Historical Foundations: Colonialism, Renaissance, and Discovery

Social Organization of the Inca

The Inca society was structured into three distinct groups:

• Nobility
• Commoners
• Servants of the nobility

Spanish Colonization Patterns

• The conquest was imposed prior to the settler movement.
• Racial miscegenation occurred.
• Territorial control was dependent on the King of Spain.
• Cities and institutions were established.
• Spanish influence integrated into American culture.

Features of English Colonization

• Two types of colonization existed, including private ventures.
• Policies often sought the physical displacement of Indigenous populations with minimal interbreeding.
• Government was founded on settler autonomy.
• These efforts established the foundations of the modern United States.

Geographic Locations of Civilizations

• Maya: Located in the Yucatan Peninsula and parts of Central America.
• Aztecs: Located in present-day Mexico.

The Reformation and Religious Doctrine

Reform Concept

A religious movement in the 15th century that catalyzed the breakdown of ecclesiastical unity.

Calvinist Doctrine

The belief that God predestined individuals for salvation.

Lutheran Doctrine

• Salvation is achieved through faith.
• The Bible is the sole path to Christ.

The Renaissance

Renaissance Concept

The transition from the medieval to the modern age, characterized by an opposition to medieval traditions.

Causes of the Renaissance

• The influence of bourgeois governments.
• Agricultural advancements and the invention of the printing press.
• The religious crisis of the late medieval period.

Renaissance Representatives

• Italy: Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Leonardo da Vinci.
• England: William Shakespeare.

Age of Geographical Discovery

Causes and Importance

Driven by the narratives of Marco Polo, the Venetian trade monopoly, technical advancements, and the spirit of adventure. These voyages allowed humanity to comprehend the Earth's roundness and map its geography.

Key Explorers and Discoveries

• Bartholomew Diaz: Discovered the Cape of Good Hope.
• Vasco da Gama: Opened the sea route to the East Indies.
• Pedro Álvares Cabral: Explored the Atlantic and reached the Brazilian coast.
• Ferdinand Magellan: His voyage circumnavigated the globe and identified the Strait of Magellan, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Portuguese Expansion

Portugal led 15th-century exploration because it was a unified state, benefited from the momentum of Prince Henry the Navigator, and established the Sagres School of Navigation.

The Capitulations of Santa Fe

A formal agreement between the Spanish monarchs and Christopher Columbus to authorize his voyages of navigation.