Colonization Of North America: The First Settlement - Introduction

The video features three history professors discussing early American history. Alan Taylor covers Spanish exploration and myths like the Fountain of Youth. Brenda Stevenson discusses the long history of African slavery, primarily from West Africa. Clarence Walker explains the challenges of enslaving Native Americans, who were decimated by European diseases and often sent to the West Indies.

What motivated Spanish explorers during the late 15th and early 16th centuries?

• The desire to map new territories

• The legend of the Fountain of Youth

• The need to establish trade routes

• The search for gold

From which region did the majority of slaves originate during the period discussed?

• West Africa

• North Africa

• Central Africa

• East Africa

How long did the period of African slavery last according to the transcript?

• From the 14th to the 17th century

• From the 15th to the 19th century

• From the 16th to the 18th century

• From the 17th to the 20th century

What was one of the main challenges in enslaving Native Americans?

• Their familiarity with the land

• Their susceptibility to European diseases

• Their resistance to European culture

• Their alliances with other tribes

What was a later rationale for the institution of slavery?

• Economic necessity

• Religious beliefs

• Racial differences

• Cultural differences