European Exploration of the Americas

What motivated the Europeans to explore America?

Gold, Glory, and God.

Why did European Explores look for a western route to Asia?

Overland routes to Asia/Spice Islands was long and expensive

What is meant by Gold as a motivation for exploration?

Spices, gold, natural resources, or any objects that could bring wealth.

What is meant by Glory as a motivation for exploration?

Wealth, power, and recognition of individual achievement.

What is meant by God as a motivation for exploration?

The European nations wanted to spread Christianity.

Why did Spain decide to fund Columbus' voyage west?

Portuguese Sailors had already established a water route around the tip of southern Africa, across the Indian Ocean to Asia

Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?

Portuguese prince - Early 1400's - established a school for navigation in Portugal - led to advances in map making and ship building - funded exploration of west coast of Africa.

Who was Bartolome Dias?

In 1488 - Portuguese explorer who rounded the southern tip of Africa and got the Portuguese closer to finding a water route to Asia

Who was Vasco de Gama?

Portuguese explorer - 1498 - followed Dias' route and continued on across the Indian Ocean - Found a water route to Asia and brought back jewels and spices, which encouraged further exploration

Who was Christopher Columbus?

An Italian, working for Spain, led an expedition west across the Atlantic, looking for a western route to Asia. In 1492, he landed in the Bahamas.

Who was Amerigo Vespucci?

Explorer who first realized the land Columbus claimed to be Asia was actually two, new continents, North and South America. The continents are named for him.

Who was Martin Waldseemuller?

In 1507, drew the first wold map to show North and South America as separate and new continents.

Conquistadors

Spanish explorers/adventurers who went in search of new lands and wealth for Spain. They only had to give Spain 1/5 of all the wealth they found.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa

In 1513 this Spanish conqustador crossed the Isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean

Juan Ponce de Leon

From 1513 - 1521 - Spanish Conquistador looking for gold, landed in Florida - gave Florida its name - probably the first Spaniard to explore the mainland of North America.

Ferdinand Magellan

From 1519-1521 he was the first to circumnavigate the globe. He died in the Philippines. Juan Sebastian el Cano took over and completed the voyage.

Hernan Cortes

In 1521, this Conquistado looking for gold - conquered the Aztec empire located in present day Mexico

Franscisco Pizzaro

From 1532 -1538- looking for gold - conquered the Inca empire in present day Peru.

Hernan DeSoto

From 1539-1542 - Spanish conquistador, looking for gold - explored Florida and moved north and traveling through present day southeastern United States. First European to cross the Mississippi River.

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado

Spanish conquistador who during the 1540's- looking for the Seven Cities of Cibola (Native American myth - cities of gold) - explored the southwestern part of present day United States.

Protestant Reformation

a movement to bring reform to the Catholic Church - leads to the emergence of new sects of Christianity call Protestant Churches. The British will completely throw out Catholicism and replace with the Church of England.

Queen Elizabeth I

Ruled England from 1558-1603 - She has no problem competing with Catholic Spain

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

1588 - the Spanish send a vast fleet to England to put a stop to what they see as piracy of Spanish galleons. They are defeated by a smaller, faster, British navy - marks the beginning of declining Spanish Power.

Northwest Passage

A possible water route north across the top of North America that would reach Asia.

John Cabot

From 1497-1498 English explorer - explored the northern coast of North America looking for a northern route to Asia.

Sir Francis Drake -

English explorer and adventure. From 1577-1580 his goal was to establish English presence in the New World and assert English dominance over Spain - Circumnavigated the globe; explored the coast of California, claiming it for England; and returned to Europe through the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. Also instrumental in the 1588 defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Henry Hudson

In 1609 this English explorer worked for the Dutch and explored the coast of present day New York. 1610-1611 - Working for the English and looking for the Northwest Passage, he explored north to the northern bay that bears his name. His crew abandons him, leaving him to die, but England would claim this region.

Giovanni da Verrazzano

1524 Sailed from France up the northeastern coast of North America to Nova Scotia. Helped to establish a French claim in North America.

Jacques Cartier

In 1544 Explored the St. Lawrence River as far inland as modern-day Montreal. Helped to establish a French presence in modern-day Canada.

Circumnavigate

To sail all the way around the world.

Cartography

Map making

Colombian Exchange

the exchange of plants, animals, disease between the new world (North and South America) and the old world (Europe, Africa, Asia).