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Peopling The Land. An Introduction. From Africa?. Some believe that Humans in the new world have come from Africa. The oldest fossils of Humankind have been found there.
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Peopling The Land An Introduction
From Africa? • Some believe that Humans in the new world have come from Africa. The oldest fossils of Humankind have been found there. Those that do not accept this interpretation of the human fossil record as human origins still have their earliest records referring to civilizations in Africa and the Middle east.
Fossil Records • The fossil record is complex and while there is much disagreement on our direct ancestors, there is an abundance of early human fossils in Africa dated through carbon dating. Hominid fossils are believed to be most recent and are similar to modern humans.
A possible route? • Around the same time that humans first inhabited North America according to dating of remains and artifacts, many believe an ice bridge existed between Siberia and North America. • This ice bridge was called BERINGIA.
Early New World People • Migrating over Beringia, early people in the New World were Hunter-Gatherers • Each hunter-gatherer needed 10 square kilometers to survive.
Archeological Evidence vs Oral Traditions • Archeologists have studied artifacts and remains of people and used that data to categorize the as different “peoples” in the timeline of NL inhabitants. • The oral histories of aboriginal peoples conflict with these timelines and many have taken offense to having their ancestors categorized as different peoples. • Many land claims disputes have been centered around the differences between aboriginal oral histories and theories developed from what many claim to be fragmented archeological evidence
First NL People • The “Amerindians” , native people of North America, were the first people evidenced to inhabit Labrador. Carbon dating of remains and artifacts places them around 7000 BCE. • Amerindians later developed into the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit in Canada. • Paleo-Eskimos followed. The Norse (Vikings) and Thule established themselves later. The Thule, dated 800 years ago, became the Inuit.
Coastal and Interior Lab Peoples • Oral traditions of the Innu indicate that they always inhabited the Labrador interior but archaeological evidence suggests that they moved inland around 1400 CE when the Thule appeared on the coast. • Regardless, cultures of early people in Labrador were heavily influenced by a coastal lifestyle or an inland lifestyle. Each provided access to different resources and posed different challenges to survival.
The island of NL Mi’kmaq and Beothuk • Europeans encountered the Beothuk between 500 and 700. A written record of encounters gives more evidence into their language and lifestyle but we still rely heavily on archaeological evidence. • The Mi’kmaq oral tradition places them in Newfoundland prior to the Europeans but physical evidence suggests that the moved here since 1600 from the rest of Atlantic Canada
Surviving in NL Early NL people developed “technologies” to survive. Using resources at hand, these were determined by resources available in areas they inhabited and identified them as distinct groups.
Why did Europeans Come to the New World? • Increasing Populations • Advances in Navigation, Ship Technologies • Increased desire for knowledge and exploration • Need for additional resources to support populations, especially after the rise of the Ottoman Empire cut off trade routes to Asia. • Europeans believed that if they sailed far enough east, they would find trade routes to Asia.
Trade Routes Were Life-Lines! • European countries became dependent upon products only available in Asia. • Common paths of travel for merchants developed and spanned may territories. Merchants traded along these routes, found shelter, were resupplied and enjoyed relative safety either due to a relationship between countries or a dominant presence of their own countries influence/forces. • This all changed when western European countries lost the upper hand.
Land Ho! • Christopher Columbus, sailing Spain, discovered the New World in 1492 while seeking a trade route to Asia. The rise of the Ottoman Empire cut off trade routes to Asia through the middle east. • John Cabot, sailing for England, discovered Newfoundland in 1497.
FISH! • John Cabot claimed that there was so much fish in the water that it slowed the progress of his vessel and sailors only needed to drop a bucket. Whether it is true or not, it is what his benefactors wanted to hear. • The French and Portuguese would fish here first, followed by the Spanish and English. • England and France would dominate the fishery by the 1600’s taking, losing, and retaking fishing grounds for over a century.
The Perfect Food • Inexpensive protein source • Easy to preserve, long shelf life • Easy to transport • Great food source for armies, navies, and colonies. • High in demand by Catholics and some Protestant groups • Fishery was a great employer, required the support of many industries, and was a great training ground for navies. ** Spices and salts were also valued greater because of the need for cod
The French Fishery • The French fishery initially served the sesonal demand of Lent. Large ships that rarely came to shore fished the Grand Banks and heavily salted the cod for return to northern France before it was dried. This was the Green Fishery. • They later moved inshore around Placentia and dry cured cod. • Wars and treaties saw the French fishery confined to the northern shore around Bonavista
Basque Whalers • Whale oil was used as a fuel and lubricant. It was created by boiling down whale blubber. Baleen and bone were also valuable • The Basque Whalers had a large whaling station in Red Bay, Labrador, in the Early 1500s.
English Fishery • The English would eventually control the island after successful military actions in Europe force the French to treat with them • Fishery was largely inshore and land-based from rooms where stages, flakes, and buildings were set up. • Having to “race” to get the best rooms and fishing delays caused by repairs at the beginning of the season caused merchants to employ persons to overwinter. This was hard and dangerous. Many were indentured servants brought under false or desperate pretenses and kept through an endless cycle of debt. • Dry cured fish with less salt fetched a better price at market.
High profits mean high risks • Some merchants got very rich from the fishery BUT…. -storms, pirates/privateersetc. could wipe out huge initial investments in ships, crews, and support. -fishing was dangerous and it was hard to keep workers
Dealing with risks • Merchants would employ family members in positions of responsibility. • Merchants were strict and uncompromising • Merchants employed people under false pretenses and from desperate situations, keeping them in a cycle of debt once they started working in the rooms.
