The Americas

Exploration and

Settlement

Natives of North and South America

There are many theories about how early Americans arrived here.

Early Americans

Alaska, in the extreme northwest corner of North America, is separated from Russia by

the Bering Strait, a narrow body of water that connects the Arctic and Pacific Oceans.

During the last Ice Age, it is believed the ocean level was lower, exposing a land bridge between Russia and Alaska.

People from Asia likely crossed the bridge while hunting animals for food.

Did some early

Americans cross a land bridge from

Asia to North

America? It is a

possibility.

In Viking legends from northern Europe, written in the 12th century and later, it is told

that Eric the Red, a Viking, explored the southeast and southwest coasts of

Greenland in 983-986 A. D. He had been banned from Iceland on a charge of

manslaughter. He gave the land its name because people would be more likely to

go there if it had an attractive name.

The Vikings

About 1000 A.D., Eric the Red’s son, Leif explored the east coast of North America, and called the area “Vinland”, which is probably the current Canadian province of Newfoundland.

Vinland, and other Viking settlements did not last long, mainly because of bad relations with natives.

The existence of these settlements remained just a legend—for a time.

Evidence of Viking settlements was discovered in the 1960s.

Some archaeologists think Vinland may be the excavated site L’Anse aux Meadows.

After the settlements were abandoned, it was nearly

500 years before Europeans showed up again and explored this

area of the world.(As far as we know…)

With Italians in firm control of Mediterranean trade in the 1400s, Europeans began to

search for other trade routes to get to Asia.

Portuguese explorers made it to the bottom of Africa in the 1480s, and all the way

to India by the 1490s.

An Italian explorer named Christopher Columbus proposed

sailing west, into the Atlantic Ocean, in order to reach Asia.

(He didn’t know there was a huge road block!)

Although much of the educated world accepted the idea that the earth was round, there were some who feared venturing far

from land in case they fell off, or were attacked by sea monsters.

Columbus had approached Portugal with his idea, but they thought it was impractical, and chose to focus on their African route.

Both Genoa and Venice were also not interested in his plan.

He approached the Spanish monarchy, but was originally rejected.

However, he was called back by the Spanish royalty, and he eventually achieved financing for his adventure.

1890s replicas of the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria

The First Voyage of Columbus 1492

News of Columbus’ successful journey spread rapidly throughout Europe.

Mistakenly believing he was in Asia, he referred to the natives as “Indians”.

He made a total of four voyages to this “New World”, as some called it.

Note: HE NEVER TOUCHED WHAT IS NOW THE MAINLAND U. S.!!!

The Second Voyage of Columbus 1493

The Third Voyage of Columbus1498

The Fourth Voyage of Columbus1502

Columbus died in 1506, still believing that he had made it to Asia. In history, he is

famous for the bravery it took in making the journey, and then having so many other

Europeans come after he did. Some Native Americans do not look on him

fondly, because of all the changes that took place in the “New World” after his

journeys. Despite your opinion of him, he made a huge impact on history.

The Columbian Exchange -Products, Animals, and Diseases that were

“exchanged” between the “Old” and “New” Worlds.

Why America?After the voyages of Columbus, other

Europeans followed. One, an Italian named Amerigo Vespucci, is given credit for

claiming that the continents of North and South America were separate landmasses, and not part of Asia. In 1507, a German

mapmaker, Martin Waldseemuller, made a world map, and labeled the new land

“America”. The name stuck.

In the late 1400s and early 1500s, Europeans began searching for a waterway

through North America, that would get them to Asia. This

hoped-for waterway was nicknamed:

“The Northwest Passage”.

The Current “Northwest Passage”

A ship didn’t actually find a “Northwest Passage” until the 20th century. It is a hard trip because of the weather conditions and icy water of the Arctic.

As Europeans searched for the passage, they also began to explore, and then years later, settle

the east coast of North America.

Further to the South, Spain continued its explorations, and even Portugal got in on

the action.

Both Spain and Portugal were Catholic countries. Not wanting them to fight, the pope created an imaginary line, giving Portugal the riches of Africa, and Spain the riches of the “New World” Columbus

had bumped into. Nobody knew how big the region really was.

