EUROPE AND AMERICA COLLIDE

I. Reasons for European Exploration A. The three G’s

1. God, Gold, and Glory B. European Renaissance: renewed

interest in exploration due to new knowledge

C. New navigation technologies D. World competition for empires

1. new markets for goods 2. colonies could be used for cheap raw

materials

E. Prince Henry the Navigator: 1. set up a school for training explorers in

Portugal

II. Vikings as the First Explorers A. Peoples from Scandinavia

1. present-day Sweden, Denmark, and Norway

2. most traveled southward to Europe B. Used longboats to cross Atlantic

Ocean

C. Expedition led by Leif Ericsson believed to be the first Europeans in the Americas 1. around A.D. 1000 2. attempts to set up colonies failed-did not

have superior weapons

III. Spain and Columbus

A. Columbus believed that he could travel to Asia more quickly if he sailed westward 1. attempts to gain funding failed-risky

venture 2. Bartolomeu Dias had rounded tip of

Africa in 1488 1. Portugal would get to Asia by this route

B. Finally convinced Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain to fund the voyage 1. said it would bring them money and new

converts to Catholicism C. Landed on islands in the Caribbean

during his first voyage in 1492 1. Present day Bahamas, Cuba, Hispanolia 2. called the native peoples “Indians,” since

he believed he had reached India

D. Relations with the Natives 1. enslaved many to mine for gold 2. millions died of European diseases

IV. Other Spanish Explorers

A. Spain claimed the Americas for colonization

B. Treaty of Tordesillas-pope settled dispute over land between Spain and Portugal 1. created a line of demarcation 2. Spain controlled west of line, Portugal

controlled East

C. Amerigo Vespucci-sailed along South America 1. named it “America” after himself when

he concluded it was not actually Asia D. Juan Ponce de Leon-Spanish governor

of Puerto Rico 1. sailed north in 1513 looking for the

Fountain of Youth 2. discovered present-day Florida

E. Vasco de Balboa-became the first to reach the Pacific coast by going through Panama

F. Ferdinand Magellan-his crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe 1. Magellan died in the Philippines

G. Hernan Cortes: conquered the Montezuma and the Aztec empire 1. used conquered peoples to his

advantage 2. had superior weaponry 3. disease had wiped out much of the

population of the Aztecs H. Francisco Pizarro: conquered the Incan

empire 1. kept the emperor Atahualpa hostage 2. murdered the emperor and installed his

own

I. Hernando de Soto: explored much of what is today the Southeastern United States

J. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado: explored present day Southwestern United states in search of the Seven Cities of Gold The Road to El Dorado

G. Vasco da Gama: first explorer to reach India by sailing around the tip of Africa

V. French Explorers

A. Giovanna da Verrazano: sent to find a Northwest Passage across North America 1. Europeans believed there was a water

passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

B. Jacques Cartier: mapped the St. Lawrence River

C. Samuel de Champlain: founded French colonies of Nova Scotia and Quebec

VI. English Exploration

A. English started exploring much later than Spain, France, and Portugal 1. government had little money during this

time period B. John Cabot: 1497 explored parts of

Canada 1. disappeared on his second voyage to

America 2. had not discovered gold or wealth, so the

English made no effort to colonize quickly

VII. The Columbian Exchange A. Food traveled between Europe and

the Americas 1. corn, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. 2. tobacco also made its way to Europe 3. Europeans brought coffee, oats, wheat,

bananas, citrus fruit, etc. B. Firearms and weapons were

exchanged

C. Diseases the most significant exchange 1. influenza, measles, chicken pox, small

pox, typhus 2. Native Americans had no immunity;

killed millions and decimated the population

3. Natives gave syphilis to Europeans