ExplorationSWBAT: identify the consequences of Columbus’ “discovery” of the New World.

Homework: Should we celebrate Columbus Day?

Do Now: This is an artist’s representation of Columbus’ discovery of the New World. How would you describe the scene? Given what you know already, do you feel this is an accurate representation of how the first meeting occurred?

Hypothesize: do you think the artist’s representation of the first meeting is actually how it happened?

The Early Spanish and Portuguese Explorers• Prince Henry the Navigator: explored the west coast of

Africa. • Taught future explorers about currents, wind patterns, and

climates.• Claims the Azores for Portugal.

• Bartolomeu Dias: sailed around the Cape of Good Hope.• Found the route to the Indian Ocean

• Vasco de Gama: used that route to find India.

Who was Columbus?• Is an Italian from Genoa,

Italy.• How might this affect

him?• Like many others, he

understood that the world was not flat.

• Goal: to find a shorter way to the Far East.

But where to start?• Had to find a financial backer for his trip. • He asks many of the monarchs of Europe:• King John II of Portugal• Kingdoms of Venice and Genoa• King Henry VIII of England• King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain

• All turn him down.• Why? He grossly underestimates the amt. of time he

thinks it will take to get there.

Columbus finds a backer•Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain.• Promised to bring Catholicism to the

New World.• Sets sail August, 1492 on 3 ships:• Nine, Pinta, and Santa Maria

Queen Isabella of Castile and Aragon

First Voyage West• See land October 12, 1492.• End up in the Bahamas and Columbus calls it San Salvador.

Excerpt from the Diary of Columbus

Oct. 14, 1492:Presently we discovered two or three villages, and the people all came down to the shore, calling out to us, and giving thanks to God. Some brought us water…: others seeing that I was not disposed to land, plunged into the sea and swam out to us, and we perceived that they interrogated us if we had come from heaven. An old man came on board my boat; the others, both men and women cried with loud voices--"Come and see the men who have come from heavens. Bring them victuals and drink." I do not, however, see the necessity of fortifying the place, as the people here are simple in war-like matters, as your Highnesses will see by those seven which I have ordered to be taken and carried to Spain in order to learn our language and return, unless your Highnesses should choose to have them all transported to Castile, or held captive in the island. I could conquer the whole of them with fifty men, and govern them as I pleased.

Questions1. Who did the Native Americans on the island think

Columbus was?2. What was their reaction?3. How does he describe them?4. What does Columbus do to some of the Natives he

meets?

• So, does the artist accurately represent what happened when Columbus “discovered” the New World?

Impact of Columbus’ Journey• Forced the native population to become slaves to farm

and mine for gold and silver.• Converted the natives to Catholicism by force.• Not everyone agreed, however.• Bartoleme de Las Casas: was living in Cuba. • Urged the colonists to live peacefully with the Indians.• Wanted to introduce Catholicism slowly.

• Unfortunately, most did not agree.

Primary Source Analysis- Bartolome de las Casas

1. How does Bartolome describe the Native Americans living on the island?

2. What is the ultimate goal of the Christians living in the Caribbean?

3. What happened to the natives living on the island after they tried to revolt against the Spanish? List what you consider to be the worst 3 things.

4. What happened to those who survived?5. Why are the actions of the Christians ironic?

Larger Impact of Columbus’ Journey• Columbian Exchange• Europeans were introduced to potatoes, tomatoes, beans

and corn.• Native Americans were introduced to horses.

• Diseases like smallpox, flu, measles, and chicken pox killed many.• 90% of the native population died mid-1500.

• Because so many natives die, Spanish start importing Africans to replace the native population.

Exit Slip/Discussion• Is this an

accurate representation of Columbus’ experience?

• What is the problem with portraying an image like this?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raPLzhzxAeU