US HISTORYChapter 2

Exploring the Americas1400-1625

Lesson 1 – A Changing World

The Crusades Began in 1095 Series of expeditions by

European Christians to Jerusalem to regain control of the Holy City

Brought Europeans into contact with Asians traded for spices, sugar, & silk

Marco Polo Traveled to China

in late 1200s Wrote “Travels”

described his journey

Increased interest in Asia for Europeans

Lesson 1 – A Changing World

Growth of Trade Arab traders in the Middle

East sold Asian goods to European merchants

European merchants shipped goods to Mediterranean ports such as Venice and Genoa

European merchants wanted to figure out a way to bypass Arab traders in order to increase their profit

Lesson 1 – A Changing World

Technology Advancements Printing Press – allows for

information (books, maps, etc.) to spread quickly

Astrolabe – helped determine latitude

Magnetic Compass – helped determine direction

Caravel – faster ship with more cargo space, could also go in shallow waters

Lesson 1 – A Changing World

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Portugal Prince Henry set up center for

exploration in Portugal in 1420 This “school” brought together

astronomers, geographers, mathematicians, sailors, and shipbuilders to share their knowledge

Portuguese ships explored the western coast of Africa traded for gold and ivory...later bought slaves

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Portugal 1487 – Bartholomeu Dias sails

around southern tip of Africa...King John II names the “Cape of Good Hope”

1497 – Vasco da Gama sails around the Cape of Good Hope, travels up coast of East Africa and sails to India

1500 – Pedro Cabral leaves for India, swings so wide around Africa that he lands in Brazil (claiming the land for Portugal), takes off from Brazil for India

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Spain Christopher Columbus

Did NOT “discover” America Evidence shows Leif Eriksson

and the Vikings were in N. America centuries earlier

1492 – convinces Spain (King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella) to finance his voyage to look for western route to Asia

Takes three ships (Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria) and reaches Caribbean in October 1492

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Spain Christopher Columbus

Returns to Spain with Native American slaves & gets financing for another voyage

Returns to Caribbean in 1493 – treats natives VERY poorly (crew stole food & gold, raped women, & made many natives slaves)

Made two more voyages (1498 & 1502) sailing along coastline of Central & South America

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Feud between Spain & Portugal both countries wanted to

protect their claims in the Americas...turned to Pope Alexander VI for help

Line of Demarcation – established in 1493, runs from N to S, Spain gets lands to the W, Portugal gets lands to the E

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) – Portugal complains about the line...two countries agree to move it W

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Other Explorers Amerigo Vespucci -

sailed along coast of South America in 1502, concluded that South America was a new continent and not part of Asia, geographers then began to call the land “America” in his honor

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Other Explorers Vasco Nunez de Balboa –

travels across Isthmus of Panama in 1513 and becomes first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas, claims it and all adjoining lands for Spain

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration

Other Explorers Ferdinand Magellan –

reached the southernmost tip of South America in 1520, encountered storms, went into Pacific Ocean and gave it its name...means “peaceful”...went on to sail to the Philippines where he was killed...his crew continued on to Spain where they arrived in 1522 becoming the first to circumnavigate the world

Lesson 3 – Spain in America

Explorers & Conquest Spanish hear stories of

gold & riches in the Americas

Spanish crown allows conquistadors to explore in search of these riches...1/5 of any gold found was to be paid to the Spanish crown

Lesson 3 – Spain in America

Hernan Cortes arrives at Tenochtitlan -

November 8, 1519 Montezuma (Aztec leader)

believes Cortes is Quetzalcoatl (Aztec god returning to take back the throne)

Montezuma becomes prisoner of the Spanish

Spanish steal millions in gold Cortes leaves, returns 10

months later Aztec surrender on August 13,

1521

Lesson 3 – Spain in America

Francisco Pizarro arrived in Incan Empire in

1531 captured Incan leader

(Atahualpa) Spanish held Atahualpa

ransom, forced Incans to fill a room with gold & silver

Incans fill the room ($65 million value)

Pizarro kills him anyway

Lesson 3 – Spain in America

Juan Ponce de Leon First Spanish landing in

North American mainland (east coast of Florida) in 1513

Searched for gold & mythical “fountain of youth”

Named “Florida”...Spanish word means “full of flowers”

His journey led to the first settlement in what is now the US – St. Augustine, FL (1565)

Lesson 3 – Spain in America

Hernando de Soto Led Spanish expedition

throughout the American Southeast in search of the “Seven Cities of Cibola” or Seven Cities of Gold

First European expedition to reach Mississippi River

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Searched throughout

American Southwest for the Seven Cities of Cibola

Lesson 3 – Spain in America

Social Classes Peninsulares – born in

Spain, but living in the New World

Creoles – born in New World to Spanish parents

Mestizos – people of mixed Spanish & Native American descent

Native Americans African slaves

Lesson 4 – Competing for

Colonies Religious Rivalries

First Europeans to travel in Americas were Catholic (Spanish & Portuguese)

1517 – Reformation starts…start of Protestantism

1533 – English King Henry VIII leaves Catholic Church

Problems arise during reign of Henry’s daughter (Queen Elizabeth I)

Lesson 4 – Competing for

Colonies The Defeat of the Spanish Armada

England & Spain close to war due to trade rivalry & religious differences

King Philip II (Spain) wanted to replace Queen Elizabeth I (England) with a Catholic

Sir Francis Drake – English, attacked Spanish ships & ports, Philip II felt he should be punished, Elizabeth knighted him instead

Philip sent the Spanish Armada to conquer England

Spanish Armada is defeated (1588) by the English

Opens the way for English to colonize North America

Lesson 4 – Competing for

Colonies Northwest Passage

Treaty of Tordesillas divided the Americas b/w Spain & Portugal...England, France, & the Netherlands ignored the treaty and made their own claims

All of the countries were interested in finding the Northwest Passage supposed all-water route through the Americas

Lesson 4 – Competing for

Colonies Northwest Passage

John Cabot – sailed for England in 1497...landed in Newfoundland...England used Cabot’s voyage to make land claims in North America...found important fishing area now known as “Grand Banks”

Jacques Cartier – French explorer...sailed up the St. Lawrence River...France used Cartier’s voyage to make land claims in Canada

Henry Hudson – Dutch explorer...Hudson River & Hudson Bay named after him...mutinous crew set him adrift in Hudson Bay...he was never seen again

Lesson 4 – Competing for

Colonies French in North America

Mainly concerned with fishing & trapping

New France – along St. Lawrence R. in Canada

French Explorers Joliet & Marquette – went down

Mississippi River by canoe...determined it went south to Gulf of Mexico and not west to Pacific

La Salle – traveled the Mississippi River all the way south to Gulf of Mexico, claimed the region for France calling it “Louisiana” in honor of King Louis XIV

Lesson 4 – Competing for

Colonies Dutch Settlements

Dutch had large fleet of trading ships that sailed all over the world

Set up multiple trading posts along east coast of North America

New Amsterdam – center of the colony...Gov. Peter Minuit paid about $24 in goods to Manhattoes natives for the island...island is now known as Manhattan (NYC)