Chapter 2 Exploring the Americas 1400-1625 US HISTORY Chapter 2 Exploring the Americas 1400-1625

Learning Objectives Lesson 1: Identify and describe geographical places and regions such as north and central Africa or southwestern North America. Lesson 2: Compare and contrast information about European explorers and explorations.

Lesson 1 – A Changing World The Crusades: Began in 1095. Series of expeditions by Europeans to take back control of Christian holy sites in the Middle East from the Muslims. Brought Europeans into contact with Arab merchants traded for spices, sugar, & silk from China & India.

Lesson 1 – A Changing World Marco Polo Traveled to China in late 1200s. Wrote “Travels”  described his journey Increased interest in Asia for Europeans.

Lesson 1 – A Changing World Growth of Trade Arab traders in the Middle East sold Asian goods to European merchants. European merchants shipped goods to Mediterranean ports in Venice, Genoa, and Pisa. European merchants wanted to figure out a way to bypass Arab traders who charged high prices in order to increase their profit.

Lesson 1 – A Changing World Several Italian city-states became wealthy and powerful.  Italy’s merchant class became interested in classical works-those of ancient Greece and Rome. This period of intellectual & artistic creativity is known as the Renaissance. The word renaissance means “rebirth” in French. It refers to the rebirth of interest in classical Greek & Roman ideas. It also set the stage for an age of exploration and discovery.  

Lesson 1 – A Changing World Technology Advancements Printing Press – allows for information (books, maps, etc.) to spread quickly Astrolabe – helped determine latitude Magnetic Compass – helped determine direction Caravel – faster ship with more cargo space, could also go in shallow waters

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Portugal Prince Henry set up center for exploration in Portugal in 1420. This “school” brought together astronomers, geographers, mathematicians to share their knowledge with Portuguese sailors, shipbuilders, and mapmakers. Portuguese ships explored the western coast of Africa  traded for gold and ivory and later bought slaves.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Portugal 1487 – Bartolomeu Dias sails around southern tip of Africa. King John II names the cape, a piece of land that juts into the water, “Cape of Good Hope”. 1497 – Vasco da Gama sails around the Cape of Good Hope, travels up coast of East Africa and sails to India. 1500 – Pedro Cabral leaves for India hoping to use da Gama’s westward-then-southward route, but heads so far west and lands in Brazil (claiming the land for Portugal), takes off from Brazil for India.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Spain Christopher Columbus Did NOT “discover” America. Evidence shows Leif Eriksson and the Vikings were in N. America centuries earlier. 1492 – convinces Spain (King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella) to finance his voyage to look for western route to Asia. Takes three ships (Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria) and reaches Caribbean in October 1492.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Spain Christopher Columbus Returns to Spain with Native American slaves & gets financing for another voyage. Returns to Caribbean in 1493 – treats natives VERY poorly (crew stole food & gold, & made many natives slaves) Made two more voyages (1498 & 1502) sailing along coastline of Central & South America.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Feud between Spain & Portugal Both countries wanted to protect their claims in the Americas & turned to Pope Alexander VI for help. He did the following: Line of Demarcation – an imaginary line, established in 1493, that runs from N to S, Spain gets lands to the W, Portugal gets lands to the E. Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) – Portugal complains about the line saying the division gave more land to Spain. The two countries sign an agreement, which moved the line farther west.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Other Explorers Amerigo Vespucci: 1499 led an exploration funded by Spain. Later explored for Portugal and sailed along coast of South America in 1502 & concluded that South America was a new continent and not part of Asia. Geographers then began to call the land “America” in his honor.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Other Explorers Vasco Nunez de Balboa – travels across Isthmus of Panama in 1513 and becomes first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas, claims it and all adjoining lands for Spain.

Lesson 2 – Early Exploration Other Explorers Ferdinand Magellan – reached the southernmost tip of South America in 1520, encountered storms, went into Pacific Ocean and gave it its name...means “peaceful”...went on to sail to the Philippines where he was killed...his crew continued on to Spain where they arrived in 1522 becoming the first to circumnavigate, or sail around, the world.