The document provides an overview of the encounters between Europeans and Native Americans from 1300 to 1700. It discusses the major empires that existed in Central and South America prior to European arrival, including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. It describes their social structures, systems of government, religious practices, and ways of life. It then details the initial European voyages of exploration, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires, and the establishment of European colonies in the Americas.

1. CONFRONATATION OF CULTURES
Saran Varma
XI B

2. OBJECTIVES
Encounters
• Examine some of the aspects of the encounters
between Europeans & Native Americans
Explorations
• Voyages, Exploration & Discovery of new
continents and their cultures
• Conquest, Colonies & Slave trades
Conclusion
• Learn about some of the majestic empires of
South America
• Epilogue

3. TIMELINE
DATES
•1300 - 25
•1325 - 50
•1350 - 75
•1375 - 1400
•1400 - 25
•1425 - 50
•1450 - 75
•1475 – 1500
•1500 – 25
•1525 - 50
•1550 - 75
•1575 - 1600
•1600 – 25
•1625 – 50
•1650 – 75
•1675 - 1700
AMERICAS
•Aztec capital at Tenochtitlan, Mexico (1325),building
temples, development of irrigation systems and
accounting systems (quipu)*
•Incas establish control over Peru (1465)
•Columbus reaches the West Indies (1492)
•Spanish conquest of Mexico (1521)
•French explorers reach Canada (1534)
•Spanish conquest of Peru (1572)
•England sets up its first colonies in North America (1607);
the first slaves are brought from West Africa to Virginia
(1619)
•Dutch found New Amsterdam, now called New York
(1626); first printing press is set up in Massachusetts
(1635)
•First sugar plantations are established in the West Indies
(1654)
•French colonise the Mississippi basin naming it Louisania
after King Louis XIV (1682)

4. INTRODUCTION
• European conquests of the people of America was
accompanied by the ruthless destruction of their
manuscripts and monuments.
• Ariel photography has revealed traces of many lost and
hidden cities in the forests.
• The European side of the journeys in contrast are
known in great detail because they used to keep log
diaries and journals.
• South America is still densely forested and hides many
secrets!
• Migrations used to take place here before eve the
Europeans came

5. COMMUNITIES
• The empires mentioned here are:
1. Caribbean and Brazilians
1.1 Arawakians
1.2 Tupinambas
2. State systems of Central & South America
2.1 The Aztecs
2.2 The Mayas
2.3 The Incas

6. VOYAGES OF EXPLORATION
• The people of South America & Caribbean came to
know about the Europeans when the latter began to
sail across the seas.
• Larger ships were built, that could carry huge
quantities of cargo and defense equipment's . The
circulation of books on cosmography, travelogues &
geographies created widespread interest.
• People of the Iberian Peninsula were pioneers in the
15th century voyages. Economic, Political & Religious
reasons compelled people to venture out into the seas.

7. VOYAGES OF EXPLORATION (cont.)
• Plague and wars led to depopulation in Europe,
trade grew slack due to the closing of gates of
Constantinople by Turks, and there was a
shortage of gold and silver to mint currencies.
• The possibility of bringing more people under the
folds of Christianity also made many devout
Christian Europeans to face adventure.
• During the crusades, the trade between Europe
and Asia increased which led to them developing
a taste for Asian products, especially spices.

8. VOYAGES OF EXPLORATION (cont.)
• In Spain, economic
reasons encouraged
individuals to become
the knights of the
ocean.

9. THE ATLANTIC CROSSING
• Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506 ) was an Italian
self – taught man who sought adventure and glory. He
wanted to discover a route to the East (Indies) by
sailing westwards.
• He was turned down by the Portuguese when he
submitted his plans but succeeded with the Spanish
Authorities. They sanctioned an expedition that set sail
from Palos on August 1492.
• After 33 days of sailing, on 12th Oct 1492, they sighted
land, which he thought was India, but was the island of
Guanahani in Bahamas where he planted a Spanish
flag.

10. THE ATLANTIC CROSSING (cont.)
• They were welcomed by the Arawaks, who were happy
to share their food and provisions with the crew.
• He proclaimed himself viceroy & enlisted their
cooperation in pressing forward to larger islands.
• Before they could go far, they faced many accidents
and the wrath of the Carib tribes. This made them
clamour back to their homes.
• 3 more voyages followed during which Columbus
completed his explorations. Subsequent voyages
revealed that it was a new continent and not Indies.

