1. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
A Water Route to Asia
- a famous Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, funded sailing expeditions during the A.D. 1400s in the Atlantic to search for African gold & spread Christianity
caravel: a ship with triangular sails that allowed it to sail into the wind and with square sails that carried it forward when the wind was at its back

2. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
- in A.D. 1488, Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias, sailed to the tip of Africa & named it the Cape of Good Hope

3. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
- in A.D. 1498, Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, followed Diaz’s route to India & finally found an all-water route to Asia

4. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
Columbus’ Plan
- in A.D. 1483, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus was denied Atlantic funding, so he turned to the Spanish for funding
- Columbus wanted to be appointed “Admiral of the Ocean Sea”, a % of any wealth brought back, and ruler of conquered lands as a reward for his efforts
- after the Spanish conquered the last stronghold of Muslims in southern Spain in A.D. 1492, they had the funds to approved Columbus’ voyage

5. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
- Columbus assembled three ships in preparation for the journey: Niña, Pinta, & Santa María
- Columbus set sail on August 3, 1492 and landed on an island in the Caribbean Sea on October 12, 1492!

6. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
Reaching the Americas
- Columbus landed on an island he called “San Salvador” and was greeted by the Taino people

7. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
- Columbus visited multiple Caribbean islands over the next three months and found gold on the island of Hispaniola
- 39 men remained there after Columbus left, but all were killed for stealing & using violence against the Taino people

8. Ch.1, Sec.3 – Early European Explorers
- after returning to Spain, King Ferdinand, Queen Isabella, and Columbus believed he had landed on a part of Asia!!!
An Expanding Horizon
- Columbus made three more voyages but never brought back riches and never sought to spread Christianity
- Columbus died in A.D. 1506, still believing he had reached Asia!
- as Spain grew wealthy, England, & France also began sending ships to the Americas