Age of ExplorationGOAL 1

What is the Age of Exploration?

The Age of Exploration is a time period when people from Europe became interested in exploring the rest of the globe.

There were many different reasons why…

WHY were they exploring?

The Renaissance nurtured a spirit of optimism and adventure.

Europeans clamored for more and cheaper products from Asia.

The Portuguese demonstrated the feasibility of long range ocean navigation. (Technology) The Astrolabe- It enabled explorers to determine their position on the sea The Compass- Allowed the explorers to determine their direction

WHY were they exploring (cont.)

For GOD, GOLD, and GLORY

GOD- To spread Christianity to new parts of the world Christian Crusaders were indirectly responsible for the discovery of

America because They brought back news of valuable Far Eastern spices, drugs, and silk (where Columbus thought he was going when he “found” America)

GOLD- To find valuable resources that would make them rich GLORY- To become the first person to ever accomplish impressive

feats

WHO were some of these explorers?

Ferdinand Magellan His 1519 voyage was the first to circumnavigate, or sail around the

globe

Samuel de Champlain established the first FRENCH settlement in the “New World”

Cortes Spanish conquistadors like Cortes were primarily motivated by the

desire to find Gold

WHERE were these people exploring?

Early on, in the 1400-1500’s most of the exploration was trying to find a new route to the East Indies (Asia).

Christopher Columbus famously found “The New World” by mistake

America, as this land was later called was named after another explorer named Amerigo Vespucci

Most of the exploration was concentrated in what is now Central and South America. (At least at first) Spain eventually created an Empire in this region Portugal was also prevalent in the region

Who did they meet when they came to the new places?

Native American populations were found all up and down the two continents

Native American civilizations in Mexico and South America were much larger and more sophisticated than those in North America because they developed AGRICULTURE sooner. The Europeans learned a lot about Agriculture from the Natives and brought

back the knowledge to Europe, causing the population of Europe to grow.

But how did the Europeans effect the Natives?

Millions of Native Americans, who had little resistance to European diseases, died

The Encomienda System- It gave Europeans the right to enslave Native Americans if they promised to Christianize them

There were some benefits, but mostly this was the beginning of the decline of the Native populations. Why is this? Class Discussion

Spain makes South and Central America it’s own Empire

Spain used South and Central America as a way to make money for themselves and their country. They mined gold, silver, and other valuable resources from the land They enslaved the Native people to help them with agriculture and

for many other reasons The Spanish are considered to be the most brutal towards the

Natives

As a result, Spain begin to fortify and settle its North American border lands to protect its Central and South American domains from encroachments by England and France.

New France

France also settled land in the “New World”. They settled mostly in what is now Canada.

This colony was controlled by the King of France They were mostly there to make money for their King by Fur

Trapping

England settles North America

England and Spain were fighting over who would control North America (Spain already dominated South America)

The Spanish Armada- Naval battle between England and Spain England wins a long battle Victory helped ensure England’s naval dominance over North America

First Attempt for colonization was at Roanoke Island, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This attempt failed—known as the “Lost Colony” WHY? Discussion

Reasons why England colonized North America:

There were several motives for English colonization Laws of primogeniture- 1st born sons inherit all of Father’s wealth, so

2nd born sons (3rd, etc.) wanted to leave England so they could earn their own wealth.

The enclosure of public lands- meant no extra land for farming, etc. A desire for religious freedom- The Puritans left England to practice

their version of Christianity peacefully.

2nd English Attempt at Colonization: JAMESTOWN The Virginia Company (named after the “Virgin” Queen) was formed with

the original intent to find gold in the New World Members of the Virginia Company were still guaranteed the rights of

Englishmen (Important for later…people living here were still considered to be English)

The colonists did not find gold at Jamestown, and as a result the struggled with disease, starvation and frequent Indian raids. However, they continued the colony

A man named John Smith “saved” Jamestown by demanding that settlers build permanent housing and plant crops Learned from the Natives… (Pocahontas???)

Issues continue at Jamestown

There were several battles/wars fought between the English colonists and the Powhatan Indian tribe. 2nd Powhatan War- end result was that the Natives would not be

assimilated (absorbed) into Virginia Society

Things finally start to get better in Jamestown when…

A man named John Rolfe perfected methods of raising and curing tobacco Cash Crop- People back in England enjoyed using tobacco, so

growing it in America became a big business People moved to Virginia (1st Colony- where Jamestown was) in large

numbers to grow tobacco to make money

With the cultivation of tobacco came: the destruction of the soil. a great demand for controlled labor (the “need” for slaves) increasing tensions between settlers and native peoples.

Another group of English colonists arrive in America…

“Separatists” were people from England who broke away for the official religion set forth by King James I. They wanted to practice religion their own way, but were treated

badly in England for doing so. King James realized that if his subjects could defy him in spiritual

behavior, they could defy him as a political leader, which scared him The result was that the Separatists were kicked out of England, and came

to America They came over on a ship called the Mayflower, and established

the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts (would later expand to be known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony

The Mayflower Compact

Before anyone was allowed off of the ship, they held a meeting. There, the agreed to form a simple government and submit to the

will of the majority (Very important---first democracy in the New World)

This agreement becomes known as the Mayflower Compact

Summary of colonization in the New World Spain

Largest Empire in the New World Richest Empire in the New World Longest lasting Empire in the New World

England Greatest degree of Self-Government in the New World Had struggles getting permanent settlements Two distinct and different groups came for different reasons

France Came for fur trading Not as concerned early on about permanent settlement