European Explorers

• Christopher Columbus 1451-1506• Born in Genoa, Italy• Father was a wool weaver• Sailed on the Mediterranean as a young

boy, then made is living in trade sailing throughout the world as a merchant sea captain.

• 1480 married Filipa Perestrello, had a son in 1481 named Diego.

Columbus (cont)

• Also made maps to support his family • In Lisbon Columbus laid plans for his

dream, which he called “Enterprise of the Indies”

• Needed funding, but in 1482 King John of Portugal turned him down

• In 1484 Filipa dies and Columbus leaves for Spain

Columbus (cont)

• Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand finally agreed to finance Columbus’ voyage

• He received noble titles & 10% of future wealth

• Columbus sailed from Palos, Spain with three ships-Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria on August 3, 1492

• Columbus pushed on despite grumbling from his crew

Columbus (cont)

• On October 12, 1492, after 33 days at sea Columbus spotted land

• An island in the Bahamas, Columbus named it San Salvador (Holy Savior)

• He also discovered San Domingo & Cuba• He set up a colony on Hispaniola• He returned home March 15, 1493 to a

large welcome, believing that he had discovered the Indies from the west.

Columbus (cont)

• In September 1493 he sailed from Cadiz on a second expedition with 17 ships & 1500 men

• He discovered the Caribbean islands & Jamaica

• Returned home in 1496

Columbus (cont)

• 1498 Columbus sailed for the third time • This time he discovered Trinidad and the

mouth of the Orinoco River in South America

• May 9, 1502 he sailed on his fourth and final voyage

• He returned in 1504 to find Queen Isabella dying, his friends, his influence, and his reputation gone.

Columbus (cont)

• Columbus died May 20, 1506 believing he had sailed to the coast of Asia

• He established the first permanent settlement of Europeans in the western Hemisphere

• He traveled along the shores of South& Central America

• Discovered the Islands of West Indies and Caribbean

Amerigo Vespucci

• The Name America comes from Amerigo Vespucci

• He was an Italian Navigator from Florence• Soon after Columbus, Vespucci made two trips

to the new world • He wrote vivid accounts of the lands he saw, he

called them a new continent • Amerigo’s name (America) first appeared on a

map in 1507, because a French map maker (Waldseemuller) had read his account of the new world

The Treaty of Tordesillas

• The Pope was called upon to settle the dispute b/w Portugal and Spain over lands in the new world

• A line was drawn, which divided up the new world between the two strongest sea going nations in the world

• The treat 1493 moved this line further west. West of the line belonged to Spain, while east of the line belonged to Portugal.

More Exploration

• In the first century after Columbus explorers looked anxiously for a way through, around or over America

• Wanted to get to Indies for the treasure

• Motivation for exploration

Vasco Nunez de Balboa &

Vasco da Gama • Spanish

• September 29, 1513 Balboa discovered the pacific ocean by crossing Isthmus of Panama

• In 1497 da Gama sailed around the cape of India

Ferdinand Magellan

• Portugal

• Portuguese nobleman and expert sailor

• Unveiled the grandeur of the pacific

• September 1519 Magellan, sponsored by the King Charles I of Spain, set out on a trip around the world.

• Five Ships

Ferdinand Magellan (cont)

• October 1520-entered the Strait of Magellan (Argentina)

• March 6, 1521-reached Guam• Magellan fulfilled Columbus’ dream of reaching

the Indies by Sailing West • Made his way to the Philippine islands, where he

was killed in a dispute with the natives • Magellan’s crew continued and one of the five

ships made it back to Spain in 1522, after three years at sea

• Taught us much about the layout of the world

Hernando Cortes and the Aztecs

• In 1519 Cortes subdued the Aztec empire after he landed in Mexico

• Considered the most courageous and successful conquistador, because he brought great wealth back to Spain.

