Post on 27-Dec-2015
THE AGE OF EXPLORATION
1000-1600
THE EARLY VIKINGS
Who: Leif Erikson
When: 1000 AD
Why: Being a Viking
Details: Explored and settled the coast of Greenland,
so technically he was the first to settle
North America.
MARCO POLO
Who: Italy
When: 1270
Why: Wanted more money by trading with Asia
Details: Introduced Europeans to Central Asia. He
wrote his memoirs which inspired the Age of
Exploration and Christopher Columbus.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Who: Spain
When: 1492
Why: Looking for a faster trade route to India and Asia
Details: He set sail on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.
After three months of sailing his crew wanted to kill him
when they saw land. He landed on an island in the
Caribbean never reaching the mainland. Died never
knowing he was in North America.
VASCO DE GAMA
Who: Spain
When: 1497
Why: Faster route to India and Asia
Details: First person to sail around the tip of Africa
and the first person to sail directly to India from
Europe.
FERDINAND MAGELLEN
Who: Spain
When: 1519-22
Why: Trying to make it around the world
Details: Became the first expedition to
circumnavigate the globe. They started with five
ships and 237 men. Only 18 survived. Magellen
died in the Philippines.
VASCO DE NUNEZ BALBOA
Who: Spain
When: 1513
Why: Spanish Conqueror
Details: He was the first to walk across the New
World from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It was
only 44 miles.
HERNAN CORTES
Who: Spanish
When: 1518
Why: He was looking for the Seven Cities of Gold
Details: Single handedly destroyed the entire Aztec
civilization. Ruthless and evil as he marched his way
to the Aztec capital and killed their king.
JUAN PONCE DE LEON
Who: Spain
When: 1513
Why: Went looking for the Fountain of Youth
Details: Explored most of Florida, named it, claimed
it for Spain, but never found the Fountain of Youth as
evidenced by his death.
FRANCISCO PIZARRO
Who: Spain
When: 1532
Why: Went looking for the Incan’s gold
Details: He found the Incans, killed them, and took
their leader, Atahualpa captive. He made the Incans
fill one room with gold and two with silver to get him
back. He took the money and killed Atahualpa.
JOHN CABOT
Who: England
When: 1497
Why: He was England’s version of Columbus
Details: First to explore the North American coast
where current US is and laid claim to it for the
English. Disappeared on one of his voyages.
HENRY HUDSON
Who: English and Dutch
When: 1607-11
Why: Looking for the Northwest Passage
Details: Explored modern day New York City, the
Hudson River (named it after himself). He
disappeared after his crew threw him overboard.
SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN
Who: French
When: 1603
Why: Exploration and Settlement
Details: Created the first European settlement in
Canada/northern US. He made many friendships
with the Native tribes and created numerous
settlements.
JACQUES CARTIER
Who: France
When: 1534-42
Why: Looking for the Northwest Passage
Details: He explored and named Canada looking in
the St. Lawrence gulf and river for a water route
through the Americas. Set up many fur trading
posts.
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
Who: Italy
When: 1497-1502
Why: Following in Columbus’ footsteps
Details: Explored much of the coasts of North and
South America. Was in the right place at the right
time and got two whole continents named after him.
JOHN SMITH
Who: England
When: 1608
Why: Settlement of the New World/Gold
Details: Was sent to create the first permanent
settlement in the New World in Jamestown, Virginia.
They came for gold but they ended up just fighting to
survive.
THE EMPIRES
Spain
Came to conquer with Conquistadors
Looking for gold and riches
Enslaved the Natives
Organized their empire in the New World around
slavery, mining, and land acquisition.
THE EMPIRES
France
Came to trade and make money
They set up their empire to live with the Natives,
using them to trade with for furs
Set up small trading posts with very little if any
troops
THE EMPIRES
England
Looking for gold and wealth but chose the wrong
land for that.
Decided instead for land and spreading their
empire.
They tried to live with the Natives, but sometimes
killed them.
Daniel BooneH
e was a mountain man (Appalachian Mts.)
C
leared the route from East Coast to Ohio
M
ade the Cumberland Gap
L
ed settlers to Ohio River Valley
Lewis and ClarkE
xplored the Louisiana Territory
T
raveled 4,200 miles over 2.5 years
F
ound 176 different plants and over 100 animals
S
acajawea, a Shoshone woman, helped the expedition survive
C
reated journals and 140 maps, but more importantly showed the nation
just how much can be accomplished and opened up the imaginations and
western lands of America
Zebulon PikeH
e led an expedition while Lewis and Clark were
making their way back home
T
hey explored the Continental Divide (Rocky
Mountains)
N
amed Pike’s Peak
Davy Crockett“King of the Wild Frontier”
Had a very full life! The original Chuck Norris
It was said that he killed a bear with his bear hands as a child.
He was a frontiersman
War hero
Congress man
One of the leaders of the Alamo
When Chuck Norris is laughing, someone is about to die! Be afraid man in red sweater, be afraid.