11. SPANISH EMPIRE IN AMERICA
• Spanish expansion was based on a display of military
strength with the use of gunpowder and of horses.
• The local people were compelled to either pay tribute
or to work in gold and silver mines. Local chieftains
were enlisted to explore new lands & more sources of
gold.
• Diseases of the Old World, particularly small pox
wrecked havoc on the local population whose lack of
immunity led to large scale deaths.
• The expeditions of Columbus were followed by a
sustained and successful exploration of Central & South
America.

12. 1.1 THE ARAWAKIANS
• The Arawakians lived on a cluster of islands in the
Caribbean sea ( Bahamas ).
• They were peace loving people who preferred
negotiation to conflict.
• They were skilled boat – makers. They lived by
hunting, fishing, growing corn, sweet potatoes,
tubers, cassava.
• They produced food collectively to feed everyone
in the community.
• Polygamy was common.

13. 1.1 THE ARAWAKIANS (cont.)
• They used gold for
ornaments, but they did
not attach any value to it.
• Europeans tricked them
into buying ordinary glass
beads in exchange for
gold since the Arawak's
thought they were more
attractive and naïve.
• The art of weaving was
highly developed. The
hammocks were one of
their specialties.

14. 1.2 THE TUPINAMBA
• They lived on the east
coast of South America,
and in the villages in the
forests.
• They had no access to
iron so they possessed
no weapons.
• They depended on the
forest for every of their
needs, so they never
went for cultivation.

15. 1.3 CABRAL & BRAZIL
• In 1500, a procession of
ships from Portugal set out
for India, headed by Pedro
Alvares Cabral, made a wide
loop to avoid stormy seas
around West Africa &
reached Brazil.
• This area was already
assigned in their maps, so
they regarded the territory
as theirs indisputably.
• They exploited the timber
resources extensively.

16. 1.3 CABRAL & BRAZIL (cont.)
• The trade in timber led to fierce battles between
the Portugese & the French. The former won the
battles though.
• The Portugese who wanted to live there were
given land ownership rights. In 1540s, the
Portugese started plantations and built mills to
extract sugar.
• The natives kept retreating into the forest to
escape the Europeans, & in a short time there
were no native villages left.

17. 2.1 THE AZTECS

18. 2.1 THE AZTECS - INTRODUCTION
• They migrated to central
valley of Mexico from the
north in 12th century.
• Expanded by defeating
many tribes and
establishing a hierarchical
society.
• The nobility were a
minority who occupied
senior positions in the
government.

19. 2.1.1 THE AZTEC SOCIETY STRUCTURE
Aztec Society
Structure
The Nobles
Government
Leaders
Military
Leaders
High Level
Priests
Lords
The
Commoners
Artisan
Travelling
Travelling
Merchants
Low Level
Priests
Serfs

20. 2.1.2 SOCIETY OF AZTECS
• The Aztecs undertook
many reclamations since
land was limited.
• They made artificial
islands known as
chinampas upon which
the magnificent city of
Tenochtitlan was built.
• The most impressive
temples of the Aztecs
were dedicated to the
gods of Sun and War.

21. 2.1.3 AGRICULTURE IN AN AZTEC
SOCITEY
• The empire rested on a
rural base.
• People cultivated corn,
beans, squash, pumpkins,
manioc root, potatoes and
other crops.
• Land was owned by clans
which also organized public
construction works.
• The poor sometimes used
to sell their children but
they could buy back their
freedom.

22. 2.1.4 EDUCATION OF AZTECS
• The Aztecs made sure that
their children went to
school.
• Children of nobility –
Calemac → military &
religious leaders.
• Other kids – Tepochcalli →
learned history, myths,
religion, ceremonial songs.
• Boys received military
training as well agriculture.
• Girls were trained in
domestic skills.

23. 2.1.5 STRAINS IN THE EMPIRE
• In the early 16th century
dicontent grew among
newly conquered tribes
who wanted to be free.
• Herman Cortes, a Spanish
explorer & his officials
joined hands with Totonacs
to give a tough fight against
Tlaxcalans who submitted
after a stiff resistance.
• They marched and reached
Tenochtitlan on 8th Nov
1519.

