Europe’s Impact on
the New World
. . . and what the New World taught Europe.
The Explorers
Columbus
Wanted to find a short route
to Asia. Bumped into the New
World by mistake.
Hudson
Henry Hudson was looking for
a northern passage to Asia.
Coronado
Looking for the 7 cities of gold
Marquette
French In 1673 He and Louis
Jolliet, explored and map the
northern portion of
the Mississippi River.
Columbus Crosses the Atlantic

The Spanish had three reasons for exploration:
–
gold
–
land
–
religion
This exploration brought about great changes for
Europe and the natives.
Brainstorm…


What types of changes?
Did the Europeans know what they were doing?
– the establishment of distant settlements
controlled by the parent country.
*Colonization
*The Spanish established settlements or colonies using the
following tactics:
 superior weaponry
 forced labor
*Disease ravaged the Native Americans; measles, mumps,
chickenpox, small pox and typhus. By 1600, it is estimated that
only 1 in 25 native peoples survive the epidemics.
Brainstorm…
As a landowner looking to get rich what
do you do now?
The Slave Trade Begins
As more natives died of disease African slavery
became an essential part of the European-American
economic system.
o
“The labor of one …[African]…[is] more valuable than that of four
Indians; every effort should be made to bring many…[Africans] from
Guinea.”
Bartolome De Las Casas
• When Europe started to come to the
New World they influenced many
areas of daily life.
• Europeans also learned some new
things from the natives.
• The exchange of ideas can be broken
into 5 areas:
1.Religion 2. Economics 3. Food
4. Government 5. Social
Brainstorm…

What is the end result of this exploration?
–
–
–
–
–
religious?
economic?
food?
government?
social?
Religion
Conversion
Atahualpa
Most explorers wanted to convert
the natives to Catholic or
Protestant. The natives religion
wasn’t understood so it must be
wrong.
Leader of the Incas. Captured by
Pizzaro and held for ransom. He
was to be killed but was offered
a quick death if he converted to
Catholicism.
Economics
GOLD
Lets face it, the Spanish wanted gold.
Treasure ships were built to haul
back the loot.
England
Saw the New World as a giant raw
materials location.
Trade
This was done with the Columbian
Exchange. Plants, animals, and
diseases.

The development of the new world created profound
changes in the new and old world. The exchange of
plants, animals and ideas is known as the Columbian
Exchange.
Americas to Europe,
Africa and Asia
•Corn
•Potato
•Pumpkin
•Turkey
•Cacao Bean
Atlantic Ocean
•Disease
•Livestock
•Citrus
•Coffee
Europe, Africa and
Asia to Americas
Food
To Europe
Beans, Cocoa, Corn, Peanuts,
Potatoes, Pumpkins, Squash,
Sweet Potatoes, Tobacco, and
Tomatoes
To New World Bananas, Citrus, Grains,
Peaches, Pears, & Sugarcane
Government
Matriarchal
Women lead the society.
This was found among the
natives. Why?
Iroquois
Confederacy
It was made up of the
Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga,
Onondaga & Seneca nations.
This idea was adopted as the
first government of the U.S.
Discuss
• Why did European explorers believe they
could simply claim lands for their home
countries, even though these lands were
already populated?
• What impact did the Columbian Exchange
have on people’s lives throughout the
world?
• Why did Europeans want to colonize the
Americas?
Map Activity
• Using Page 43, Map the exploration routes for:
– Columbus
– Hudson
– Joliet and Marquette
– Magellan
– Coronado
– Cortez
On the Back
– Define: Encomienda system, Joint-Stock Companies
– Explain the different reasons for colonization
– Explain Columbian Exchange and discuss the effects of the
European contact in the Americas.