Chapter 1: Colonizing America Lesson 2: Europe Begins to Explore

European Exploration Expanding Horizons- The Crusades- Pope Urban II called for Christians to free their religion’s holy places from Muslim control. The crusades brought western Europeans into contact with Arab civilization. Trade began to develop between the two grew and by the year 1200 rich Italian city states would emerge. The land route to Asia was so unpredictable that Europeans began to search for an all water route to the East.

Scientific Advances In order to find an all water route to Asia, Western Europeans needed navigation instruments and ships capable of long-distance travel. The Astrolabe- A device invented by the ancient Greeks and refined by the Arabs. The astrolabe uses the position of the sun to determine direction, latitude, and local time. The Compass- Acquired by the Europeans from Arab traders. The compass reliably show magnetic north.

Lateen Sails- The Caravel- Triangle shaped sails that made it possible to sail against the wind. The Caravel- A Portuguese ship that incorporated all of these new improvements.

Portuguese Exploration Using their caravels, Portuguese explorers became the first Europeans to look for an all water route. Portugal’s Prince Henry dispatched ships to explore Africa’s west coast. In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias reached the southern tip of Africa. A decade later, 4 ships led by Vasco de Gama sailed around Africa and reached the southwest coast of India finding the water route to Asia.

Exploring America Columbus- Believed it was possible to circumnavigate the world. His goal was? To find an all water route to Asia by sailing West. Columbus began seeking financial baking in 1484. Asked Portugal….. Got denied It wasn’t until 1492 when Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain financed 3 ships. Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria. He set sail in August and by October 1492, the ships reached the Bahamas. Seeking gold, Columbus discovered the Islands of Cuba and Hispaniola.

Spain Claims America In March 1492, Columbus returned to Spain. Returned with gold, parrots, spices, and Native Americans. The fame of Columbus began a rivalry or feud with Portugal. 1493 – The Treaty of Tordesillas Created by Pope Alexander VI drew a line of demarcation running down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Spain would own all land to the West and Portugal would own all land to the East. The line would be moved the to west giving Portugal the ability to claim Brasil.

Naming America In 1499, Amerigo Vespucci repeated Columbus’s attempt to sail west. After sailing along the coast of South America, Vespucci discovered that this landmass could not be Asia. In 1507, a German map maker proposed that this new continent be named America.

New Spain In 1519, Hernan Cortes sailed from Cuba to the Yucatan Peninsula They had 11 ships and 550 men and 16 horses. The Spanish horses, guns, and armor scared the natives. Natives have never seen horses before. Cortes used this fear to gain allies to help his expedition fight the powerful Aztecs.

Montezuma was taken hostage by Cortes. Montezuma, the Aztec emperor ordered an attack on the Spanish at Cholula. The Spanish learned of the attack and surprised the Aztec army killing 6,000 Cholulans. Believing that Cortes was unstoppable, Montezuma invited him and his army in to Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. Montezuma was taken hostage by Cortes. Disease was the biggest killer of the Aztec people. Although they fought to defeat the Spanish, they were unsuccessful. With Montezuma dead, the Spanish destroyed Tenochtitlan and build Mexico City on its ruins. In 1521, Mexico became known as New Spain.

French and Dutch Settlements New France- In 1524, King Francis I sent Giovanni da Verrazano to find the Northwest Passage. Never found the passage. 10 years later, Jacques Cartier made three trips to North America. Mapped out the St. Lawrence River. In 1602, King Henry IV authorized French merchants to establish a colony in what today is Canada. In 1608, Champlain founded Quebec, which became the capital of New France.

New France How did the French make money? The fur trade These people preferred to make their homes alongside the native people with whom they traded with. Very few people moved to New France. In 1663, King Louis XIV made New France a royal colony. With more people pouring into New France, French explorers began to search the land. Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette found the Mississippi river. Rene-Robert Cavelier de La Salle followed the Mississippi all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed this region for France and named it Louisiana in honor of the French King. Biloxi was the first permanent French settlement in LA.

New Netherlands In 1609, the Dutch East India Company hired English navigator Henry Hudson to locate a passage to Asia through North America. Hudson discovered a large river in modern day New York and claimed it for the Dutch. Named this land New Netherlands. Like New France, the economy was focused on the fur trade and population grew slowly.