1. early Exploration and Colonization
The Age of Exploration

2. The earliest explorers: The Vikings
Around 1000AD (500 years
BEFORE Christopher Columbus)
the Vikings came to America

3. European countries the explorers sailed for…
-Portugal -Spain -France -England -Netherlands

4. Reasons behind the First Routes of Exploration
The Portuguese yearned to find a sea route to India and China…
They, and other Europeans, wanted to avoid the Arab “middlemen” traders who controlled trade between the East (Asia) and West (Europe)
These middlemen traders kept prices of pepper and other spices high by keeping supplies low
The theory of supply and demand!

5. Wanted to explore in order to bring Portugal…
Henry the Navigator
The Prince of Portugal
Wanted to explore in order to bring Portugal…
More Trade
Power & Influence
Spread Christianity

6. Bartholomeu Dias First European to round the tip of Africa
Sailed for Portugal

7. Vasco da Gama
Continued on past the southern tip of Africa using Dias’ original route
Sailed on to India
Completed an eastern sea route from Europe to Asia
Established a European port in India for trade

10. Christopher Columbus Sailed for Spain
Thought he could find a quicker route to Asia
Instead of sailing east to get to Asia, he would sail west!
He figured that because the earth was round he would reach Asia this way

11. Ferdinand Magellan Magellan was determined to circumnavigate the globe
He set out to accomplish Columbus’ original goal: to reach China and the rest of Asia by sailing West

12. Magellan’s Voyage

13. Map of Early Explorers

14. Spanish Conquest
From 1492 onward, Spanish conquistadores conquered and ruled Latin America. From then on the political leaders tended to be strong men, often military leaders. Spain turned Latin America into colonies of the Spanish Empire.

15. What is a Conquistador Spanish Conqueror of empires and lands
Interested in wealth and fame (gold and glory)
Established Spanish Empire in the New World (North and South America)

16. Guns, Germs, and Steel Disease (small pox)
Leaders were taken captive by the Spanish
Emperors (Montezuma and Atahualpa) never ordered an attack by their armies on the Spanish
Better weapons and resources for the Spanish (guns and horses)
Incas were in the middle of a civil war
Aztecs invited the Spanish to their cities and gave them gold (only made the Spanish want more!)

17. The Results Spain and Portugal controlled all of Latin America.
- Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) : Spain controlled all of the Americas except Brazil.
European influence spread throughout Latin America.
- Spanish became the dominant language.
- Catholicism became the dominant religion.
The Indian population died of disease.

18. Treaty of Tordesillas