Exploration

Beginning in the 1400s the Age of Exploration was when European countries expanded outside of its borders.

Before the time Europe remained isolated from the rest of the world except for Marco Polo’s explorations in China in 1275.

Europeans were motivated by the 3GsGod- Spread ChristianityGlory- Find new territories for the monarchsGold- Obtain wealth

Europeans had been introduced to spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, and ginger during the Crusades. Demand was higher than supply. Merchants were able to make great profits from the sale of spices.

Following the Crusades Europeans believed it was their duty to continue to spread Christianity by converting non-Christians and fight the Muslims.

Technology allowed for easier exploration for the EuropeansThe caravel was a new sturdier vessel.Triangular sails allowed for sailing against the wind.The astrolabe was used to calculate latitude.Also the magnetic compass was used for direction

Portugal was the leader in using the innovations.

They were also the first to establish trading outposts in West Africa.

Governmental support helped with resources.

Prince Henry the Navigator used his own fortune to fund 14 voyages and died in debt.

Spain and Portugal became rivals in exploration.

Pope Alexander created a dividing line. Spain would claim all land to the west-Portugal to the east

The Treaty of Tordesilla moved the line farther west causing Portugal to fall off course landing in Brazil

Gaspar Corte Real: 1450-1501: Explored Greenland

Bartolomeu Dias: 1457-1500: The first European explorer to lead a voyage around the Cape of Good Hope on the Southern most tip of South Africa.

Pedro Alvares Cabral: 1467-1520: The first European explorer to reach Brazil

Vasco da Gama: 1469-1524: Discovered and ocean route from Portugal to the East

Ferdinand Magellan: 1480-1521: First to circumnavigate the world

Portuguese Explorers

Spanish ExplorersChristopher Columbus: 1451-1506: On his way to find India, discovered the New World, the West Indies.

Francisco Pizarro: 1478-1541: Conquered the Incas in Peru

Vasco Nunez de Balboa: 1475-1519: First European to see the Pacific Ocean from its eastern shore

Juan Ponce de Leon: 1460-1521: First to reach Florida

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado: 1510-1554: First to explore southwestern North America

Hernando Cortes: 1485-1547: Conquered the Aztecs in Mexico

Cabeza de Vaca: 1490-1557: First to explore Texas and the Southwest

Panfilo de Narvaez: 1470-1528: explored Cuba

Alfonso Pineda: 1494-1519: proved Florida was not an island

Juan de Onate: 1550-1630: established the colony of New Mexico for Spain

Juan Cabrillo: 1499-1543: First to explore to navigate the coast of California

English Explorers

Sir Francis Drake: 1540-1597: Circumnavigated the world

Sir Walter Raleigh: 1552-1618: Discovered Guiana and established the Virginia colony of Roanoke Island

Sir Humphrey Gilbert: 1539-1583: established St. Johns and Newfoundland

Sir Richard Grenville: 1542-1590: Explored Virginia, Roanoke Island and the Azores

Sir John Hawkins: 1532-1595: Explored South America and West Africa

John Cabot: 1450-1499: Second to found North America, colonized Canada

Sebatian Cabot: 1474-1557: Searched for Northwest Passage across North America and made expeditions to Russia

Henry Hudson: 1565-1611: Discovered the what came to called the HudsonRiver

French Explorers

Jacques Cartier: 1491-1557: Led three expeditions to Canada

Jacques Marquette: 1637-1675: Along with Louis Joliet, discovered theMississippi River.

Samuel de Champlain: 1567-1635: Known as the Father of Canada was the founder of Quebec City

Italian Explorers

Marco Polo: 1254-1324: China and parts of Asia

Christopher Columbus was Italian but sailed for Spain

Amerigo Vespucci was Italian but sailed for Spain

Giovanna da Verrazzano: 1485-1528: was Italian but sailed for France- explored the Northeast coast of North America from Cape Fear to Maine

Fray Marcos de Niza: 1496-1558: Discovering the Pueblo tribe called the Zuni Indians. Made to believe the myth of the "Seven Golden Cities of Cibola"

The second son of Erik the Red, Leif Eriksson was on his way back home to Greenland, where Norway's King Olaf I had sent him to Christianize the natives, when he sailed off course and landed at what is now Nova Scotia, which he called Vinland. This account comes from the Icelandic Eiríks saga. Another account, the Groenlendinga saga, says he learned of Vinland from an Icelandic trader who had been there 14 years earlier.

He never colonized the land he discovered, and he would never return to it once he headed back to Greenland after the winter was over.

Leif Eriksson

Explorer Amerigo Vespucci was born March 9, 1451, in Florence, Italy. On May 10, 1497, he embarked on his first voyage. On his third and most successful voyage, he discovered present-day Rio de Janeiro and Rio de la Plata. Believing he had discovered a new continent, he called South America the New World. In 1507, America was named after him. He died of malaria in Seville, Spain, on February 22, 1512.

Commanded a fleet of more than 300 ships, 50 treasure ships

The fleet included more than 20,000 sailors and hundreds of ships.

The ships were as long as 400 feet. (Columbus's ships, were less than 100 feet long.)

Zheng He and his fleet went to on Seven Voyages to places like India, Ceylon, Arabia, Africa, and many other places, spreading the word about the glory of China. He brought back with him many tributes and many strange animals and plants.

Zheng He