early Exploration and Colonization The Age of Exploration 1400-1600

The earliest explorers: The Vikings Around 1000AD (500 years BEFORE Christopher Columbus) the Vikings came to America

European countries the explorers sailed for… -Portugal -Spain -France -England -Netherlands

Reasons behind the First Routes of Exploration The Portuguese yearned to find a sea route to India and China… They, and other Europeans, wanted to avoid the Arab “middlemen” traders who controlled trade between the East (Asia) and West (Europe) These middlemen traders kept prices of pepper and other spices high by keeping supplies low The theory of supply and demand!

Wanted to explore in order to bring Portugal… Henry the Navigator The Prince of Portugal Wanted to explore in order to bring Portugal… More Trade Power & Influence Spread Christianity

Bartholomeu Dias First European to round the tip of Africa Sailed for Portugal

Vasco da Gama Continued on past the southern tip of Africa using Dias’ original route Sailed on to India Completed an eastern sea route from Europe to Asia Established a European port in India for trade

Christopher Columbus Sailed for Spain Thought he could find a quicker route to Asia Instead of sailing east to get to Asia, he would sail west! He figured that because the earth was round he would reach Asia this way

Ferdinand Magellan Magellan was determined to circumnavigate the globe He set out to accomplish Columbus’ original goal: to reach China and the rest of Asia by sailing West

Magellan’s Voyage

Map of Early Explorers

Spanish Conquest From 1492 onward, Spanish conquistadores conquered and ruled Latin America. From then on the political leaders tended to be strong men, often military leaders. Spain turned Latin America into colonies of the Spanish Empire.

What is a Conquistador Spanish Conqueror of empires and lands Interested in wealth and fame (gold and glory) Established Spanish Empire in the New World (North and South America)

Guns, Germs, and Steel Disease (small pox) Leaders were taken captive by the Spanish Emperors (Montezuma and Atahualpa) never ordered an attack by their armies on the Spanish Better weapons and resources for the Spanish (guns and horses) Incas were in the middle of a civil war Aztecs invited the Spanish to their cities and gave them gold (only made the Spanish want more!)

The Results Spain and Portugal controlled all of Latin America. - Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) : Spain controlled all of the Americas except Brazil. European influence spread throughout Latin America. - Spanish became the dominant language. - Catholicism became the dominant religion. The Indian population died of disease.

Treaty of Tordesillas