2012-13
DO NOT LOSE THIS STUDY GUIDE!
DO NOT TRASH!
USI.4
[USI.4 EUROPEAN
EXPLORATION STUDY GUIDE
TARA JOHNSON]
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USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
2012-13
American Indians established their own diverse (different) cultures in
America long before the Europeans arrived. The Indians walked the paths
through the land and learned the land by experience. They know of the waters,
the trees, the landforms, and the various animals. They tilled the earth and grew
plants for food, dyes, medicines, and cloth. They domesticated (tamed) animals,
established patterns of trade, built towns, produced architecture, developed
systems of beliefs, and created systems of government. American Indians related
to diverse and demanding environments, not only by adapting their ways to it,
but also by shaping the physical environment to meet their needs. For example,
by building irrigation (water) systems and using fire to clear brush, they prepared
land to grow crops and helped the growth of wild game. They were the first
people to inhabit this land. It was their homeland.
After the arrival of European explorers, American Indians struggled to
preserve their cultures while adapting to rapidly changing conditions. The
Europeans brought many diseases from their countries, such as smallpox, the
most deadly. The Europeans established permanent settlements in America and
forced the Indians to move away from their Tribal homelands. The Indians
believed that the land was to be used and shared but not owned, while the
Europeans, particularly the English, claimed private ownership of land. This
disagreement resulted in a serious conflict between the American Indians and the
Europeans.
The relationship between Europeans and American Indians sometimes led
to cooperation (getting along) and other times resulted in conflict (problems).
Let’s look at how the Spanish, the French, and the English brought changes to the
settlers and the Indians. Study the graph on the next page.
1|Page
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
Spanish



French
Conquered and
enslaved
American Indians
Brought
Christianity to the
New World
Brought
European
diseases to
American Indians


Established
trading post
Spread
Christianity
religion
English



Established
settlements and
claimed
ownership of land
Learned farming
techniques from
American Indians
Traded with
American Indians
How did they (explorers and American Indians) get along?
Areas of cooperation existed between the cultures:
1. Europeans brought
weapons and metal farm
tools to the American
Indians.
2. Trade
3. Crop
What did they (explorers and American Indians) disagree over?
Areas of conflict existed between the cultures:
1. Land
2. Competition for
trade
3. Differences in
cultures
4. Diseases
5. Language
differences
2|Page
2012-13
American Indians


Taught farming
techniques to
Europeans
settlers
Believed that land
was to be used
and shared but
not owned
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
2012-13
Why explore?
There were several motivational forces for countries to
explore. A motivation is a reason to want to do
something. The first motivation for
exploration is economic. Countries
wanted gold, natural resources, and trade. Second,
is religiously motivated. Countries wanted to
spread Christianity in the New World. Last,
competitions for empire and belief in
superiority of own culture. The idea that more
is bigger and better.
There were several obstacles in exploration. Poor maps
and navigational tools often misguided exploration. Explorers
would often die of disease or starvation. Explorers lacked
supplies and feared the unknown.
Although there were several obstacles in explorations,
there were also many accomplishments. Cultures were able to
exchanges goods and ideas. They learned to improve
navigational tools and ships. Each country; Spain, France and
England, were able to claim territories in the New World for
themselves.
3|Page
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
2012-13
Let’s look at these three countries, who they sent to explore for
them and what they claimed.
Explorer
What did
he claim?
Spain
France
France
England
Francisco
Coronado
Robert La Salle
Samuel De
Champlain
John Cabot

4|Page
Claimed
southwest
United
States for
Spain



Claimed the Mississippi
River Valley
Explored the Great Lakes
Claimed a huge area of
land , from the
Appalachian Mnts, to the
Rocky Mtns. And from
the Great Lakes to the
Gulf of Mexico

Established
a French
settlement
in Quebec


Explored
Eastern
Canada
Explored what
is now
Newfoundland
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
2012-13
On the maps below, locate and label each explorer’s claim.
Coronado’s Route for Spain. Notice
how it covers southern United
States.
Robert La Salle’s Route for France.
Down the Mississippi Valley
Champlain’s route for France.
This is a map of Northeastern
United States. He settled
Quebec.
John Cabot’s route for England. He
explored eastern Canada and
Newfoundland.
5|Page
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
2012-13
Africa
The empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai dominated West Africa, one after
another, from 300 to 1600. The Empire of Ghana was the first empire in West
Africa. It was rich in gold and traded gold for salt and cloth. Muslims conquered
Ghana around 1200 and built the Empire of Mali. Mali had a powerful leader
named and Musa who used his army to increase Mali’s wealth. The Empire of
Mali was replaced by the Songhai Empire. Trade and farming were important to
the Songhai Empire. The Songhai Empire remained powerful until about 1600.
Each empire used its location as a center of trade for West Africa and became
powerful by controlling trade in the area. Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were located
in the western region of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert, near the Niger River.
_______
6|Page
_______
_______
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
Ghana
•First West
African
Empire
•Rich in Gold
Mali
•Muslims
conquered
Ghana in
1200
•Leader
named Musa
Songhai
2012-13
•Stayed until
1600
•Trade &
Farming
were
important
*** To help you remember Ghana-Mali-Songhai, just think of
your ABCs. They are in ABC order ***
Portuguese sailors began to explore the West African
coast in the 1400s. The Portuguese were interested in the gold
trade as well as the buying and selling of enslaved Africans.
Portuguese made voyages of discovery along West Africa. The
Portuguese carried goods from Europe to the West African
empires, trading metals, cloth, and other manufactured
(manmade) goods for gold. Ghana, Mali, and Songhai became
powerful by controlling trade between Europe and West Africa.
**African people and African goods played an important role in
arousing European interest in world resources.
***African people and African goods played an important role
in arousing European interest in world resources. African goods
encouraged explorers to look for more in the world around
them.
7|Page
USI.4 European Exploration Study Guide Tara Johnson
2012-13
Lets Sum up the unit:
There were several reasons why they wanted to explore the New
World:
1) Economic Reasons: they wanted to find gold, natural resources, and
to trade
2) Religious Reasons: they wanted to spread Christianity
3) Competition: they wanted to own more land than anyone else and
believed their culture was best
But, there were problems...
1) they had poor maps and navigational tools
2) there was little food and many became sick or died from starvation or
disease
3) they were afraid of what was over in the New World, since no one had
been before
4) they did not have appropriate supplies
Some explorers achieved great things from exploring the New World:
1) they exchanged goods and ideas
2) they were able to improve navigational tools and ships
3) they claimed new territories
Sometimes there was cooperation between the Explorers and the
Native Americans:
1) Technologies-- they shared knowledge about transporting weapons
and farm tools
2) They traded with one another
3) Native Americans taught the Explorers a great deal about crops
But at other times, there was conflict:
1) Who owned the land?
2) They competed for trade
3) There were many differences between European and Native American
cultures
4) Disease was brought over by the Explorers
5) They spoke different languages, so communication was very difficult
8|Page