Exploration, Discovery and Settlement 1492-1700

1. Exploration, Discovery and Settlement1492-1700 The original exploration, discovery and settlement of the Americas occurred thousands of years before Christopher Columbus was born.

2. Exploration, Discovery and Settlement • Archeologists believe the first people to settle N. America arrived 40,000 years ago • These people crossed a land bridge that connected Siberia (Russia) to Alaska • These first Americans eventually migrated to S. America • They adapted to their environment, spoke different languages, developed unique cultures • 50-75 million persons

3. Exploration, Discovery and Settlement • How were the Native Americans different? • How were they similar?

4. Cultures of N. America • Most N. Americans lived in small settlements (300 people) • Men: made tools, hunting • Women: Grew crops • Some were nomadic • More Complex: • Pueblos in SW U.S. had multistoried homes, irrigation • Mound builders in Mississippi, Ohio R. Valleys • Iroquois form League of Nations • Pueblo

5. Cultures of N. America • Adena, Hopwell and Mississippian cultures

6. Cultures of C. and S. America • Aztec Capitol: Tenochtitlan • Equal in size to any European city at its height • Most historians believe more people lived in Cenral and South American than N. America • BIG 3: • Maya • Aztecs • Incas • All were highly organized, extensive trade, calendars, scientific observations, and farming

7. Europe Moves Toward Exploration • Most Europeans had no idea the Americas existed • Vikings came around 1000 to N. America but left no lasting impact • Columbus arrives in 1492 • Why?

8. Improvements in Technology • Renaissance: rebirth of classical learning and outburst of scientific activity (1400s and 1500s) • Gunpowder from China • Sailing Compass adopted by Arabs from Chinese • Improvements in Shipbuilding and mapmaking • Printing press invented in 1450s

9. Religious Conflict • Catholic Spain: Spain expelled all Muslims in the 1400s and united under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (they financed Columbus) • N. Europe Rebels: Protestant Reformation starts in Germany, soon France, England and Holland revolt against papal authority • Religious wars between Catholics and Protestants • This causes a religious motive for exploration as European countries wanted their “versions” spread

10. Expanding Trade • Competition for trade amongst European countries • Looking for a new way to the riches of Asia • Along African coast? Or across Atlantic? • Portugal lead the way - Prince Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama

11. Developing Nation-States • In Europe monarchs were gaining power and building nation-states ( country where the people share a common culture and loyalty to govt.) in Spain, Portugal, France, and the Netherlands • They depended on trade for $

12. Early Explorations • C. Columbus sails for Spain and lands in the Bahamas in Oct. 1492 • He always thought he had reached Asia, not the Americas • He names the natives: Indians • Amerigo Vespucci = America • There will now be PERMANENT interaction between Europe and the “New World”

13. Exchanges

14. Dividing the New World • Spain and Portugal were the first to claim land • In 1493 the pope drew a dividing line to separate the lands between the two countries • Treaty of Tordesillas

15. Spanish Exploration and Conquest • Conquistadors conquered land for Spain in S. America and C. America • Cortes def. Aztecs • Pizzaro def. Incas • Gold and silver sent back to Spain • Spain becomes wealthiest nation in Europe

16. Spanish Conquests • Encomienda System: king of Spain gives grants of land and Indians to individual Spaniards • Indians had to work on farms/mines • What caused Native Americans to die by the thousands?

17. English Claims