Explorers of the New World

Reasons the Europeans couldn’t sail before the late fifteenth century

This is the only map they had at this time of the world – it was made by a Greek mathematician named Ptolmey

Reasons why they wanted to be able to sail across the ocean

Technology that finally made it possible for them to sail

Routes of the explorers

John Cabot Cabot was born in Italy but moved to England in 1495. At the request of King Henry VII of England, Cabot sailed to Canada in 1497, commanding the small ship called "Matthew." Cabot landed near Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island (the exact spot is uncertain) on June 24, 1497. Cabot claimed the land for England. The mission's purpose was to search for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia (a seaway to Asia). Cabot's expeditions were the first of Britain's claims to Canada.

Hernando Cortez’ In 1518 Cortés persuaded Velázquez, who was now governor, to make him commander of an expedition to Mexico. It had only recently been discovered by Europeans and was rumored to contain great wealth. The major civilization in the region was that of the Aztecs, led by Montezuma. In 1528, he returned to Mexico. He continued to explore Central America, hoping to find a strait from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He failed, instead discovering, and naming, California. By the mid-1500s, Spanish authority was firmly established in Mexico, which had become known as New Spain. 

Francisco Coronado From 1540 – 1542 he went to western America looking for gold. He traveled through New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas before he finally gave up. He is one of the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon. He claimed all of this land for Spain.

Samuel de Champlain During the years 1603 – 1615 Champlain explored in what is now New York and Vermont and Canada. He went up the St. Lawrence River. He made friends with the Huron Indians and set up fur trading centers. His first center was in Quebec. He claimed all this land for France.

Robert la Salle La Salle traveled from France to Quebec, New France (Canada), in late 1667. He was determined to find a water passage to the east through North America. He was the first European to travel the length of the Mississippi River (1682). His mission was to explore and establish fur-trade routes along the river. La Salle named the entire Mississippi basin Louisiana, in honor of the King, and claimed it for France on April 9, 1682.

How did the Indians treat the Europeans as they arrived in the New World?

Captain John Smith trading with the Indians

As more settlers came, more Indians died from diseases

Many Indians died from having to do slave labor

Guns were used against Native Americans who only had bows and arrows

What did the Indians get from the Europeans?