Chapter1NewWorldBeginnings33,000B.C.-A.D1783225MillionYearsAgo-Pangaeastartedtobreakapart.10MillionYearsAgo-NorthAmericawasshapedbynature-CanadianShield2MillionYearsAgo-GreatIceAge35,000YearsAgo-Theoceanswereglaciersandthesealeveldropped,leavinganisthmusconnectingAsiaandNorthAmerica.TheBeringIsthmuswascrossedbypeoplegoingintoNorthAmerica.10,000YearsAgo-Icestartedtoretreatandmelt,raisingthesealevelsandcoveringuptheBeringIsthmus.EvidencesuggeststhatearlypeoplemayhavecometotheAmericasincrudeboats,oracrosstheBeringIsthmus.EuropeansEnterAfricaPeopleofEuropewereabletoreachsub-SaharanAfricaaround1450whenthePortugueseinventedthecaravel,ashipthatshouldsailintothewind.ThisshipallowedsailorstosailbackupthewesterncoastofAfricaandbacktoEurope.ThePortuguesesetuptradingpostsalongtheAfricanbeachestradingwithslavesandgold,tradinghabitsthatwereoriginallydonebytheArabsandAfricans.ThePortugueseshippedtheslavesbacktoSpainandPortugalwheretheyworkedonthesugarplantations.WhenWorldsCollidePossibly3/5ofthecropscultivatedaroundtheworldtodayoriginatedintheAmericas.Within50yearsoftheSpanisharrivalinHispaniola,theTainonativesdecreasedfrom1millionpeopleto200peopleduetodiseasesbroughtbytheSpanish.IncenturiesfollowingColumbus'slandingintheAmericas,asmuchas90%oftheIndianshaddiedduetothediseases.TheSpanishConquistadoresInthe1500's,Spainbecamethedominantexploringandcolonizingpower.TheSpanishconquerorscametotheAmericasintheserviceofGodaswellasinsearchofgoldandglory.DuetothegoldandsilverdepositsfoundintheNewWorld,theEuropeaneconomywastransformed.TheislandsoftheCaribbeanSeaservedasoffshorebasesforthestagingoftheSpanishinvasionofthemainlandAmericas.Bythe1530sinMexicoandthe1550sinPeru,colorlesscolonialadministratorshadreplacedtheconquistadores.SomeoftheconquistadoreswedIndianwomenandhadchildren.TheseoffspringwereknownasmestizosandformedaculturalandbiologicalbridgebetweenLatinAmerica'sEuropeanandIndianraces.TheConquestofMexicoInabout1519,HernanCortessetsailfromCubawithmenandhor