Age of Discovery
Age of Exploration
• Searching for new trade routes
• Searching for gold and riches
• Wanting to increase wealth and territory
Age of Discovery
• Wanted to discover new routes to the Far East–
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East Indies( India, China, Japan)
1000- Lief Ericsson was the first European to set
foot in North America. He landed in
Newfoundland- present day Canada.
Mid-1400’s- Prince Henry the Navigator of
Portugal- sent a ship along the southern coast of
Africa, searching for an Eastern passage.
1488- Bartholomew Diaz rounded tip of Africa at
the Cape of Good Hope.
Explorer-Spain
• 1492- Christopher Columbus believed earth was round.
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He hoped to reach china and the East Indies. His
exploration was turned down by King John of Portugal.
He was supported by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
of Spain.
Columbus landed in San Salvador- Oct. 12, 1492---the
“New World”.
His three ships were the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa
Maria.
He called the natives “Indians”. He thought he had
reached India. Columbus made four voyages.
Explorers
• 1497- John Cabot (Italian) Sailing on behalf of
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England– discovered Newfoundland- present-day
Canada ( again?)
1498-Vasco da Gama- sailed around Africa and
reached India. He found an ocean route to the
orient.
1499-Amerigo Vespucci ( Italian)- accompanied
Columbus on a voyage. He also sailed the coast
of South America. A map maker named the
“New World” after him
Explorers
• 1522- Ferdinand Megellan( Portugal)-
reached Asia by sailing west.
• Europe was looking for the “North west
Passage”– an all water route to Asia
through the North American Continent.
• 1524- Giovanni Verrazano (France) landed
in now Cape Fear, North Carolina.
Explorers- Spain
• 1513- Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida when looking for the
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fountain of youth.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa– crossed the isthmus of Panama to discover
the pacific ocean.
1519- Hernando Cortez- landed in Mexico where he found treasures
and gold.
1535—Francisco Pizzarro set out for the western coast of South
America.
1539- Hernando de Soto searching for gold, he left Cuba and landed
in Florida. 1540- He entered Georgia. He caused the death of
many natives– smallpox, measles, influenza, etc. He found no gold.
He lost most of his army. He eventually died along the Mississippi
River.
Spain
• After Columbus's Voyages Portugal became worried
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about Spain’s claim to the New World.
Pope Alexander decided to divide the new world
between Spain and Portugal. He created the Line of
Demarcation.
All land to the east of the line was Portugal’s. All land
to the west was Spain’s.
Treaty of Tordesilla- Agreement between Spain and
Portugal to move the boundary line.
Eventually Spain would try to acquire more land by
converting inhabitants to Christianity—Catholicism.
England
• Believed that to enforce a claim, settlers
and soldiers from the explorer’s country
must follow and colonize ( occupy and
control) the land.
• All Europeans did not feel it was necessary
to get any approval or permission from the
Native Americans.
France
• 1562—Jean Ribault and a group of
Huguenots (French Protestants) landed on
Florida’s coast. They eventually
discovered Port Royal and created Charles
Fort there. It was the first European fort.
• 1564– The French build Fort Caroline in
“Spanish” Florida. The Spanish ultimately
capture the for and kill the Huguenots.