Exploration of the Americas

Why Explore?• GOD

– Spread Christianity beyond Europe• Send missionaries to convert people

• GLORY– Expand the empire

• GOLD– Increase wealth

• Gain power and security• Mercantilism

• Family Guy, Columbus

• **

• In fourteen hundred ninety-twoColumbus sailed the ocean blue.

He had three ships and left from Spain;He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.

He sailed by night; he sailed by day;He used the stars to find his way.

A compass also helped him knowHow to find the way to go.

Ninety sailors were on board;Some men worked while others snored.

Then the workers went to sleep;And others watched the ocean deep.

Day after day they looked for land;They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.

• October 12 their dream come true,You never saw a happier crew!

"Indians! Indians!" Columbus cried; His heart was filled with joyful pride.

But "India" the land was not; It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.

• The Arakawa natives were very nice;They gave the sailors food and spice.

Columbus sailed on to find some goldTo bring back home, as he'd been told.

He made the trip again and again,Trading gold to bring to Spain.

The first American? No, not quite.But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.

Spanish Explorers• 1492– Christopher Columbus

• Financed by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain

• 3 ships: Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria

• 1501– Amerigo Vespucci

• Wanted to find a sea route to Asia• Realized that “Americas” were not Asia

but new land• German mapmaker named continent

America

• 1519– Ferdinand Magellan

• Sailed around South America to reach Asia

• 5 ships; 240 sailors• Killed in Philippines during

local war– Crew made it back to

Spain (1522)

• 1513– Vasco Nunez de Balboa

• Crossed jungles on isthmus of Panama

• Reach Pacific Ocean in 25 days; claimed in for Spain

• 1531– Francisco Pizarro

• Conquered Incas with only 180 men• Incan emperor ordered his troops not to fight

and they didn’t; even after leader was killed

• 1519– Hernando Cortes

• Conquered Tenochtitlan and Aztecs with only 508 men

• Diseases and fighting

7 Cities of Gold

• 1539-42– Francisco Vazquez de Coronado

• Found Grand Canyon

• ** Pirates – Ft of Youth

• Hernando de Soto– Looking for the Fountain of Youth– Explored Florida and Mississippi River

Reasons for Success

• European diseases– Killed many and weakened

resistance• Excellent soldiers and

sailors with superior weapons– Horses, iron and gunpowder

• Alliance with Native Americans

• Brutal actions toward natives

Northwest Passage

• John Cabot (England)– 1497– Settled Newfoundland,

Canada– Disappeared at sea-trying to

reach Japan• Jacques Cartier (France)

– 1534– Traveled by St Lawrence

River to Montreal

All water route through North America to Asia

• Samuel de Champlain (France)– 1605-08– Explored St Lawrence River– Founded fur-trading post at Quebec in 1608

• Peter Minuit (Dutch)– 1626– Bought Manhattan Island from Natives– Founded New Amsterdam (New York City)

Sir Francis Drake(England)

Effects:England remained Protestant and independent

could defend itselfSpain lost power

could be challenged and defeated

• 1577– Set off on 3 year voyage around the

world• Supported by Queen Elizabeth I

– Raided Spanish ports and stole treasure• Upset that Spain had claimed land• Fighting between Protestants and

Catholics (King Philip I)

Smaller, quicker English ‘sea dogs’ outmaneuvered large, slower Spanish ‘galleons’

• Spanish Armada– 130 ships sent in 1588 to conquer

England and restore Catholicism– Met British Navy in English Channel

Northwest Passage

• John Cabot (England)– 1497– Settled Newfoundland,

Canada– Disappeared at sea-trying to

reach Japan• Jacques Cartier (France)

– 1534– Traveled by St Lawrence

River to Montreal

All water route through North America to Asia

• Samuel de Champlain (France)– 1605-08– Explored St Lawrence River– Founded fur-trading post at Quebec in 1608

• Peter Minuit (Dutch)– 1626– Bought Manhattan Island from Natives– Founded New Amsterdam (New York City)

Spanish Government

Viceroyalty• Colonial government• Viceroy ruled in

name of king

• Roads– To transport people (soldiers)

to keep control of colonies– To transport goods– Led to growth of economy

Two Provinces in 1700New Spain (Mexico)Peru (Lima

Catholic ChurchMissions• Settlements that

included church, town and farmlands

• Purpose was to convert Native Americans– Better supply of food– Protection from enemies– Learned to read and

write and other skills • Natives became unhappy– Slavery– Replaced traditions and

religions– Rebelled or ran away

Columbia Exchange

• Movement of people and cultures between hemispheres– Diseases

• Killed more than 20 million Natives in 100 years

– Plants and animals• Cattle, pigs, horses to Americas• Potatoes and corn to Europe

Slavery

• 1100s– Europeans started to

used Africans to work on sugar plantations

• Holding a person in bondage for labour

• Not new – used since ancient times– Prisoners of war– People sold to pay off

debts

1400s• Europeans tried to enslave

Native Americans– Died quickly from overwork and

disease– Rebelled and ran away

• Spanish enslaved Africans– Immune to most European

diseases– No friends/family to help

resist or escape– Permanent source of cheap

labour– Had worked on farms in

Africa

Middle Passage• 1509– King Ferdinand sent 50

African slaves to Hispaniola

• Voyage from Africa to Americas

• Middle leg of Triangular Trade– Movement of ships between

Africa, Europe and Americas

The End