Transcript Explorers Lesson 2

THE EXPLORERS
THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY
JOHN CABOT
KINGDOM: England
YEAR of VOYAGE:
1497
DESTINATION:
England to Canada
and Newfoundland
JOHN CABOT
John Cabot was
an Italian explorer
whose real name
was Giovanni
Caboto
INTERESTING FACT:
John Cabot’s true name was Giovanni Caboto
(he adopted a more English-sounding name upon
moving to England). Caboto grew up in Genoa, the
home city of Columbus, and was roughly the same age
as Columbus. The two may have even crossed paths as
young sailors.
JOHN CABOT
King Henry paid for
Cabot’s expedition to help
England compete for land
and wealth
INTERESTING FACT:
Since England was the furthest major kingdom from
the trading cities of Venice and Genoa, the price of
spices from the East was astronomical! King Henry
VII of England had turned down Columbus, and he
decided that he would not make the same mistake when
Cabot offered to sail east to China!
JOHN CABOT
Although he did not find a
route to the Far East, he
did discover a route to the
“northern lands” for
England. Cabot brought
back news of plentiful
supplies of fish, as well as
dense forests of towering
trees. Fish and timber were
important natural resources
back in England.
JOHN CABOT
THE GOOD: John
Cabot set out to find a
shorter route to Asia by
sailing further north than
Columbus did.
John Cabot actually
landed in present day New
Foundland (Canada). He
believed that he was
somewhere near modernday Japan.
JOHN CABOT
THE BAD: England
would soon begin sending
fishing expeditions to the
New World. English
fishermen introduced
diseases to the Native
Americans that they
encountered.
INTERESTING FACT:
King Henry VII was thrilled with Cabot’s description
of the island he referred to as “new founde land”
(Cabot conveniently left the island’s hazardous
icebergs and swarms of mosquitoes out of his report).
Cabot was given a hefty reward, command of six
English ships, and orders to go and set up a trading
colony on the island!
JOHN CABOT
THE UGLY: Cabot
ventured across the Atlantic
on a second voyage in 1498.
He and his son Sebastian
were lost at sea when their
ship presumably went down in
a storm. Cabot’s misfortune
became one of many
cautionary tales that attested
to the dangers of the Age of
Exploration.
INTERESTING FACT:
While Columbus was given three ships and 90
sailors by the Spanish crown, Cabot was given one
small ship and 18 crewmen by the King of England.
The Matthew was even tinier than Columbus’
smallest ship, the Nina.
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
KINGDOMS:
Spain and Portugal
YEARS of
VOYAGE: 14991504
DESTINATION:
Europe to South
American coast
INTERESTING FACT:
Vespucci first sailed on a Spanish expedition in
1499 as a “gentleman tourist” in search of a star that
remained fixed at the South Pole, like the North
Star did in the Northern Hemisphere. King Manuel
of Portugal financed Vespucci's voyages in 1501
and 1503 to investigate the Portuguese territory
east of the Line of Demarcation (now known as
Brazil) which had been accidently discovered by
Pedro Cabral in 1500.
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
Amerigo Vespucci
was an Italian
explorer who did
not believe that
Columbus had
reached Asia
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
THE GOOD: Amerigo Vespucci
contributed immensely to European
knowledge of the “New World” (a
phrase that he actually coined). He
took detailed notes on the
constellations, the shape of the
coastline, and the new tribes of people
that he encountered. Most
importantly, Vespucci wrote a widelyread letter in which he argued that he
had been able to sail too far south for
the land that Columbus had
discovered to be the Indies or Cathay.
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
INTERESTING FACT:
In 1500, Pedro Cabral was attempting to follow da Gama’s
route to the Cape of Good Hope when his fleet was
carried off course by strong winds. Cabral discovered a
large land mass bulging out into the Atlantic Ocean which
he claimed for Portugal. It was initially named the Land of
Parrots, but in 1511 was renamed Brazil. Though Cabral
receives credit for discovering Brazil, sources indicate that
Vespucci may have explored the northern coast ten months
earlier than Cabral did!
INTERESTING FACT:
Vespucci did not seek gold, but he did hope
to achieve fame. His exploration of the
South American coast added more than
3,300 miles to what cartographers had
mapped of the New World!
THE MYSTERIOUS “NEW WORLD”!
