1. Vespucci 1499, Italian, Amerigo Vespucci sailed under Spain
Explored coast of South America- thought he had reached the outer edge of Asia
1507, German mapmaker proposed the continent be named America after Amerigo

2. Ponce de Leon
1513, Spanish governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de Leon sailed north
Legend was he searched for the fountain of youth, never found the fountain of youth, did find land of wildflowers and plants
Claimed land for Spain, named it Florida = land of flowers

3. Balboa
1510 Vasco de Balboa, Hispaniola planter founded a colony on the Isthmus of Panama
Reached the Pacific coast in st European to reach the Pacific coast of America

4. Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan- Portuguese mariner sailing for Spain discovered the strait at the southern tip of South America (named after him)
Crew 1st to successfully circumnavigate the world

5. EQ: What role did religion play in exploration and colonization?
New Spain
1519, Hernan Cortes sailed from Cuba to explore the Yucatan Peninsula
Landed and attacked-Spanish out #ed, had superior military power; swords and crossbows, guns, and cannons- easily killed over 200 native warriors

6. Cortes proposed an alliance with the Tlaxcalan vs the Aztecs
Aztec emperor Montezuma believed in the prophecy that Quetzalcoatl-a fair skinned bearded deity- would return to conquer the Aztec

7. Spanish and Tlaxaclan advanced
Montezuma saw Cortes as unstoppable, allowed Spanish troops to enter Tenochtitlan peacefully

8. Cortes surrounded by 1000s of Aztec, took Montezuma hostage
Cortes brought in Christianity to replace religion
Aztec priests organized a rebellion in 1520
Smallpox outbreak in Tenochtitlan
Cortes returned in 1521, destroyed the city, built Mexico City the capital of the colony of New Spain

9. Three “Gs”
Leaders of the expeditions to conquer New World = conquistadors
Get gold
Spread word of God
Get glory
1526, Francisco Pizarro reached Peru
1532, Pizarro returned to plunder the Inca Empire
1540, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado looked north of New Spain for the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola
Hernando de Soto explored north of Florida into present day North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas