Chapter I: New World Beginnings

REVISED

  1. How did "man" reach the New World? Why did we come?
  2. Why is it difficult to generalize about North American Indians? What generalizations can be made?
  3. How were the Iroquois exceptional North American Indians?
  4. Under what circumstances did "modern" European interest in American begin?
  5. Why were both the Renaissance and Medieval Trading patterns important for the discovery of America?
  6. Why did the Italians and the French turn down Columbus's request for sponsorship of his voyage?
  7. How did the "Columbian exchange" transform both the Old and New Worlds?
  8. Given that they were so few in number, what accounts for the fantastic succes of the Conquistadors?
  9. Which of the following conquistadors was the most important and why? Cortez, Pizarro, De Leon, de Soto, Coronado.
  10. What was the "black legend"? Why did Bailey fault the common understanding of it?
  11. How and why did the Spanish settle Alta California? Who should get most of the credit for doing it? Why?
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