The Pope divided new land between Spain and Portugal without knowing how far Brazil juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. That is why Portuguese is the dominant language there.

Eventually other Catholic Christian countries like France didn’t pay too much attention to this line, and Protestant Christian countries like England and Holland (who paid no attention to the pope’s authority), ignored it as well.

However, it took awhile for those countries to catch up to Spain and Portugal in claiming the riches of this “New World”.

Spain (Other Countries Eventually Ignored the Line) Portugal

After the Europeans realized they were not in Asia or the Indies, they focused on gathering the riches of this “New World”.

European ColonizationStarting in the 1500s, first the Spanish and then the Portuguese began settling parts of the Americas. By the late 1500s, French, English, and other European settlers arrived in North America. Most came for one of three reasons:

1. To farm the plentiful land available.

2. To search for valuable minerals like gold.

3. To escape religious or political PERSECUTION.

Map of European Colonial Claims in the 1700s

The three main rivals who tried to control North America in the 1700s, were:

the English, the French, and the Spanish.

The English had 13 colonies on the Atlantic Seaboard, some islands in the Caribbean, and

the northern portion of Canada.

French ColoniesThe French were primarily in North America to trap and trade rather than to permanently settle. Many of them did intermarry with the local native women.

The settlements they did create were mainly in Quebec along the St. Lawrence River. Other settlements were established along the Mississippi River, the most famous being the city of New Orleans.

New France included land

along the St. Lawrence

River, the Great Lakes,

and land drained by

the Mississippi

River.

Spanish ColoniesThe Spanish ruled large areas west of the Mississippi River, although they did set up the first European colony on U. S. soil in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida.

The Spanish also settled large areas of modern-day Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

The Spanish were the first Europeans to

claim large parts of both North and South America.

By 1750, they did have some

settlements in parts of what is

now the southern U. S.

After losing the French and Indian

War, the French

government was basically kicked out of

North America, but

French-speaking settlers stayed behind.

The U. S. was first in the Americas to gain independence.

Eventual Territorial Growth of the U. S. 1783 - 1853

Canadian Independence With so many Americans arriving in Canada,

during and after the American Revolution, the British eventually divided it into two parts.

Lower Canada was established along the eastern part of the St. Lawrence River where mainly French was spoken.

Upper Canada, included the western part of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes region. English was mainly spoken.

Lower Canada is shown in green. Upper Canada is shown in yellow.

English-Speaking

French-SpeakingPlease do not be confused by the

terms “Lower” and “Upper”.

In this instance, “Lower” refers to the area near the mouth of a river. “Upper” refers to

being further up the river, near its

source.

Upper and Lower Canada united in 1841, and self-government was approved by Great Britain in 1849.

In 1867, the Dominion of Canada was established, and the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united.

Manitoba, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island were then added later.

Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Newfoundland were added in the 1900s.

1867

1867

1867 1867

18701871

1873

19051905

1949

1870

1898

1999

The Map in 1800

Latin America (lands primarily south of the U. S.), was dominated by the Spanish and the

Portuguese.

Other Europeans such as the British, French,

and Dutch, had smaller influences.

Viceroyalty of New Spain – Early 1800s

Included Mexico,

and several of

the Central

American countries

Viceroyalty of New Granada – Early 1800s

Included Venezuela, Colombia,

and Ecuador

Viceroyalty of Peru – Early 1800s

Included most of the modern-day countries of Peru and

Chile

Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata –

Early 1800s

Included the modern-day countries of

Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Brazil had to earn its independence from

Portugal.

Until around 1800, about 2,000 Portuguese and Spanish settlers arrived each year. Other

Europeans, especially Italians, British, French, and Germans came as well. In some countries

like Uruguay and Argentina, you will find a large mixture of people with a mixed European

background like many people have in the United States.

Europeans Migrate toLatin America

Independence

Inspired by the American Revolution, people living in Latin America began to

desire their independence as well. Throughout the first half of the 1800s, many

of them began to achieve it. Haiti, a French colony, was the first to gain independence in 1804. Most of the

Spanish colonies had to fight and struggle to gain their independence.

Many of the island nations stayed

colonies well into the 20th century.