Exploration and Colonization
Age of Exploration
• After Columbus sailed to
the New World, Europeans
mobilized their navies and
began to explore
• Motivations: God, Gold,
Glory!
• Sailing East: Portugal
• Sailing West: Spain,
England, Netherlands,
France
Spain
• Reasons for exploration- Spread Christianity, find gold/riches, expand
the empire.
• Spain had the most powerful Navy in the world (Spanish Armada)
• Defeated major Meso-American societies including the Aztecs
(Cortez) and the Incas (Pizarro)
• Est. New Spain- Controlled by Crown
– Peninsulares (people who were fully Spanish) were put in charge to maintain
power in New Spain
Notable Spanish conquistadores:
Ferdinand Magellan- Circumnavigated (sailed around the world)
Francisco Pizarro- Conquered the Incas
Francisco Coronado- Explored South West U.S.
England
• Charters to Businesses- British East
India Co., Virginia Co., Plymouth Co.
• Roanoke- First attempted English
Colony (result was a failure)
• Successful English colonies:
– Jamestown (1607)- Founded for $$$
and raw materials
– Plymouth (1620)- Founded by
Separatists for religious reasons
- Mayflower Compact!!
Notable English Explorers
Henry Hudson- Found Hudson River
Sir Walter Raleigh- Chartered Roanoke Colony
Sir Francis Drake- First Englishman to circumnavigate the world. Was a
privateer against the Spanish Armada
France
The French Flag c. 1600
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The Flag of New France
New France-Controlled by crown (like Spain)
Specialized in hunting/trapping for $$
Spread of Catholicism more peacefully than Spanish
Est. friendly relations with Native Americans!!
Notable French Explorers
Jacque Marquette
and Louis Joliet
attempt to find a
Northwest Passage
by water from
Eastern Canada to
Asia. Instead, they
found the northern
entrance to the
Mississippi River
New Netherland and New Sweden
• New Netherland was established by the Dutch
(Netherlands) as a series of trading posts and
forts
• 1626- Peter Minuit, director of colony and
purchased the island of Manahachtanienk from
local Native Americans with iron and nonprecious stones.
• Minuit called the island New Amsterdam. Island
was later taken over by the British who re-named
it Manhattan--- MAJOR TRADING CITY
• Minuit also help found New Sweden in a similar
style to New Netherland
Quick Quiz
1. What was a major motivation for exploration
of the New World.
A. Gold
B. Spread Christianity
C. Acquire glory through land and power
D. All of the above
Quick Quiz
2. Name one English colony that succeeded and
one that failed?
A. Plymouth and New Amsterdam
B. Roanoke and Plymouth
C. Plymouth and Jamestown
D. Plymouth and Roanoke
Quick Quiz
3. How did the French make a profit in the New
World?
A. By spreading Christianity
B. By stealing gold from the Spanish in Mexico
C. By selling fur through hunting and trapping
D. By stealing gold from the Native Americans
Quick Quiz
4. How did the Spanish maintain control of New
Spain?
A. By sending the king to the New World to rule.
B. By allowing the natives to rule themselves.
C. By letting Spanish-born peninsulares rule.
D. None of the above.
Quick Quiz
5. Describe a major impact of exploration.
A. The trading of goods and ideas through the
Columbian exchange.
B. The dramatic increase in the Native American
population.
C. The treatment of Native tribes was positive.
D. More and more people began to immigrate to
the Old World.