European Exploration

Learning Objectives The conditions in Europe that precipitated exploration west. Viking, Portuguese, Spanish, English, Dutch, and French explorations of the New World. The Columbian Exchange

Vikings Eric the Red – Colonized Iceland and Greenland by 982. Bjarni Herjuofsson – Blown off course by a storm, saw North America but did not land. Leif Erickson – Explored Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Massachusetts in 996, naming it Vinland for the grapes he saw growing.

Portugal John I – Crusades against Moors in North Africa to open up the Mediterranean. Prince Henry the Navigator – John’s son; opened a school for nautical exploration. Portugal controlled the Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde Islands on their way to Africa. Bartholomew Diaz – 1486 reached the Cape of Storms at southern tip of Africa. Vasco da Gama – Sailed around Africa, reached India in 1498. Saw profits of 600% on return voyage. Pedro Cabral – Blown off course on the way to India; landed in Brazil.

Spain The Moors were driven from Spain in 1492 after the marriage of Isabella of Aragon to Ferdinand of Castille, launching a period of Spanish exploration. Columbus – Landed in the Caribbean looking for (and died believing he had reached) East Asia. Amerigo Vespucci – May have made 4 voyages to the New World. Realized it wasn’t Asia. Vasco de Balboa – Crossed Panama to the Pacific, 1513. Ponce de Leon – Explored Florida for the fountain of youth. Killed by natives. Ferdinand Magellan - Killed in the Philippines, but his crew went around the world.

Spain Hernando Cortez – Conquered the Aztec empire from 1519-1522, enslaving the people and securing a huge supply of gold and silver.

England / The Netherlands John and Sebastian Cabot – Northern American coast in 1497 and 1498, and 1509. Sir Francis Drake – English pirate who preyed on Spanish gold ships. Sailed around South America to California. Sir Walter Raleigh – Took over all of North America and established a colony at Roanoke in 1587 that became the “Lost Colony.”

France – the Northwest Passage Giovanni de Verrazano – New York Harbor and Narragansett Bay looking for the NW Passage. Jacque Cartier – St. Lawrence River, established Quebec looking for the NW Passage. Samuel de Champlain – 11 voyages to Canada, establishing the fur trade. Marquette and Joliet – From Quebec to the Mississippi River looking for the NW Passage.

The Columbian Exchange