dying. Starvation was also rampant - there
weren't enough people left to grow crops to feed those who remained, and malnutrition made
survivors much more susceptible to disease anyway. The only New World disease that affected
the Europeans was syphilis.
How did the importation of new animals to the new world affect both population and
environment?
The variation among different species of plants and animals blurred, becoming
homogenized. Species were far more ubiquitous.
How could you argue that tobacco was an effective response to the devastation reeked
by diseases in the new world?
Tobacco ended up being one of the major causes of death among Europeans; although
it tends to be a slower killer than disease, the effects it's had on Europeans is comparable to
that of the natives.
WHEN IS THANKSGIVING? COLONIZING AMERICA: (US#2)
Explain the motivations for different colonies and why some motivations lead to better
functionality than others.
Virginia started as the Virginia Company, a joint-stock company intended to finance
through its investors New World colonization. When Jamestown was first founded, almost half
the settlers died due to the harsh winter, along with starvation. They struggled to make money
though the company, and intended to find gold, which they didn't. However, the ended up
turning a profit solely off cultivating tobacco, even though there was little social order.
Maryland started as a proprietorship granted to Cecilius Calvert, who wanted to establish
a feudal system and make it a sanctuary for Catholics. The colonists in Maryland also largely
depended on tobacco as a staple crop, very similar to Virginia.
Massachusetts consisted somewhat of Pilgrims and Puritans who were able to finance
the formation of a new colony, which was supposed to take root in Virginia, but a navigation
error winded them up in Plymouth. They signed the Mayflower Compact, which served as the
first governmental framework of its kind in the U.S. However, they were ill-prepared for the
harsh winter that was soon to come, and half the colonists died. Those that survived were
assisted by a Patuxet Indian named Squanto, who, teamed with Massasoit, taught the colonists
how cultivate local crops; this ultimately saved them.

What were the differences between Congregationalists and Separatists and when did
they come to the new world?
Congregationalists were those who thought that congregations of people should choose
leaders, make religious decisions, amongst other things, rather than bishops. Separatists were
those who were opposed to and critical of the practices of the Church of England, claiming that
it was "too Catholic"; they at first tried to reform it from the inside, which failed, so they
relocated, at first to the Netherlands, then to the Americas.
Name three problems in the Virginia Colony and explain why they were problems.
The biggest problem in the colony was the death rate; most people either succumbed to
disease, the harsh wilderness, starvation, etc. Also, initially, there was little to no order; most
people were in it for themselves, out for personal gain, and it was difficult to get anyone to work
together to actually form a stable place to live. On top of all that, the colonists had set out to turn
a profit, which, for a while, they couldn't, at least until they started cultivating tobacco.

THE NATIVES AND THE ENGLISH (US#3)

Explain why, after mostly peaceful relationships, the Native Americans and Settlers
started to clash.
As a result of what was seemingly harmless and mutually beneficial trade, the trading
potential began to have negative effects on the native population. For instance, men devoted
more time to hunting, which upset traditional gender balance. Tribes began to fight each other
over hunting grounds in order to keep up with the demand for fur. On top of that, there were
property issues - the colonists allowed their pigs and cattle to roam free and eat the Indians'
crops.
Conflict between the natives and the colonists was in full swing as soon as John Smith
returned to England - colonists resorted to stealing Indian crops and even massacred Indians.
There were disputes over land, with the colonists stealing Indian land for themselves. After a
couple of failed Indian uprisings, the Indians had to sign a treaty that forced them to move to
reservations.
What were the differing views the settlers had about Native Americans and what were the
results of these views?
Even though some people treated the Indians respectfully, many settlers saw Indians as
replaceable because they weren't "properly using the land". John Winthrop thought it was better
to buy land than steal it; however, when Indians sold their land, they had to also submit to
english authority as part of a deal. The Puritans viewed Indians as heathens in need of
salvation, and were afraid that some of their own would run away and go to live in Indian tribes,
because they thought their lifestyle was tempting.
What were some ways of killing that symbolized the problems between natives and the
settlers? Explain.

Natives would kill colonists' cows by disemboweling them, because they saw the English
as a threat to their way of life. This included their livestock who invaded their territory; and
because of their grazing patterns, they typically moved about where they pleased without regard
to Indian territory. An English colonist was also disemboweled and had a bible stuck in his body
where the innards had been, clearly in protest of their aggressive conversion tactics.
THE QUAKES, THE DUTCH, AND THE LADIES: (US#4)
Why was it better to be a poor person in the Americas than a poor person in Europe
during the colonial era?
America had an abundant food supply, there was a greater possibility of land ownership
than in England, where the poor were destined to be poor for life.
What were the biggest results of Nathaniel Bacons uprising and how do they portend
major future events in American history?
Slavery as a form of labor gradually replaced the once dominant indentured servitude,
and it sparked desire in the English monarchy to gain more control over the colonies.
What was the main indication of freedom during the Colonial era and how did this affect
the population density in the Colonies?
The most important status symbol was property ownership; because women didnt have
nearly as many property rights as men, an overwhelming majority of landowners were male.