1. European Explorers Unit
John Cabot
Juan Ponce de Leon
European Explorers Unit
Henry Hudson
Christopher Columbus
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Jacques Cartier

2. Vocabulary Terms Expedition – a journey with a specific goal
Settlement – a small community of people in a new area
Navigation – the science of planning and controlling the direction of a ship
Circumnavigate – to sail all the way around something
Colony – a settlement ruled by a distant country

3. Vocabulary Terms cont…
Caravan – a group of travelers journeying together
Slavery – a cruel system in which people are bought
Epidemic – an outbreak of disease that makes many people sick at once
Settlement – a small community of people living in a new place

4. Vocabulary Terms
Merchant – a person who makes money by buying and selling goods
Empire – territories and groups of people controlled by one government
Mission – a Christian settlement and religious community
Revolt – a rebellion against a ruler
Invasion – the entry of an armed force into another country to conquer it

5. Vocabulary Terms Armada – the Spanish word for a large fleet of ships
Charter – a document giving permission to a person or group to do something
Indentured servant – someone who agreed to work for a number of years in exchange for the cost of a voyage to North America
Cash crop – a crop that people grow and sell to earn money

6. Vocabulary Terms Compact – an agreement
Cape – a strip of land that stretches into a body of water
Pilgrim – a person who makes a long journey for religious reasons
Missionary – a person who teaches his or her religion to others who have different beliefs

7. Introduction to Early Explorers
Many brave men, the early explorers, left their homes in search of something more and in doing so they changed our way of life. This was the beginning of the recorded history of the United States of America. It also marked the beginning of global trade and cultural exchanges that would alter the lives of people around the world.

8. John Cabot

9. John Cabot’s Routes

10. Who was John Cabot?
Cabot was born in Italy but moved to England in At the request of King Henry VII of England, Cabot sailed to Canada in 1497, commanding the small ship called "Matthew." Cabot landed near Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island (the exact spot is uncertain) on June 24, One of John Cabot's three sons, the explorer Sebastian Cabot, accompanied him on this trip. Cabot claimed the land for England.
Cabot explored the Canadian coastline and named many of its islands and capes. The mission's purpose was to search for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia (a seaway to Asia). Cabot was unsuccessful, although he thought that he had reached northeastern Asia.
Cabot undertook a second, larger expedition in On this trip, Cabot may have reached America, but that is uncertain. Cabot's expeditions were the first of Britain's claims to Canada.
John Cabot died in England in 1499.

11. Why did John Cabot explore the east coast of Canada?
He was looking for a shorter route to Asia.
This route was important because Asia was a trade route.
He explored the East coast of Canada –known for its rich fishing area.

12. What problem did John Cabot face in his search for a shorter route to Asia?
He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean thinking he was headed for Asia.
He did not have a map.

13. Who was Jacques Cartier?

14. Where did Jacques Cartier sail?

15. Jacques Cartier’s First Voyage

16. Jacques Cartier’s 2nd Voyage

17. Who was Jacques Cartier?
Jacques Cartier ( ) was a French explorer who led three expeditions to Canada, in 1534, 1535, and He was looking for a route to the Pacific through North America (a Northwest Passage) but did not find one. Cartier paved the way for French exploration of North America.
Cartier sailed inland, going 1,000 miles up the St. Lawrence River. He also tried to start a settlement in Quebec (in 1541), but it was abandoned after a terribly cold winter. Cartier named Canada; "Kanata" means village or settlement in the Huron-Iroquois language. Cartier was given directions by Huron-Iroquois Indians for the route to "kanata," a village near what is now Quebec, but Cartier later named the entire region Canada.

18. Who was Christopher Columbus?

19. What route did Christopher Columbus sail?

20. Who was Christopher Columbus?
Christopher Columbus ( ) was an Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492, hoping to find a route to India (in order to trade for spices). He made a total of four trips to the Caribbean and South America during the years , sailing for King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. On his first trip, Columbus led an expedition with three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.

21. Who was Christopher Columbus?
Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy. He went to sea as a young boy, and spent most of his life at sea.
Columbus knew the world was round. He believed that by sailing west, instead of current route east around the coast of Africa, he would the East and the Spice Islands.
He moved to Portugal trying to get money to support his journey. He eventually got support from Ferdinand and Isabella, the king and queen of Spain.
In 1492 Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

22. Replicas of Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria

23. Why did Columbus come to America?
Columbus wasn't actually looking for America. He was looking for a shorter route to the far east. There he would find valuable silks and spices.

24. Map carved in wood of the islands Columbus visited on his journey

25. Where did Columbus land?
Columbus actually landed on a small island in the Bahamas which Columbus named San Salvador. Columbus thought he had landed on the Spice Islands near India. This is why he named the people he met Indians.
Columbus died in 1506 still believing that he had found a new route to the East Indies.

26. Picture of Columbus landing on the shore of the Bahamas

27. Juan Ponce de Leon

28. Juan Ponce de Leon’s route

29. Who is Juan Ponce de Leon?
Juan Ponce de Leon (1460?-1521) was a Spanish explorer and soldier who was the first European to set foot in Florida. He also established the oldest European settlement in Puerto Rico and discovered the Gulf Stream (a current in the Atlantic Ocean). Ponce de Leon was searching for the legendary fountain of youth and other riches.

30. What was Juan Ponce de Leon’s major accomplishment?
He was the first European to explore Florida, searching for the Fountain of Youth.

