Exploring the Americas: 1400 - 1625 Early Exploration

Viking Voyages 100’s of years B4 Columbus Scandinavians called Vikings sailed west reaching NA 800’s and 900’s CE visited Iceland and Greenland Established settlements 1000 CE- Leif Eriksson (son of Eric the Red) attempted to create settlement in “Vinland” Now Newfoundland

Slowly but Surely Neither had been done B4; no one even seen open ocean or coastline of Africa Portugal leads the charge Prince Henry the Navigator Sets up school for navigators and sailors Info they share greatly helps his ship captains Armed w/ info and $$$ from Henry set out to explore Africa and possible water route to Asia 1445- Dinis Dias reaches “Western Bulge” 1470’s- cross Equator 1488- Bartolommeo Dias sails around southern tip… turns around b/c crew scared 1498- Vasco da Gama sails around tip all the way to India

Early Ideas of Exploration By 1400’s- few believe world is flat But… Did not know there was land b/t Europe and East Asia Most estimate over 10,000 miles to sail from Europe to East Asia No ship could carry enough food and water to make such long journey

Cristoforo Colombo Disagreed w/ distance estimates; thought less than half that Italian guy but… Was turned down by Italy Approached several other countries to find backers for trip ($$$) All turned him down until… King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain

At Sea… Friday, August 3, 1492 12 October 1492 Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria set sail After not seeing land for 3 weeks… Crew gets scared and begs to turn back Continue on for 2 months and 8 days B4 signs begin to appear 12 October 1492 By moonlight around 2 am the Pinta’s spotter cries, “Tierra, Tierra!” (Land, Land!)

Territories Divided Portugal claimed all land west of Africa was theirs’ Big Problems NOW Pope Alexander VI divides ocean at 400 miles west of Azore Islands West of line… Spain East of line… Portugal Lined named… Papal Line of Demarcation

Treaty of Tordesillas 1494- line moved in agreement to new “Treaty” 700 miles further west when realized how much more land there was Treaty of Tordesillas divided Americas between Spain and Portugal Didn’t allow for claims by other countries England, France, & Netherlands ignored treaty

Exploring the Americas England, France, & Netherlands wanted in on the $$$ from trade and colonization too Voyage to Asia, either around Africa or S. America long and difficult Want to find route going NW over Canada “NW Passage” 1497- England sent John Cabot look Only made it to Newfoundland But trip was basis for future attempts 1499- Amerigo Vespucci began mapping SA coastline Concluded this was new continent not Asia By 1500’s European map makers begin calling land America

Exploring the Americas 1513- Vasco Núñez de Balboa Governor of Panama to Spain Heard stories of “great waters” beyond mts. 1513- forms a party to hike through the jungles After weeks, sees Pacific Ocean 1st European to do so!!! 1524- France hires Giovanni da Verrazano to look Explored coast from N. Canada all the way to Carolinas 1535- French hire Jacques Cartier Sails up St. Lawrence hoping it would lead to Pacific Made it to present-day Montreal, claiming land for France

Sailing Around the World Spanish wanted to find sea route through or around SA to Asia 1519- hire Ferdinand Magellan, actually Portuguese though 5 ships Sail across Atlantic then down east coast of SA November 1520 finds and sails through a narrow strait (now bares his name) Names the ocean on other side Pacific, meaning peaceful Expects trip across Pacific just a few weeks Lasted 4 months Crew ran out of food Ate sawdust, rats, and leather to survive Magellan dies in the Philippines Crew continued Trip took 3 years Only 1 of 5 ships Only 18 of 200+ crew members 1st to circumnavigate, or sail around the world

Still in Search of NW Passage Netherlands (Dutch) wanted to find NW Passage too 1609- Dutch hire Henry Hudson Discovers the Hudson River Sails up as far as Albany and turns back 1610- hired by England and discovers Hudson Bay Thought it was the Pacific but when couldn’t find outlet crew rebelled Hudson, his son, and a few sailors were kicked off boat never to be seen again