Chapter 5: The Settlement of North America
Lesson 1
1400s – 1650s European Explorers looking for the Northwest Passage – a water route through North
America to Asia.
European monarchs sponsored many explorers.
King of England – sponsored Italian sea captain, John Cabot in 1497.
Ship: Matthew, landed on an island off the coast of Canada.
Cabot thought he had landed in Asia.
Found no gold or silver.
Discovered the “Grand Banks” – a valuable fishing area in the Atlantic with plentiful fish.
King of France – sponsored Italian sea captain , Giovanni Verrazano in 1524, also looking for a
Northwest Passage.
Verrazano sailed to North America
Explored Atlantic coast from Carolinas to Canada.
Entrance to N.Y. harbor named after him.
Dutch East India Company – formed by Dutch merchants to pay for expeditions.
The merchants combined money (invested) in these expeditions.
In return, they would receive profits if the expedition was a success.
Profits – the amount of money that remains after the costs of a business
have been paid.
It sponsored an English sea captain, Henry Hudson in 1609.
(Include the following notes on the page in your notebooks entitled “Henry Hudson” – from last week):
Henry Hudson
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Ship: Half Moon, sailed from S. Carolina to Maine.
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Saw Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay and N.Y. Harbor
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Traded with Native Americans of “Manahatta”
Sailed the Hudson River, called it the “Great River of Mountains”. He was
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Sure it was the Northwest Passage.
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Sailed river for 150 miles north. Encountered Delaware people.
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Impressed with the great supply of maize and beans.
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In 1611, on his last voyage, the crew mutineed and set Hudson, his son and loyal
companions adrift near the Arctic Circle. Never seen again.
Jacques Cartier – French explorer, 1534 in search of Northwest Passage.
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Reached Canada and claimed land along St. Lawrence River. Called it Canada,
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After Huron word, “Canata” (village)
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Canata became New France.
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French didn’t do much with new colonies for 60 years.
French began trading furs and fishing
Samuel de Champlain – He was a French geographer and explorer.
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He founded a trading post in 1608 on the St. Lawrence River called Quebec.
Befriended the Huron to have friendly trading partners.
In 1609, Huron asked French to be allies with them against the Iroquois.
In a bloody battle near a Lake, later called Lake Champlain, The French
Attacked the Iroquois with arquebuses which they had never seen before, and defeated
them. Iroquois never forgot this.
Not many French colonists in New France in 1600s:
- Colonists couldn’t own land
- Cold climate – difficult farming
- Only Roman Catholics allowed to settle
- Missionaries came and lived in Huron villages, attempting to convert the Indians.
Fr. Jacques Marquette – French priest and explorer, working in present-day Michigan,
 Tried to find the Northwest Passage.
 Discovered the MIssissipi River in 1673 – knew it wasn’t Northwest Passage b/c it flowed south.
 He Explored with Louis Jolliet