1. Age of Contact
1400s-1700s

2. Which countries explored the Americas?
Spain
France
Portugal
Great Britain
Netherlands (Dutch)
All of these countries had a monarchy (government ruled by a king or queen)

4. What were European monarchs hoping to achieve through exploration?
Monarch were trying to build empires.
Monarchs believed that by building empires, they were acquiring more land, which would lead to more goods, and in turn, more money.
Empire = Land
Land = More goods
More goods = more money

5. What were European monarchs hoping to achieve through exploration?
This, however, was very risky
Monarchs hoped for a positive return on their investment
This means that the monarchs were willing to spend a little (funding expeditions by buying supplies/ships) in the hopes they would get a lot more money back (in the form of gold and valuable goods)

6. Why did Spain explore now?
YEAR
EVENT

7. The Moors gain control of Spain.
(Islamic peoples from N.W. Africa)
711
The Moors gain control of Spain.
(-before the Moors, Spain was a Christian land)
(as soon as they were conquered, they began the battle to regain Spain)

8. The Reconquista ends when the Moors are driven out of Granada
(The fight to reconquer Spain – was turned into a religious contest)
1492
The Reconquista ends when the Moors are driven out of Granada
(Fighting became a way of life, a job, an act of religious faith)
(Last city to fall – in the southern part of Spain)

10. Columbus takes first voyage to the Americas
(Monarchs in charge of Spain – Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand agreed to finance Columbus to be powerful again)
1492
Columbus takes first voyage to the Americas
-looking for riches in
India and China
-2 months later he lands on an island (not India or China)
(Spices and silk were some of the needed items)
– he met people that were indigenous to this island
– he called them “Indians”
(native)

12. What were Spain’s main reasons for exploration?
Glory
Conquistadors hoped to bring glory to the Spanish Empire and to themselves following the Reconquista.
God
Spread of Christianity became a religious war
Gold
Hoped to find gold and trade goods to increase wealth for Spain

13. What were France’s main reasons for exploration?
Fur
Beaver pelts were the height of fashion in Paris. The French searched for animal furs.
Fish
Like the Spanish, the French were looking for natural resources.
Friends
The French became allies with the Native Americans to achieve their other goals.