• Spurred more exploration

• To the Aztecs the Spanish seemed super Human on horses

Hernando Cortes and the Aztecs (cont)

• Cortes Studied law in Spain

• Determined to pursue a career in adventure

• Sailed for San Domingo in 1504

• Diego de Velasquez (Governor of Cuba) commissioned Cortes to conquer Mexico

• Cortes was aided by other Indian tribes that resented the Aztecs

Hernando Cortes and the Aztecs (cont)

• Cortes marched on the Aztec capitol (Tenochtitlan)

• Montezuma received Cortes as descendant of ancient God

• At first Cortes made Montezuma a hostage and governed through him

Hernando Cortes and the Aztecs (cont)

• In 1521 Cortez brought down the Aztec empire

• Eventually Cortes was forced out of power in Mexico by Spanish Government

• He received a noble title and died in Spain in 1547

• Cortes’ body was shipped back to Mexico where he lies today

Pizarro and Peru

• In 1531 Francisco Pizarro landed in Peru • Incas greeted Pizarro as a friend and in return,

he seized their emperor • Pizarro was offered a room of treasures for the

emperors release • Pizarro melted down the treasure and split it b/w

him and his men• The Spanish were afraid to release the emperor

in fear that he would lead a revolt against them. So they falsely accused him of crimes he did not commit, and executed him

Explorers of Present Day United States

• In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida

• He was looking for the fountain of youth

Seven cities of Cibola

• Indian defense tactic to use the Europeans greed against them.

• A tale of a city made of gold and emeralds • Backfired on the Indians when Europeans

herd about the seven cities it only prompted more to come, and when the explorers could not find the seven cities they often killed off the Indians for giving them false information.

Panfilo de Narvaez

• Set out to find wealth in Florida

• Cortes’ rival

• His crew included Cabeza de Vaca, Alonso de Castillo, Andres Dorantes and his slave Esteban

• Captured by Indians

• Explored south from Atlantic to Rockies

Esteban & Fray (Father) Marcos

• 1539 Hired by Monk to find Seven cities

• Found Pueblo Indians in Arizona and New Mexico

• Having only heard of the Pueblo Indians Father Marcos reported that he had located the Seven Cities of Cibola

Francisco de Coronado

• Hearing Father Marcos’ report Coronado set out with a large expedition to find the mythical treasures

• Also hoped to find Northwest Passage, a water route that went through present day America for an easier sea route to the Indies.

• Discovered the Grand Canyon

Hernando de Soto

• Also heard the tale of the Seven Cities and put together an elaborate Spanish Expedition in the new world

• Landed in Florida in 1539 at present day Fort Meyers, and wandered through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

• This ends the myth of the Seven Cities of Cibola • There is no new Incan empire

Spanish Settlements

• Spanish did not begin permanent settlements in the U.S. till the 1560’s

• St. Augustine in North East Florida, founded in 1565, is the oldest city in the U.S.

• When Spain defeated the Pueblo Indians Santa Fe was founded about the same time as Jamestown in 1609

French & English Exploration

• Despite the Papal Decrees other countries wanted their share

• The first attempt was made by England • John Cabot approached Henry VII about sailing

North West to get to the Indies 1497(believed Columbus reached the Indies)

• May 20, 1497 sailed into the North Atlantic • Reached New Foundland June 24,1497 then

traveled south for a ways and returned home after only eleven weeks at sea due to ice

Giovanni de Verrazano

• Italian hired by French• January 17, 1524 sailed for America in search of

the North-West Passage for French merchants .• He reached Cape Fear (North Carolina) March 1• Sailed north to avoid Spanish • Discovered bay of New York (Verrazano Bridge

in NYC)• Anchored in Newport Harbor and spent 2 weeks

with friendly indians and helped fill in the map of the east coast of America

Jacques Cartier

• French• Made three voyages to the new world for the

King of France, Frances 1st

• 1534 discovered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and sailed to Montreal and Quebec

• 1541 went to start a French settlement new Quebec

• After Indians killed about 35 Colonist and a harsh winter Cartier took the settlers home