Exploration of America

Christopher Columbus► Purpose: Sail West to reach Asia

► Sailed for Spain (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella paid for his voyage. They wanted him to find riches…gold, silver, spices, cotton)

► Made 3 voyages with several ships

► Obstacles: no maps and frightened crew, going into the unknown

► Accomplishments: Landing in the Bahamas and settled in Central and South America

► The Columbian Exchange started when Columbus arrived in Caribbean Islands Columbian Exchange started the

movement of animals, plants, food and people between Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

John Cabot► An Italian Explorer

► Sailed for England

► Obstacle: no map

► Purpose: Find a new route to Asia. He reached the coast of Canada which he thought was Asia

► Accomplishments: Landed in Eastern coast of Canada and discovering a rich fishing area. Europeans then went there to set up fishing companies.

Juan Ponce de Leon

► Sailed for Spain

► Obstacle: Fighting with Native Americans over land and made them work for them

► Purpose: Looking for “fountain of youth” and gold

► Accomplishments: First European to reach Florida

► Claimed Florida for Spain

Vasco Nunez Balboa

► Sailed for Spain

► Purpose: Looking for a new route to Asia

► Obstacle: Fought with Native Americans

► Accomplishments: Sailed to present day Panama in Central America. He crossed the mountains and jungles of Panama to reach and discover the Pacific Ocean

Henry Hudson► Sailed for England

(Netherlands)► Purpose: Discover the

Northwest Passage to Asia (Explorers believed it was a shortcut)

►Obstacles: Cold Climate (his crew were not prepared for the cold weather…they wanted to leave and he didn’t….they mutinied against him and set him, his son, and 7 crew adrift.)

►Accomplishments: Sailed up the Hudson River to present day New York and claimed it for England and he found the bay known now as the Hudson Bay.

Jacques Cartier

► Sailed for France ► Purpose: find a water

passage to Asia.►Obstacles: Sailors

caught diseases and cold climate

►Accomplishments: Sailed over 1,000 miles along the St. Lawrence River in Canada and set up the French fur trading post

Navigation Tools Used During Voyages

►Compass- is a navigational instrument for determining direction

►Astrolabe-is a historical astronomical instrument. It located the position of the sun, moon, planets, and stars; determining local time

Paths of European Explorers

Contact Between Explorers and Native Americans

► Simple tools (bones, shells)

►Hunters, farmers

►Canoes and dogs for transportation

►No alcohol

►Clothing: tree bark, fur

► Lived in clans

►Growing communities

►Metal tools, guns

►Trade with Europeans

►Horses for transportation

►Alcohol exposure

►Cotton introduced

►Germs, smallpox, some Native American tribes became extinct because of diseases

BEFORE AFTER

Conflict and Cooperation

►Conflict

Fought in battles over land

Endured harsh treatment and diseases

Explorers tricked Native Americans into “sharing” land….they really signed a compact saying they would give it up

Native Americans were forced to comply with new ways or move away to a new area

►Cooperation

Trading of goods (new tools, clothing & fur)