The oldest European city in the continental United States is St. Augustine, Florida, which points to the tardiness of English efforts at exploration and colonization. We aren't going to spend a lot of time on Spanish America, but we do need to acknowledge the contributions made by the Spanish Empire.
The excerpt from the Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza De Vaca is at once a testimony to bravery and foolhardiness. Read it for a sense of the perils of exploring an unknown world. Read it, too, for the dangers of mis-understanding cultures different from one's own. I will be asking you to download and read a number of readings this semester. You may find it convenient to purchase a notebook and invest in a three-hole punch. Bring readings with you to class on the day(s) they are due.
For additional information about the spanish conquest of Florida and Central America visit a site on the DeSoto expedition by clicking on the illustration of his fleet, above
For Wednesday, January 31
Read in Reich: Chapter 4, "The Portuguese, French, and Dutch Empires in America" pp. 37-49
The most significant part of this chapter is the last section, "Comparing and Contrasting the Non-English Empires". Reich finds both the similarities and distinctions useful in coming to understand why these cultures were less successful than the English in establishing a permanent colony in North America.
For Friday, February 2
Read in Reich: Chapter 5, "The Background of English Colonization" pp. 50-61
The English were tardy colonizers. We'll want to discover why. We'll also want to look at the reasons why they mounted the venture when they did...motivation was not a simple thing.
Note: There are two versions of the Hariot: One is a transcription and the other a facsimile. DOWNLOAD the transcription, but take a look at the facsimile, which you can reach by clicking on its title page at the left. It is a beautiful example of Elizabethan printing.