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
THE BAD: In his letters, Vespucci
often wildly exaggerated what he saw in
the New World. However, his writing
was enjoyed all over Europe. After all,
the people of Europe loved hearing
about the strange and mysterious lands
across the ocean! Editors who later
printed Vespucci’s famous letters
falsified the dates of his voyage to
1497 (which was the year before
Columbus reached the coast of South
America) in order to make Vespucci
appear to be the discoverer of the
nameless land mass that would later be
christened “America”.
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
THE UGLY: In 1507, a
German cartographer named
Martin Waldseemuller began
work on the first accurate map of
the New World based on
Vespucci’s journals. Accepting
Vespucci’s claim to the
discovery, Waldseemuller named
the newly found continent
“America” in honor of Amerigo.
WALDSEEMULLER MAP ~ 1507
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
INTERESTING FACT:
Vespucci did not seek gold, but he
did hope to achieve fame. His
exploration of the South American
coast added more than 3,300 miles
to what cartographers had mapped
of the New World!
Vespucci’s
voyage changed
how the world was
seen because he
proved that the
land he, Cabot
and Columbus
found was
actually a whole
new continent.
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
THE UGLY: In 1507, a
German cartographer named
Martin Waldseemuller began
work on the first accurate map of
the New World based on
Vespucci’s journals. Accepting
Vespucci’s claim to the
discovery, Waldseemuller named
the newly found continent
“America” in honor of Amerigo.
VASCO NUNEZ de BALBOA
KINGDOM: Spain
YEARS of
VOYAGE: 15101519
DESTINATION:
South America
VASCO NUNEZ de BALBOA
Vasco Nunez de
Balboa was a
Spanish explorer
who was one of the
first Europeans to
settle in the new
world.
INTERESTING FACT:
Balboa was married twice, but never met
his wives. Both marraiges were arranged
for political purposes.
VASCO NUNEZ de BALBOA
THE GOOD: Vasco
Nunez de Balboa was the first
European to see the Pacific
Ocean and establish a
permanent settlement for
Spain. He first explored
present day Columbia. After
an unsuccessful journey he
decided to become a farmer.
Unfortunately, he was not very
good at farming and soon fell
into deep debt.
VASCO NUNEZ de BALBOA
THE BAD: In 1510 Balboa
was so deep in debt that he
stowed away on a ship and fled
his creditors. In the new world he
helped establish the settlement
of Darien and was named acting
govern. Then, without his
knowledge, King Ferdinand II
named Pedro Davila as the new
governor. Balboa was named
governor of Panama, but still
had to answer to Pedro Davila.
Tensions ran high between the
two men.
INTERESTING FACT:
Balboa and Davila eventually made a
peace deal. Balboa then married Pedro
Davila’s daughter, Maria.
Unfortunately, things did not stay
peaceful for long!
VASCO NUNEZ de BALBOA
THE UGLY: A few years after
marrying Maria, Vasco Nunez de
Balboa took another expedition to
explore parts of the Isthmus of Panama
and the coast of South America.
While he was away, his enemy Pedro
Davila was being removed from his role
as governor. Davila was convinced that
Balboa was behind his removal, so he
had Balboa return home. Davila then
put Balboa on trial and had him
convicted of rebellion and treason.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa was
beheaded in 1519 for crimes he never
committed!
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
KINGDOM: Spain
YEAR S of VOYAGE:
1519-1522
DESTINATION: The
first circumnavigation of the
globe
INTERESTING FACT:
Magellan was born in Portugal and served as a young page in
the royal court. He was had likely been present when Columbus
appeared before the Portuguese king during his return voyage
to Spain. Magellan grew up and became a dedicated soldier,
badly wounded three times while fighting for his kingdom.
Despite his loyal service, he fell out of favor with King Manuel
of Portugal. He left his homeland and went to Spain, taking his
dream of sailing west to the Spice Islands with him.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
Ferdinand Magellan
was a Portuguese
explorer who named
the Pacific Ocean
and was first to
circumnavigate (go all
the way around) the
world
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
THE GOOD: In 1519,
Ferdinand Magellan
attempted to reach the Spice
Islands by sailing west, a feat
which would cement Spain’s
place at the forefront of
exploration and navigation.
King Charles V of Spain
supplied Magellan with five
MAGELLAN’S DEPARTING FLEET:
ships and 250TRINIDAD,
crewmen.
