Transcript Exploration, Discovery and Settlement 1492-1700

Exploration, Discovery and
Settlement
1492-1700
The original exploration, discovery and
settlement of the Americas occurred
thousands of years before Christopher
Columbus was born.
Exploration, Discovery and
Settlement
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Archeologists believe the first
people to settle N. America
arrived 40,000 years ago
These people crossed a land
bridge that connected Siberia
(Russia) to Alaska
These first Americans
eventually migrated to S.
America
They adapted to their
environment, spoke different
languages, developed unique
cultures
50-75 million persons
Exploration, Discovery and
Settlement
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How were the Native
Americans different?
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How were they
similar?
Cultures of N. America
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Pueblo
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Most N. Americans lived in
small settlements (300 people)
Men: made tools, hunting
Women: Grew crops
Some were nomadic
More Complex:
Pueblos in SW U.S. had
multistoried homes, irrigation
Mound builders in Mississippi,
Ohio R. Valleys
Iroquois form League of
Nations
Cultures of N. America
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Adena, Hopwell and
Mississippian cultures
Cultures of C. and S. America
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Aztec Capitol: Tenochtitlan
Equal in size to any European
city at its height
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Most historians believe more
people lived in Cenral and
South American than N.
America
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BIG 3:
Maya
Aztecs
Incas
All were highly organized,
extensive trade, calendars,
scientific observations, and
farming
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Europe Moves Toward Exploration
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Most Europeans had no idea
the Americas existed
Vikings came around 1000 to
N. America but left no lasting
impact
Columbus arrives in 1492
Why?
Improvements in Technology
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Renaissance: rebirth of classical learning and outburst of
scientific activity (1400s and 1500s)
Gunpowder from China
Sailing Compass adopted by Arabs from Chinese
Improvements in Shipbuilding and mapmaking
Printing press invented in 1450s
Religious Conflict
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Catholic Spain: Spain expelled all Muslims in the 1400s
and united under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
(they financed Columbus)
N. Europe Rebels: Protestant Reformation starts in
Germany, soon France, England and Holland revolt
against papal authority
Religious wars between Catholics and Protestants
This causes a religious motive for exploration as
European countries wanted their “versions” spread
Expanding Trade
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Competition for trade amongst
European countries
Looking for a new way to the
riches of Asia
Along African coast? Or across
Atlantic?
Portugal lead the way - Prince
Henry the Navigator and Vasco
da Gama
Developing Nation-States
In Europe monarchs were gaining power and
building nation-states ( country where the
people share a common culture and loyalty to
govt.) in Spain, Portugal, France, and the
Netherlands
 They depended on trade for $
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Early Explorations
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C. Columbus sails for Spain
and lands in the Bahamas in
Oct. 1492
He always thought he had
reached Asia, not the Americas
He names the natives: Indians
Amerigo Vespucci = America
There will now be PERMANENT
interaction between Europe
and the “New World”
Exchanges
Dividing the New World
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Spain and Portugal were the
first to claim land
In 1493 the pope drew a
dividing line to separate the
lands between the two
countries
Treaty of Tordesillas
Spanish Exploration and Conquest
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Conquistadors conquered land
for Spain in S. America and C.
America
Cortes def. Aztecs
Pizzaro def. Incas
Gold and silver sent back to
Spain
Spain becomes wealthiest
nation in Europe
Spanish Conquests
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Encomienda System: king
of Spain gives grants of
land and Indians to
individual Spaniards
Indians had to work on
farms/mines
What caused Native
Americans to die by the
thousands?
English Claims