Transcript Slide 1

Age of Exploration
Reasons for European Exploration
• Europeans wanted an easier trade routes
to the Far East to China and India.
• They were looking for the so-called
Northwest Passage, an all-water route to
Asia through the North American
continent.
Reasons for European Exploration
• Wanted spices from East Asia
• Europeans want to get spices directly with
no “middleman”
• After rumors of a New World with gold
spread, France, Spain, and England led to
more exploration in the Americas
• God, Gold, Glory
“A Whole New World”
• Columbus discovered
San Salvador Island
(part of today’s
Bahamas) in 1492.
• Columbus later
explored the coasts of
Central and South
America and other
Caribbean islands.
I hereby name thee….
• Amerigo Vespucci
sailed along the South
American coast in
1499. He was a
mapmaker and
named the new land
“America.”
Hernando de Soto
De Soto’s Travels in Georgia
• In 1540, De Soto entered
•
southern Georgia
(Albany)
Moved across the state
looking for GOLD
• De Soto’s weapons,
plated armor, and horses
overwhelmed the Native
Americans.
• Thousands of American
Indians in Georgia died,
many from diseases
brought by the Spanish.
Let’s watch more about DeSoto and the Native Americans
Remember to answer the video questions
Video Questions
• How did DeSoto defeat the Native
Americans with only 600 men?
– Better weapons: War dogs and horses
• How do we know what happened during
DeSoto’ s expedition?
– Journals
• What was DeSoto looking for and did he
find it?
– Gold and No!
Other European Explorers in GA
• De Soto was followed by many other
European explorers, most of them from
Spain, France, and England. These nations
established settlements in Georgia and
competed with each other and with the
Native American tribes for control of the
land.
Early Spanish Missions
• 1566, Spain established
•
•
missions on Georgia’s
Cumberland Island and
St. Catherine’s Island,
called Santa Catalina.
The Spanish missionaries
called the region Guale
(pronounced “Wallie”)
after the Guale Indians.
Catholic priest wanted to
convert Native Americans
to Christianity.
New World Competition
• European resentment grew because of
Spanish riches and power in the New
World
• Spain fought to hold onto its gains, the
English and the French fought to gain a
share of the treasures.
Spain v. England
• English sea captains captured Spanish
treasure ships. They also attacked and
burned Spanish settlements in the New
World.
• Spanish wanted invade England, using a
huge fleet of ships that the Spanish called
the “Invincible Armada.”
The loss that changed history….
• Spanish lost
• English had superior
•
seamen and faster
ships , destroyed or
ran off much of the
Armada
England gained
undisputed control of
the seas and was
ready to pursue its
interest in the New
World