Question 1

Summarize the activity of the following countries in the Americas from 1607 to 1754: Spain, Great Britain, The Netherlands, and France.

Accepted Answer

Spain: the Spanish focused on the extraction of precious metals and other resources from Central and South America

France: the French focused on fur trading and the development of settlements along the Mississippi and St. Lawrence Rivers

Netherlands: The Dutch established trading posts in the northeastern regions of the continent

Great Britain: the British established colonies along the Atlantic coast, with a focus on the development of tobacco and other cash crops

Question 2

Competition for resources between European rivals and American Indians

Accepted Answer

Led to increased industry and trade, as well as conflicts over land and resources. This competition also had a major impact on the development of the colonies, as European nations sought to gain control of key resources and strategic locations. This competition and conflict would eventually lead to the Seven Years War which would significantly impact the balance of power in North America and pave the way for the British dominance on the continent.

Question 3

British Colonization

Accepted Answer

The commercial, religious, philosophical, and political exchanges that took place between the colonies and Britain, as well as between the colonies themselves, led to a growing sense of interconnectedness among the colonists. This led to the development of a unique American identity over time, as well as a growing sense of dissatisfaction with British rule. Slavery was also a pivotal part of the colonial system in British North America, as it was in other European empires in the Americas. The use of enslaved Africans was crucial to the development of cash crops like tobacco and rice, which were the main economic drivers of the colonies.

Question 4

Spanish Colonization

Accepted Answer

The Spanish were driven by a desire for gold, God, and glory. They laid claim to lands in the southwestern and western parts of North America, including the conquest of Florida. Their expansion continued in Latin America, where they established the encomienda system of forced labor, which primarily targeted native peoples. Due to the lack of women among the Spanish colonizers, they intermarried with the local indigenous populations, resulting in a mixed-race population known as mestizos.

Question 5

Popé's Rebellion

Accepted Answer

The Spanish treatment of the native populations was often brutal, as seen in their interactions with the Pueblo people of the Southwest. In 1609, they established the colony of New Mexico in Santa Fe and set up Catholic missions, imposing Christianity on the Pueblo people. The Pueblo people would eventually resist this forced conversion and colonization in the form of Popé's Rebellion in 1680. They killed Spanish priests and hundreds of settlers, successfully driving the Spanish out for the next 50 years. However, the Spanish would eventually reclaim the colony, reasserting their control over the Pueblo people and the region.

Question 6

French Colonization

Accepted Answer

Under the rule of King Louis XIV, France had solidified its position as a major world power. In an effort to expand its empire, France established a permanent settlement in Quebec in 1608, as well as other parts of northeastern North America, which would become known as New France or Canada. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain played a key role in the colonization of New France, creating an alliance with the local Huron Indians and helping them defeat their Iroquois enemies. The French also aimed to control the strategically important Ohio River Valley, which would link their northern holdings in Canada with their southern holdings in the lower Mississippi Valley. However, this goal would bring them into conflict with the Iroquois, who had allied themselves with the British. The French and British would engage in numerous battles for control of the Ohio River Valley, as the French sought to maintain their grip on the region and the British sought to expand their own empire. These battles would have a significant impact on the outcome of the larger struggle between France and Britain for control of North America.

2.1 Context: European Colonization, AP United States History Flashcards