Chapter 3: Age of Discovery

European Explores

Marco Polo

Marco Polo

Traveled through Asia in 1271-1295. Wrote a book about his travels. His book helped spark the renaissance in Europe in the 1400's.

Prince Henry

Prince of Portugal. School of Navigation. Made better ships, maps, and tools, for navigation.

Christopher Columbus

Landed in Bahamas. Sailed west to find route to Asia. King and Queen of Spain funded his voyage. First European to set foot on North America.

John Cabot

Funded by England. Searching for The Northwest Passage. Thought he reached Asia. Ended up in Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada).

Amerigo Vespucci

Was not in Asia he found new land. Marco Polo's description didn't match. Sailed to coast of South America. Funded by Spain. Trying to find The Northwest Passage. North and South America was named after him.

Balboa

Funded by Spain. Sailed through Isthmus of Panama to reach the Pacific.

Magellan

Funded by Spain. Named the Pacific Ocean. Sailed south around the tip of South America to reach the Philippians. Sailors on one of his five ships were the first Europeans to travel around the world.

Treaty of Tordesillas

An agreement between Spain and Portugal. Spain got most of North and South America. Portugal got the country of Brazil.

Ponce de Leon

Funded by Spain. Trying to find Fountain of Youth. Claimed Florida for Spain. First Spanish explorer to set foot on North America.

Cortes

Spanish Conquistador. To find gold in the land of The Aztecs. Conquered The Aztecs and took their land. Built Mexico City, Mexico.

Coronado

Spanish Conquistador. To find gold cities. Claimed Southwest region of U.S. for Spain.

Pizarro

Looking for gold in Mexico. Spanish Conquistador. Conquered The Incas and stole their land.

de Soto

Spanish Conquistador. Explored the Southeast region of the U.S. and claimed it for Spain.

Giovanni da Verrazano

Funded by France. Trying to find The Northwest Passage. Met Native Americans. Explored the coasts of North and South America.

Jacques Cartier

Funded by France. To find The Northwest Passage. Explored St. Lawrence River and claimed land around it for Spain.

Henry Hudson

4 Voyages. Funded by Trading Companies. To find The Northwest Passage. Claimed The Hudson River. Claimed The Hudson Bay are for England. His crew mutinied.

Vikings

This group reached North America about 500 years before Columbus.

Northwest Passage

A short cut to Asia through North America.

Problems Early Explorers Faced

They needed money for ships, crew, and supplies. They needed better maps and tools for sailing. Long voyages into unknown water were dangerous.

Columbus thought he reached Asia by sailing west.

He was actually in the Bahamas off the coast of North America.

What two facts proved Columbus was not in Asia but on new land.

Vespucci realized that he had reached new land because what he saw didn't match Marco's book. Balboa sailed west and crossed the Isthmus of Panama to reach the Pacific proving that it was not Asia, but new land.

What were some costs and benefits of expedition?

Costs - Money for ships, Crew, and Supplies. Benefits - Countries would gain new land and become rich.

Why did so many countries want to find the Northwest Passage?

They wanted to have a route to China so they could bring the silk and spices back and get rich selling them in Europe.

Why wasn't anyone successful at finding the Northwest Passage?

It doesn't exist!