Post on 15-Jan-2016
transcript
European Explorations & the Discovery of North America
Which Europeans Discovered North America and Canada First?
• Vikings:– 981: Bjarni landed in
Newfoundland by accident
– Leif Erikson in 1001 Heard about Bjarni & made his own trip to Newfoundland (stopped in NL and NS)
L’Anse aux Meadows
• A place in Newfoundland• Archeologists think it was
a site where Vikings lived• Old foundations were
found• An international heritage
site• Very important!• http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=cDfOHFUBEc4
Erikson brought back things like timber (big trees) and grapes to Greenland, telling of his time in “the great wooded land”
*** However, Europeans were not interested in a land far across the Ocean and the danger of travel was too great
Why did Europeans want to Explore?• Late 1400s • European countries
interested in because they wanted MONEY
• Before 1453 • Europeans travelled to
Asia• Spices, silk, herbs, silver,
gold, etc.• Stuff sold in Europe
Profit $$$
Blocked!!!
• All the vanished when the Ottoman empire Blocked the routes East
• What could the Europeans do?????
• They tried to look for another way to China
• Going West bring them to China (is that right?)
Ottoman Empire (in green)
Ottoman Empire Blocking routes
1400s: The Renaissance
• Europe in 1400s:• People interested in
Science/learning• People becoming better
educated/curious about the world
• Advances in medicine/math/ EXPLORATION
Renaissance & Explorations
• Lots of inventions during the Renaissance!!!!• Inventions to help explorations were popping
up as well!!!!• This made travel by sea easier at times!!!• What kinds of inventions????
Astrolab• Determines your position:• “The mariner's astrolabe is
simply a ring marked in degrees for measuring celestial altitudes. It was not possible to determine longitude at sea in the early days so the Mariner's Astrolabe was used to determine the latitude of a ship by measuring the noon altitude of the Sun.”– Yahoo
Caravel
• New type of ship:– Stronger– Very Fast – Easy to handle– Space for goods and
cargo– Good for long voyages
Compass
• Compasses aided travellers know the 4 Cardinal Points (North, South, East, West)
Maps
• Explorers used maps that had details from previous explorations.
• Maps were added to or changed as time went on
Exploration into the 1500s
• Different groups in Europe were interested in Exploration.
• Merchants = New route to the far East
• Scholars = Curious about life beyond Europe
• Clergy = Convert people to Christianity
Spain & Portugal
• First countries to send explorers
• Explored the South Atlantic
• Probably due to their location close to the Equator and wind patterns
Portugal & Explorers
• Bartholomew Diaz:–1st European to
sail down the coast of Africa Around Cape of good hope (1487)
Portugal & Explorers Con’t
• Vasco de Gama:–Same route as
Diaz, but made it to India (1497)
Portugal & Explorers Con’t
• Pedro Cabral:–Sailed Across
Atlantic Brazilian Coast (1500)
Spain & Explorers• Christopher Columbus:– Italian– 4 voyages West– Most famous trip in
1492 when trying to get to Asia Landed in what is now Bahamas
– He made 3 more trips different parts of the Caribbean
Spain & Explorers Con’t
• Amerigo Vespucci:– Explored the East
Coast of South America between 1499-1503–Amerigo =
America
Spain & Explorers Con’t
• Vasco Nuez de Balboa:– In 1513 travelled to
central America– Thinnest part of the
continent was able to walk to Pacific Ocean–1st European to see
Pacific Ocean
Vasco Nuez de Balboa 1513
Spain & Explorers Con’t
• Fedinao de Magellan: – Portuguese– First sailor around
the world (1519-1522)
– Killed about ¾ through his journey in the South Pacific
– Another captain continued the journey back to Spain
Portuguese claims in South America-1500s
Mainly what is now Brazil
Spanish claims in the Americas- 1500s
Mainly West Cost of SA and most of Central America
Spain vs. Portugal: A Battle for South America?
• SA late 1500s Spain & Portugal
• No battle for territory because RC Church gives:– Spain most of SA– Portugal Central
America– Eventually Portugal
weas allowed into SA
England/France & Explorers
• England and France sailed the North Atlantic and focused on North America– Why?
• They knew Spain & Portugal had control of South America
• They also thought Northern route = way to China
England & Explorers• John Cabot:
– Italian– Reached North Eastern
North America (1497) Newfoundland/Nova Scotia, etc.
– Thought he was in Asia and told English King…
– Confusion when English King sent more ships back… no gold/silk/spices…
– No more expeditions right away, except for fishing in the Grand Banks
Grand Banks
England & Explorers Con’t
• Martin Frobisher:– Explored Newfoundland
and Labrador (1576-1579)
• Sir Francis Drake:– Sailed under the tip of
South America up to Northern North America (what is now British Columbia, Oregon and Northern California)
Sir Francis Drake 1577-1580
England & Explorers Con’t
• Henry Hudson:• 1609: Sailed the Hudson
river for the Dutch• A year later for England Hudson Bay looking for the North-West passage
• Stayed the winter• On the return, his crew
turned against him and tossed him off the boat
France & Explorers
• Jacques Cartier:– 3 major voyages (1534, 1535,
1541)– He was financed ($$$) by the
King of France at the time (King Francis I).
• The king expected 4 things out of Cartier’s voyages:
1. Route to Asia2. Bring back cool stuff that
was worth $$$3. Set up a colony4. Set up the framework for
Christianity