European Explorations & the Discovery of North America

Which Europeans Discovered North America and Canada First?

• Vikings:– 981: Bjarni landed in

Newfoundland by accident

– Leif Erikson in 1001 Heard about Bjarni & made his own trip to Newfoundland (stopped in NL and NS)

L’Anse aux Meadows• A place in Newfoundland• Archeologists think it was

a site where Vikings lived• Old foundations were

found• An international heritage

site• Very important!• http://www.youtube.com

/watch?v=cDfOHFUBEc4

Erikson brought back things like timber (big trees) and grapes to Greenland, telling of his time in “the great wooded land”

*** However, Europeans were not interested in a land far across the Ocean and the danger of travel was too great

Why did Europeans want to Explore?• Late 1400s • European countries

interested in because they wanted MONEY

• Before 1453 • Europeans travelled to

Asia• Spices, silk, herbs, silver,

gold, etc.• Stuff sold in Europe

Profit $$$

Blocked!!!

• All the vanished when the Ottoman empire Blocked the routes East

• What could the Europeans do?????

• They tried to look for another way to China

• Going West bring them to China (is that right?)

Ottoman Empire (in green)

Ottoman Empire Blocking routes

1400s: The Renaissance

• Europe in 1400s:• People interested in

Science/learning• People becoming better

educated/curious about the world

• Advances in medicine/math/ EXPLORATION

Renaissance & Explorations

• Lots of inventions during the Renaissance!!!!• Inventions to help explorations were popping

up as well!!!!• This made travel by sea easier at times!!!• What kinds of inventions????

Astrolab• Determines your position:• “The mariner's astrolabe is

simply a ring marked in degrees for measuring celestial altitudes. It was not possible to determine longitude at sea in the early days so the Mariner's Astrolabe was used to determine the latitude of a ship by measuring the noon altitude of the Sun.”– Yahoo

Caravel

• New type of ship:– Stronger– Very Fast – Easy to handle– Space for goods and

cargo– Good for long voyages

Compass

• Compasses aided travellers know the 4 Cardinal Points (North, South, East, West)

Maps

• Explorers used maps that had details from previous explorations.

• Maps were added to or changed as time went on

Exploration into the 1500s

• Different groups in Europe were interested in Exploration.

• Merchants = New route to the far East

• Scholars = Curious about life beyond Europe

• Clergy = Convert people to Christianity

Spain & Portugal

• First countries to send explorers

• Explored the South Atlantic

• Probably due to their location close to the Equator and wind patterns

Portugal & Explorers

• Bartholomew Diaz:–1st European to

sail down the coast of Africa Around Cape of good hope (1487)

Portugal & Explorers Con’t

• Vasco de Gama:–Same route as

Diaz, but made it to India (1497)

Portugal & Explorers Con’t

• Pedro Cabral:–Sailed Across

Atlantic Brazilian Coast (1500)

Spain & Explorers• Christopher Columbus:– Italian– 4 voyages West– Most famous trip in

1492 when trying to get to Asia Landed in what is now Bahamas

– He made 3 more trips different parts of the Caribbean

Spain & Explorers Con’t

• Amerigo Vespucci:– Explored the East

Coast of South America between 1499-1503–Amerigo =

America

Spain & Explorers Con’t

• Vasco Nuez de Balboa:– In 1513 travelled to

central America– Thinnest part of the

continent was able to walk to Pacific Ocean–1st European to see

Pacific Ocean

Vasco Nuez de Balboa 1513

Spain & Explorers Con’t

• Fedinao de Magellan: – Portuguese– First sailor around

the world (1519-1522)

– Killed about ¾ through his journey in the South Pacific

– Another captain continued the journey back to Spain

Portuguese claims in South America-1500s

Mainly what is now Brazil

Spanish claims in the Americas- 1500s

Mainly West Cost of SA and most of Central America

Spain vs. Portugal: A Battle for South America?

• SA late 1500s Spain & Portugal

• No battle for territory because RC Church gives:– Spain most of SA– Portugal Central

America– Eventually Portugal

weas allowed into SA

England/France & Explorers

• England and France sailed the North Atlantic and focused on North America– Why?

• They knew Spain & Portugal had control of South America

• They also thought Northern route = way to China

England & Explorers• John Cabot:

– Italian– Reached North Eastern

North America (1497) Newfoundland/Nova Scotia, etc.

– Thought he was in Asia and told English King…

– Confusion when English King sent more ships back… no gold/silk/spices…

– No more expeditions right away, except for fishing in the Grand Banks

Grand Banks

England & Explorers Con’t

• Martin Frobisher:– Explored Newfoundland

and Labrador (1576-1579)

• Sir Francis Drake:– Sailed under the tip of

South America up to Northern North America (what is now British Columbia, Oregon and Northern California)

Sir Francis Drake 1577-1580

England & Explorers Con’t

• Henry Hudson:• 1609: Sailed the Hudson

river for the Dutch• A year later for England Hudson Bay looking for the North-West passage

• Stayed the winter• On the return, his crew

turned against him and tossed him off the boat

France & Explorers• Jacques Cartier:

– 3 major voyages (1534, 1535, 1541)

– He was financed ($$$) by the King of France at the time (King Francis I).

• The king expected 4 things out of Cartier’s voyages:

1. Route to Asia2. Bring back cool stuff that

was worth $$$3. Set up a colony4. Set up the framework for

Christianity