Page 2 - SSW European Exploration of the Americas

Week 18 of 32 • Page 3
W eek 18 of 32 • P age 3
Age of Encounters in Western Hemisphere of their wealth. Before Pizarro

launched an attack, he had to sail
all the way back to Spain to get the
In the late 1400s, countries on Europe’s 1. John Cabot and the powerful Iroquois Confederacy. support of Emperor Charles V. When
Atlantic coast were competing with each Learning from Columbus, John Cabot became Cartier’s trips started French trade in he returned to Peru, the Inca were
other for wealth and power. Portugal was the interested in finding a shorter route across the North America. in the midst of a civil war. Pizarro’s

leader in exploration for many years. In 1488, a ocean. England sponsored Cabot’s journey to entrance coincided with a recent
ship from Portugal sailed to the southern sail through the North Atlantic in 1497. When 4. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado victory by a leader named Atahualpa.
tip of Africa. he reached land, Cabot thought he had landed Starting in Mexico in 1540, Coronado led an Pizarro set a trap and quickly took
Then, in 1492, Spain paid for Christopher in Asia, but it was actually what is now Canada. expedition for Spain in search of the Seven over Atahualpa’s forces. Pizarro then
Columbus to sail west across the Atlantic His voyage proved a northern route to the Cities of Cibola, which were said to be full of took over the capital of Cusco in 1533,
Ocean. Columbus studied everything that was Americas could work. While in Canada, he met amazing wealth just waiting to be taken. Along ending the Inca Empire..
available. He believed he could reach India the Eastern Woodland Native People. the way, the expedition discovered the Grand
by sailing west. No one in Europe at the time Canyon and found many Native People villages, 6. Hernán Cortés 1. John Cabot 2. Pedro Álvares Cabral 3. Jacques Cartier
knew there were continents between the 2. Pedro Álvares Cabral but there was no gold in any of them. Coronado Hernán Cortés was one of the most
Atlantic Ocean and India. When Columbus In 1500, Portugal sponsored Pedro Cabral passed through Arizona, New Mexico, crossed famous Spanish conquistadors, or
landed, he thought he had reached India. to take 13 ships to India for trade. Cabral’s west Texas and the Oklahoma panhandle, Spanish soldiers who explored and
He called the Taíno people he met “Indians.” plan was to sail around Africa, but on the and then entered Kansas around what is now conquered lands around the world. He
It wouldn’t be until 1503 when an explorer way, his ships sailed far into the Atlantic. This Liberal. His trek took him through what are now conquered what is now central and
named Amerigo Vespucci would discover that the cities of Plains, Meade, Fowler, Minneola, southern Mexico. He encountered the
the land Europeans were exploring was really misdirection caused Cabral to land on the coast and Dodge City. Aztec Empire in 1519. The Aztec king
of South America. There, he met the Tupiniquim
another continent. People later called the land was Moctezuma II. His people were
“America” in honor of this claim. people.. 5. Francisco Pizarro very friendly to Cortés and his men
Columbus brought evidence of his trip 3. Jacques Cartier Setting sail for Spain, Pizarro first traveled to because they believed Cortés to be

back to Europe. He shared his adventures and the Americas just 10 years after Columbus’s one of their gods, Quetzalcoatl. The

became famous in Europe. Once Columbus and France hoped to find a northwest passage voyage. Inspired by stories of great wealth, Aztecs submitted to almost everything

his crew shared what they had learned on their to reach the Pacific Ocean through North Pizarro traveled south along the coast in search Cortés wanted. Cortés captured
voyage, other explorers followed. Portugal, America. In 1534, France sent Jacques Cartier of wealthy civilizations. He then traveled to a Moctezuma and forcibly took over the

England, and France sent explorers across the to go find one. Cartier sailed up rivers in what part of South America known to the Spanish as Aztec Empire. His military victories led

Atlantic. Many early explorers believed they is now Canada. He didn’t find a route to the “Peru.” There, he encountered the Inca Empire. to 300 years of Spanish domination of

had reached Asia. Pacific, but he did meet the Mi’kmaq people Pizarro decided he wanted to take possession Mexico and Central America. 4. Francisco Vásquez 5. Francisco Pizarro 6. Hernán Cortés
de Coronado

Trade, Taxes, and Scarcity

Trade is one way people meet their wants and needs. Trade with others creates a
trade network. In Europe, there was a trade network between Europe and
the Indies. The “Indies” was what Europe called Asia in the 1400s. The trade
network covered a route known as the Silk Road. This trade route was used for
centuries. Caravans were groups of traders that traveled together. Caravans
brought spices, tea, silk, and other goods from the Indies to sell to the people
of Europe. The Caravans traveled through many countries to reach Europe.
Each country traded with the caravans.
Spices were not a natural resource in Europe. The supply of spices imported
to Europe depended on the caravans on the Silk Road. In the 1490s, the supply
of spices and other goods from Asia was stopped by the Ottoman Empire. The
Ottoman Empire controlled a large section of the Silk Road. The Ottomans put
high taxes on the goods coming into their country. This made the goods very
expensive. Many traders could not afford to pay the taxes to the Ottomans.
Therefore, the goods did not move on to Europe.
The monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, wanted spices and goods
from Asia to be in the markets in Spain. With the Ottomans blocking the land
route, they were not able to export any Spanish goods or import goods from
the Indies. Another route to the Indies was needed. If Ferdinand and Isabella
could meet the high demand for Asian goods, they could sell those goods for

a great profit.
This was the reason Columbus came
to Spain. He had the idea of sailing west
Motiv
Motiv
es and
es and
Motives and across the Atlantic Ocean to reach the
Indies. The new technology for navigation
emen
Mo
emen
v
v
Movement on the seas made this a reasonable plan.
Mo
t
t
Ferdinand and Isabella became the patrons

Why did people want to explore the seas? Why God of Columbus. They took a financial risk
did people want to colonize new lands? Many had Religion was very important to many countries. Some on Columbus, hoping he would reach the
different reasons for what they did. Many wanted explorers wanted to bring their beliefs to the people of Indies and return with spices. Columbus

to find a safer route for trade between Europe and the Americas. Many Portuguese and Spanish explorers returned to Spain with a cargo of goods far
Asia. In addition to finding a safer trade route, many wanted to spread the beliefs of Christianity and greater than spices. The risk Ferdinand

European countries wanted more from their voyages. convert native peoples to their religion. and Isabella took paid off
Each voyage was funded for a specific purpose. Those greatly. The trade that began

purposes are often referred to as the three Gs: Gold, Glory in 1492 between Spain and
God, and Glory. Europe is made up of many countries. These countries the Americas is called the
competed to claim land in the Americas. It was a race Columbian Exchange.
Gold for explorers and settlers from each country to This exchange had a
Many explorers were seeking riches for themselves start colonies. Many explorers hoped to gain fame large impact on both Landing of Columbus by John Vanderlyn
and their country. They searched for gold and other across the globe for their courageous actions and sides of the Atlantic.
precious metals that they could send back to Europe. daring expeditions.
These precious materials would be turned into coins, Together, these motivations gave rise to the

jewelry, and many other fine objects. Age of Exploration.