Portuguese Explorers

Prince Henry “The Navigator” Sponsor- Portugal Motivation For Exploration- Gold, God, Glory Claims to Fame: Set up a school of navigation and mapmaking Born 1394 Died 1460

Bartolomeu Dias Sponsor- Portugal Motivation For Exploration- Gold, God, Glory Claims to Fame: 1 st European to to go around the Southern tip of Africa Born 1451 Died 1500

Vasco da Gama Sponsor- Portugal Motivation For Exploration- Spices Claims to Fame: charted a sea route to India Born 1469 Died 1524

Pedro Cabral Sponsor- Portugal Motivation For Exploration- established trading posts and treaties Claims to Fame: claimed present day Brazil for Portugal Born 1467 Died 1520

Between the Spanish and the Portuguese to clear up confusion on new land in the New World (South America) Gave Portugal 320 miles of land from the Atlantic Coast, and Spain everything else west. Treaty of Tordesillas

We can see that little exploration had taken place at the time the treaty was signed because Spain received much more land. Portugal was only given Brazil

Spanish Explorers and Conquistadors (adventurers)

Why did the Spanish explore? In the late 1400’s Spain was determined to make their country a powerful force in Europe. One way to do this was to sponsor explorations and claim new lands for Spain.

Christopher Columbus Italian explorer who sailed for Spain Believed sailing west would be the easiest route to the Indies. (or Asia) Set sail for the “New World” on three ships called the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria Born 1451 Died 1506

Ferdinand Magellan Believed he could sail west to the Indies if he found a strait, or channel, through South America. Born 1480 Died 1521

Ponce de Leon Explored Florida for Spain Was in search of the “Fountain of Youth” Born 1460 Died 1521

Hernan Cortes Explored Mexico and conquered the Aztecs Aztec king Montezuma welcomed Cortes but was taken hostage Used weapons and disease to destroy the Aztecs Born 1485 Died 1547

Francisco Pizarro Conquered the Inca Empire in South America Pizarro launched a surprise attack and kidnapped the emperor. Pizarro killed the emperor after his people paid a large ransom of gold and silver Born 1475 Died 1541

What was the impact of Spanish exploration? Spain earned great wealth from settlements in the New World. The Spanish devastated native people. Priests forced them into Christianity. Natives were forced into slavery, many died of starvation, overwork, or European disease. Spanish introduced many new things to the Americas

What was the Columbian Exchange?