Transcript Early European Exploration

America Before Columbus
& Early European
Exploration
But First… North America
• The “Land Bridge” – 40,000 years ago???
Is it correct?
Cultures of North America
• In 1492… estimates: fewer than 1 million
to more than 10 million inhabitants
• Most settlements semi-permanent,
fewer than 300 people
• Agriculture: corn, beans, tobacco, etc.
• Hunting for nomadic tribes
Larger Native Societies
• Pueblos in the Southwest
Larger Native Societies
• Mound builders (Cahokia – 30,000!)
Larger Native Societies
• Woodland natives east of Mississippi River
(e.g. League of the Iroquois)
Central & South America
• Maya (300AD-800AD)
Central & South America
• Aztec
Central & South America
• Inca
Now… Europe
Why and how did they
explore the Americas?
Improvements in Technology
• Renaissance  artistic & scientific creativity
– Use of gunpowder, compass, improved ships
& maps
– Printing press spread ideas across Europe
Religious Conflict
• Reconquista - Catholic victory in Spain
over Muslims
– Ferdinand & Isabella marry, unite Spain
– Reconquest finished in 1492
Religious Conflict
• Protestant Reformation (revolt) in Northern
Europe splits the Church
• Protestants & Catholics desire to spread
their religion across the world
Developing Nation-States
• Monarchs gaining
power in Spain,
Portugal, France,
England, Netherlands
• Need revenue to run
their countries 
need for trade
Expanding Trade
• Increased trade w/ Africa, India, China
• Italians & Ottoman Turk middle men
• Others sought new route to avoid
middlemen
Portugal Gets It Going…
• Prince Henry the Navigator
• Vasco de Gama  India
Spain Takes the Lead
• Columbus gains funding from Spain to
search for a westward passage to Asia
Dividing the World
Conflict between Catholic
countries over colonies
resolved
Spanish Explorations & Conquests
•
•
•
•
•
Balboa  Panama/Pacific Ocean
Magellan  Circumnavigate the world
Cortez  Aztecs
Pizzaro  Incas
Conquistadores
– Increased World’s gold supply by 500%!
– Encomienda System (Native Americans)
– Asiento system (African Slaves)
Other Explorers
English Claims
• Henry VIII and Elizabeth I challenge Spain
• John Cabot explored Newfoundland 1497
• Sir Francis Drake & Sir Walter Raleigh
England defeats the
Spanish Armada
French Claims
• Cartier and Verrazano explore the east
coast and St. Lawrence River, claim for
France
• Busy repressing the French Huguenots
(Calvinists/Protestants)
• Samuel de Champlain established Quebec
1608 “New France”
• Louis Jolliet, Jacques Marquette, Robert
de la Salle add Mississippi River region
Dutch Claims
• Henry Hudson sought Northwest Passage,
claimed Hudson River for the Netherlands
 New Amsterdam/New Netherlands
• Dutch West India (joint-stock) Company
takes charge of New Netherlands
English
and
French
Claims
- 1645
Plymouth
Jamestown
The Columbian Exchange
• Europeans and Native Americans had
developed differently for 1000s of years
• Contact led to an exchange of plants,
foods, diseases (est. 90% casualty rate)
• Significant, permanent changes to the
WORLD