The Discovery of America

1. The Discovery of America

2. Introduction • The Age of Discovery • Christoph Columbus • European colonization of the America • The Spanish and Portuguese colonies • English and French colonies • American Revolutionary War • Manifest Destiny

3. The Age of Discovery • known as the Age ofExploration • a period in historystarting in the 15th century and continuingintothe early 17th century • theEuropeansengaged in intensiveexplorationoftheworld • establishing direct contactswithAfrica, America, Asia and Oceania • mappingthe planet • thefirstinitiators – Portuguese and Spanish • searchingalternativetraderoutes to „theIndies“ • thetradewithgold, silverand spices • in 1492 – theSpanishexpeditionheaded by Christopher Columbus - gaveimpetus to theEuropeanconquest, exploration and colonizationofthenewworld

4. Old World Map

5. Christoph Columbus(c. 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) • a navigator, colonizer and an explorer • from the Republic of Genoa • four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean • all his voyages funded by the Spanish Queen Isabella I. Castile • his first voyage • on the 3th August 1492 • with three ships – Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina • his conviction - the Earth is round and he was satisfied to reach the India acrossing the Atlantic Ocean • Columbus first sailed to the Canary Islands, where he restocked the provisions and made repairs

6. Christoph Columbus(c. 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) - the land was sighted at 2 a.m. on 12 October 1492, by a sailor named Rodrigo de Triana aboard Pinta • Columbus called the island San Salvador (the Bahamas), the natives – Guanahani (Indios) • the indigenous people he encountered, were peaceful and friendly • he also explored the northeast of Cuba and the northern coast of Hispaniola and Haiti • the 3th voyage - exploration of the coast of the South America by Salvador Dalí

7. Europeancolonizationofthe America • The start typicallydated to 1492 • But thefirstknownEuropeans to reachthe America weretheVikings – duringthe 11th century (oneshortlived settlement atL´AnseausMeadows – presentdays in Newfoundland) • The post 1492 – eraisknown as the period oftheColumbian Exchange – a wide transfer ofplants, animals, foods, humanpopulations (includingslades) and culture • Thefirstexplorations and conquests – made by theSpanish and Portuguese • 1494 – „TreatyofTordesillas“, ratified by the Pope

8. Colonization of the America 1750

9. TheSpanish and Portuguesecolonies • TheSpanishcolonies – by themiddleof 16th century - controlof much of western South America, Central America – theCaribbean and Mexico, Florida and New Mexico • Theexplorers • VascoNúnez de Balboa – in 1513 crossedtheIsthmusof Panama • HernanCortes – overthrowingtheAztec Empire • Francisco Pizzaro – conqueredtheInca Empire • ThePortuguesecolonised much ofeasternSouth America, namingitBrazil • Theexplorers • Pedro ÁlvaresCabral – reachedBrazil • AmerigoVespucci – a Latinizedversionof his name – namingofthecontinent

10. English and French colonies • England and France – start in the 16th century – but these met with failure • In the 17 th century – two kingdoms with the Dutch Republic - success in establishing permanent colonies • Some of these – on Caribbean islands, the others - in eastern North America • England – established the colonies at the Atlantic coast from Florida to Quebeck (e.g. Virginia, New England, New York, Massachusetts)

11. English and French colonies • TheEnglishQueen Elisabeth – countenancedthecorsairs, who stole theSpanishships (theseawarwithSpain) • TheExplorers – John Cabot (Newfoundland) Samuel de Champlain (Kanada) • To theyear – 1775 - theEnglandestablished 13 colonies • Frenchcolonies – • in themiddleofNorth America alongtheriver Mississippi – Louisiana, Quebeck) • Theexplorers – Giovanni da Verrazzano

12. American Revolutionary War • American War of Independence (1775 – 1783) • Thirteen Colonies – Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island – declared their independence • These British colonies in North America rebelled against British rule in 1775 • Result: Treaty of Paris 1783, establishment of the United States of America • Commanders: George Washington • Great Britain recognized the independence • of the original thirteen colonies • DeclarationofNationalIndependence

13. Manifest Destiny • What is Manifest Destiny? • Was in the 19th century American belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean • Advocates of this concept believed that expansion was not only wise but that it was readily apparent (manifest) and inexorable (destiny)

14. Manifest Destiny • John O´Sullivan – coined this exact term • It was used by Democrats in the 1840 to justify the war with Mexico • It was opposed by „Whigs“ like Henry Clay and Abraham Lincoln • It fell into disuse after the middle 1850 • The Whigs – a political party, during the era of Jacksonian democracy 16th President of US