31. Early Life for Juan Ponce de Leon
Juan Ponce de Leon was born in Tierra de Campos Palencia, Spain. As a boy he was hired to deliver messages in royal court. Later he served in many military campaigns against the Muslims until 1492 when they were driven out of Spain. After sailing with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, Ponce de Leon remained in Santo Domingo, an island south of Florida.

32. In Search of the Fountain of Youth
As a reward for his service to Spain, Ponce de Leon was given the right to find Bimini, one of the islands in the Bahamas. The "Fountain of Youth" was supposed to be in Bimini. Legend has it that anyone who drank from the fountain would never grow old. Ponce de Leon organized an expedition to find the fountain in March of He landed near the site of what is now St. Augustine, Florida. He didn't realize he landed in North America. He thought he had landed on an island. He named it Florida because he saw lots of flowers (Florida in Spanish means flowery). He was the first European to explorer Florida and he didn't know it! The next day he claimed the land in the name of the King of Spain. Ponce de Leon sailed through the Florida Keys to Cuba and found nothing. Having no luck they turned back and sailed to Spain.

33. Second Search for the Fountain of Youth
Five years after returning to Spain, Ponce de Leon sailed back on another voyage to Bimini in February of 1521with 2 ships and 200 men. They landed on the west coast of Florida. When they went ashore, they were met by a large group of Native Americans shooting arrows at them. An arrow hit Ponce De Leon. He was taken back to the ship and brought to Cuba. He died in July of 1521 from his wounds.

34. Area explored by Ponce de Leon in North America

35. Pictures from Mrs. Eason’s Vacation at the Fountain of Youth

36. Fountain of Youth Pictures cont..

37. Fountain of Youth pictures cont..

38. Fountain of Youth pictures cont..

39. Fountain of Youth pictures cont..

40. Fountain of Youth pictures cont..

41. Statue of Juan Ponce de Leon at the Fountain of Youth

42. A broken replica of a ship that the explorers traveled in during that time period

43. Who was Vasco Nunez de Balboa?

44. Vasco Nunez de Balboa’s Route

45. Who was Vasco Nunez de Balboa?
Vasco Nunez de Balboa ( ) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who was the first European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (in 1513), crossing the Isthmus of Panama. In 1500, Balboa sailed with Rodrigo de Bastidas from Spain to Colombia, South America. They searched for treasures (pearls and gold) along the northern coast of South America and in the Gulf of Uraba (near San Sebastian). They were forced to abandon their leaky ship in Hispaniola. The penniless Balboa tried, unsuccessfully, to farm for a living.

46. Vasco Nunez de Balboa cont..
In 1510, Balboa and his dog Leoncico stowed away on a boat going from Santo Domingo to San Sebastian. When they arrived at San Sebastian, they discovered that it had been burned to the ground. Balboa convinced the others to travel southwest with him to a spot he had seen on his earlier expedition. In 1511, Balboa founded a colony, the first European settlement in South America - the town of Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darien.
Balboa married the daughter of Careta, the local Indian chief. Soon after, in 1513, he sailed with hundreds of Spaniards and Indians across the Gulf of Uraba to the Darien Peninsula.

47. Vasco Nunez de Balboa cont..
Balboa headed an overland expedition west through very dense rainforests. Along the way they fought many local Indians and destroyed one Indian village, killing hundreds of Indians. Balboa (accompanied by his dog) was the first European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (in September 1513, from a peak in Darién, Panama). Balboa and his men (including Francisco Pizarro) then traveled to the ocean and claimed it and all the land that touched it for Spain. They spent about a month conquering Natives along the Pacific coast and stealing their gold.

48. Vasco Nunez de Balboa cont..
Balboa was charged with treason against Spain (although he was innocent and had been framed by a friend, Arias de Avila). Francisco Pizarro arrested Balboa. Balboa was found guilty and was publicly beheaded in Acla in January, 1519.

49. Who was Henry Hudson?

50. Henry Hudson’s Route

51. Who was Henry Hudson?
Henry Hudson ( ) was an English explorer and navigator who explored parts of the Arctic Ocean and northeastern North America. The Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay are named for Hudson.

52. Henry Hudson cont..
Little is known about Hudson's early life. Hudson was hired by the Muscovy Company in 1607, to find a waterway from Europe to Asia. Hudson made two trips (in 1607 and 1608), but failed to find a route to China. In 1607, he sailed to Spitzbergen (an island north of Scandinavia in the Arctic Ocean) and discovered Jan Mayen Island (a tiny island off eastern Greenland). In 1608, he sailed to Novaya Zemlya (an island north of Russia in the Arctic Ocean).

53. Henry Hudson cont…
Hudson was then hired by the Dutch East India Company in 1609, to try to find the Northwest Passage farther south. On this trip in a ship called the Half Moon, Hudson sailed to Nova Scotia, and then sailed south. He found what is now called the Hudson River. Hudson is credited with discovering the location which is now New York City (although da Verrazzano had previously sailed by the area in 1524). Hudson sailed into New York's harbor on September 3, 1609 and noted what an excellent harbor it was. Hudson sailed up the river about 150 miles (240 km) and noted the abundance of rich land, but realized that this was not a waterway to India. His reports resulted in many Dutch settlements in the area.

54. Henry Hudson cont…
A trip through the Hudson Strait and into Hudson Bay ended in a mutiny. Hudson died in 1611 after his crew mutinied and left Hudson, his son, and seven crew members adrift in a small, open boat in Hudson Bay.

55. Interactive Maps of Explorers’ Routes