24. 2.1.6 CONQUERING OF THE AZTECS
• Cortes was received by Montezuma cordially and
showered with gifts. He then placed Montezuma
under house arrest and attempted to rule in his
name.
• They tried to Christianize the empire when
Montezuma suggested a compromise by placing
both Aztec & Christian images in temples.
• When Cortes returned back from Cuba on 25th
Jun 1520, there was full – blown crisis. They
retreated since they faced an acute shortage of
supplies.

25. 2.1.7 SPANISH MEXICO
• Around this time, Montezuma died under
mysterious circumstances. La Noche Triste (The
night of sorrows) on 30th Jun 1520 wherein
Cortes and his army of Spanish conquistadors and
native allies fought their way out of Tenochtitlan.
• By then, Aztecs were dying of smallpox which
came with the Europeans.
• Conquering the Aztecs took 2 years. Cotes
became the Captain – General of New Spain in
Mexico. From Mexico, they further extended
their control to Guatemala, Nicargua & Honduras.

26. 2.2 THE MAYAS

27. 2.2.1 THE MAYAS – INTRODUCTION
• The Mayan culture of Mexico developed
remarkably between the 11th & 14th centuries,
but in the 16th century they had a lot less political
power than the Aztecs.
• Corn cultivation was central to their culture, and
many religious ceremonies were centered on
planting, growing and harvesting of corn.
• Efficient agricultural production generated
surplus, which helped the ruling classes, priests
and chiefs to invest in architecture and in the
development of astronomy and mathematics.

28. 2.2.2 MAYAN SOCIETY STRUCTURE
Supreme
Rulers/
Emperors
Priests and Nobles
Merchants and Artisans
Peasants
Slaves

29. 2.2.3 WRITING SYSTEM
• The Mayas devised a
pictographic form of
writing that has only
been deciphered
partially.

30. 2.1 THE MAYAS

31. 2.3 THE INCAS

32. 2.3.1 THE INCAS - INTRODUCTION
• It was the largest indigenous
civilizations in South America.
In the 12th century the 1st Inca,
Manco Capac, established his
capital at Cuzco.
• The empire was highly
centralized. Newly conquered
tribes were absorbed
effectively and every subject
was required to speak
Quechua.
• Each tribe was ruled
independently by a council of
elders, but the tribe as a
whole owed allegiance to the
king.

33. 2.3.2 THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE
The emperor
Head priest & the
commander of
armies
Regional army commanders
Temple priests & skilled workers
Farmers, Herders & Soldiers

34. 2.3.3 ARCHITECTURE
• The Incas were
magnificent builders.
They built roads
through mountains
from Ecuador to Chile.
• They used labour –
intensive technology to
carve and move stones
from nearby rock – falls.
• Labour was organized
and tightly managed.

35. 2.3.4 AGRICULTURE & LIVING
• The basis of the Inca
civilization was
agriculture.
• To cope with the infertile
soil conditions, they
terraced hillsides and
developed systems of
irrigation and drainage.
• The Incas grew corn and
potatoes, reared llamas
for food & labour.
• Their weaving & pottery
were of high quality

36. 2.3.5 WRITING
• They did not develop a
system of writing.
• However, there was an
accounting system in
place – the quipu, or
cords upon which knots
were made to indicate
specific mathematical
units.
• Some scholars suggest
that the Incas wove a sort
of code into these
threads.

37. 2.3.6 PIZARRO & THE INCAS
• He was uneducated & poor
when he joined the army &
found his way to the Caribbean
Islands in 1502.
• He made repeated attempts to
reach the Inca lands because of
the fables that he had heard.
• He talked it through with the
king & was promised
governorship of the lands if
conquered them.
• In 1532, after Atahualpa
secured the throne through a
civil war Pizarro captured him &
put him under house arrest.

38. 2.3.6 PIZARRO & THE INCAS (cont.)
• He had the king executed
and he & his followers went
on a looting spree.
• The cruelty of the
conquerors provoked an
uprising in 1534 that
continued for 2 years,
during which thousands
died in war & epidemics.
• In another 5 years, the
Spanish had located the
vast mines and to work
these they made the Inca
people into slaves.

39. THANK YOU