In
SANTIAGO, SAN ANTONIO,
September of 1519,
the fleet and VICTORIA
CONCEPCION,
embarked on an epic voyage
that would change the world.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
THE GOOD:
The fleet sailed west from
Spain and reached the coast
of South America. The
voyage had already
experienced many difficulties
and threats of mutiny spread
(the Spanish crew and
captains were unwilling to put
their trust in a foreigner).
Magellan acted swiftly: two
captains were executed and a
third captain was marooned on
the coast of Argentina.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
THE GOOD:
Not long after quelling the
mutiny, Magellan lost two ships:
the Santiago sank during a storm
and the captain of the San
Antonio turned his ship around
and sailed back to Spain.
INTERESTING FACT:
The Strait of Magellan was a veritable maze of rocky
islands and inlets that led to nowhere. The passage
of 344 miles took Magellan and his ships thirty-eight
days to cross! When the ships began their voyage
across the Pacific Ocean, the frustrated men had
already been at sea for fifteen months!
Down to three ships, Magellan
INTERESTING
FACT:
pressed on. The
fleet sailed
Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa
throughInled1513,
the
treacherous passage
an expedition through the jungles of Panama and
became
first European
to see the Pacific
Ocean
at the tip
oftheSouth
America
that
(he called it the South Sea) on the other side of the
would come
to bear his name: the
continent. Balboa waded into the surf and claimed the
Strait of
Magellan.
ocean
and all lands touching it for Spain. Magellan
would seek to cross this ocean, though he had no way
of knowing just how vast it truly was.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
The fleet entered the vast Pacific
Ocean believing that the Spice
Islands were less than a week
away…but Magellan grossly
underestimated the distance.
INTERESTING FACT:
After more than three months of Magellan gave the Pacific Ocean its name, calling
it the “Sea of the Pacific” (as in to be “pacified”).
sailing, the food and water suppliesAfter crossing the treacherous and stormy
were completely used up. Many Atlantic Ocean, the seemingly peaceful waters of
the Pacific were a welcome relief. Unfortunately,
starved to death…but just when Magellan and his crew had no way of knowing that
hope seemed lost, the ragged fleet the Pacific Ocean was nearly twice as wide!
reached the island of Guam. With
fresh supplies, the fleet sailed on
and reached the Philippine Islands.
.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
After the death of Magellan, his
lieutenant Juan Sebastian el
While in the Philippines, Magellan became
Cano took command of the
involved in a tribal war. Although Magellan and
Victoria, promised to find the
his men were badly outnumbered, he believed
Spice Islands, and complete the
his superior weapons would bring him victory.
voyage back to Spain…and he did.
Magellan was wrong…and he paid with his life.
Three years after the voyage
began, the crew of the Victoria
.
returned with a cargo hold filled
with spices. The men had endured
a journey of more than 43, 380
miles to become the first crew to
circumnavigate the world. For the
first time, Europeans had a true
INTERESTING FACT:
In a futile attempt to prove the power of the Christian God
and Spanish
Magellan
sense
of theweaponry,
world. Now
they knew
foolishly brought only sixty Spanish soldiers to face off against 1,500 native warriors from the
world
was not
covered
island of Mactan. Unfortunately, the Spaniards arrivedthat
at lowthe
tide and
the beach
was too
far
out of range for the cannons on Magellan’s ships to provide
an effective
artillery
barrage. by vast
mostly
by land
but instead
Overwhelmed by a hail of arrows and spears at the outset of
the battle, Magellan’s
retreated
oceans…and
thosemen
oceans
could be
to their boats as the captain-general was surrounded and beaten to death on the beach.
crossed!
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
THE BAD: Juan Sebastian el
Cano receives little credit for
bravely completing a voyage that
would certainly have fallen apart
after Magellan’s death. Upon
returning to Spain, the king seized
the cargo of spices to pay for the
cost of the lost ships. The crew
received almost no payment for
their service.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
THE UGLY: Out of the
250 men who had embarked
on the voyage, only 18
returned alive. During the
crossing of the Pacific
Ocean, the crew was reduced
to eating rodents, boot
leather, and worm-infested
flour. Many died from scurvy
and starvation.
INTERESTING FACT:
After being at sea for so long, the water on board
Magellan’s ships had become stagnant. The men
had to hold their noses as they drank it. The
biscuits they ate were filled with maggots and
worms. Many of the men survived by eating rats
and leather from their belts and shoes!