Slide 1

Early Exploration Mr. Gutierrez

Slide 2

Seeking New Trade Routes The maps that Columbus and other European Explorers used did not include America. Only showed Europe, Asia, and Africa. Thought the Atlantic and Pacific combined to become what they called the Ocean Sea. They had no clue the Ocean was as large as it is let alone that another huge landmass was missing.

Slide 3

Seeking New Trade Routes Portugal would take the lead in exploring the boundaries of the known world. No Mediterranean Port made it hard to trade with Asia. It also sought to find a more direct way to access West African Gold

Slide 4

Early Portuguese Voyages Prince Henry of Portugal laid the groundwork for a new era of exploration. Known as Henry the Navigator. Brought astronomers, geographers, and mathematicians to share their knowledge with Portuguese sailors and shipbuilders. Portuguese ships sailed along the west African coast and set up trade posts. Traded for gold, giving it the nickname the Gold Coast.

Slide 5

Early Portuguese Voyages King John II of Portugal wanted to Portuguese ships to sail around Africa. Hoped to create a direct trade route with Asia. Henry the Navigator King John II

Slide 6

Bartholomeu Dias Sent to explore the southern part of Africa Ran into a terrible storm and named the area Cape of Storms King John II renamed the southern tip, the Cape of Good Hope hoping it would lead to a new route to India.

Slide 7

Vasco de Gama 10 years after Dias (1497) made it passed the cape, Vasco de Gama begins going to India. Left with 4 ships. Made stops at eastern African cities. With the help of an Arab pilot, he makes it across the Indian Ocean and into India. A year later (1498)

Slide 8

Pedro Alvares Cabral Followed de Gamas route. Swung so far to the west that he found Brazil and claimed it Portugal giving it a claim in the new world. Meanwhile, annual voyages were made to India making Lisbon (Capital of Portugal) the marketplace of Europe.

Slide 9

Christopher Columbus Born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. Inspired by Polos Travels. Sailed as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as the Gold Coast. Based the size of the Earth Ptolemys work. Ptolemy (Ancient Greek astronomer) had underestimated the size of the Earth. Believed he could get to Asia by sailing west.

Slide 10

The Viking Voyages Several centuries before Columbus, northern Europeans named Vikings had sailed west and reached North America. Norse Sagas (Traditional Stories) say Leif Erikson explored a land west of Greenland known as Vinland around the year 1000. Other sagas say they failed to set up in Vinland. Their voyages were not well known. This is why we say it wasnt discovered until Columbus.

Slide 11

Spain Backs Columbus During the 1400s, Spanish monarchs were more concerned with driving the Muslims out. With the fall of the last Muslim kingdom in southern Spain 1492 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella focused on other goals.

Slide 12

Spain Backs Columbus After many failed attempts in courts throughout Europe he finally found sponsorship in Spain. Two Reasons: Promised Isabella (a devout Christian) to bring Christianity to any new lands discovered. If a route to Asia was found, it would make Spain very wealthy.

Slide 13

Columbus First Voyage August 3, 1492 Columbus sets out with three ships and a total of 90 sailors. The Nia, La Pinta, and the Santa Mara (Largest Ship) Stop at the Canary Islands for repairs and to restock, then sailed westward into the unknown. After a month at sea the sailors began to worry, even threatening to throw Columbus overboard! Convinced the crew that they had not traveled far (LIED!!) to the sailors about the distance traveled by altering his ships logs.

Slide 14

Tierra! Tierra! On October 12, 1492, at 2:00 A.M. a look out shouted Tierra! Tierra! Spotted a small island in what we now know is the Bahamas. Columbus came ashore, claimed it for Spain, and named it San Salvador. Had no clue he reached the Americas.

Slide 15

Tierra! Tierra! Convinced he found the island off the coast of Asia he explored it for the next few months. Because of this we sometimes refer to the Caribbean Islands as the West Indies. He called the locals Indians. The Indians would touch the Europeans to see if they too were made out of flesh and bone. Received with great honor in Spain and received the title Admiral of the Ocean Sea.

Slide 16

Columbus Later Voyages Three more voyages in 1493, 1498, and 1502. Explored Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and Dominican Republic), Cuba, and Jamaica. Sailed along the coast of Central and South America claiming all these new lands for Spain and established settlements. Later exploration revealed it was not Asia. New area unknown to Europeans, Asians, and Africans. These voyages lead to the establishment Spanish Empire.

Slide 17

Dividing the World Spain and Portugal wanted to protect their claims and asked for Pop Alexander VI for help. The Pope drew an imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole. Spain would control all the lands to the west and Portugal, the east. Portugal argued the line favored Spain. Treaty of Tordesillas 1494 agreement to move the line farther west. Split the entire undiscovered world between Spain and Portugal.

Slide 18

Slide 19

Amerigo Vespucci Vespucci mapped out the coast of South America in 1499. Concluded that it was not part of Asia. By the early 1500s, European Geographers began to call it America, in honor of Vespucci.

Slide 20

Vasco Nuez de Balboa Governor of a Spanish town in present-day Panama. Heard stories of Great waters beyond the mountains. Formed an exploring party in 1513 and hiked through the jungle. After many days, he reached the calm waters and claimed it for Spain along with the adjoining land. He was the first to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas.

Slide 21

Ferdinand Magellan Hired in 1519 to lead an expedition of 5 ships. On November 1520, he traveled through the straits that still have his name to this day (Straits of Magellan) Named the Pacific Ocean (Pacifico, or Peaceful) Thought he would reach Asia in a few weeks, but it took 4 MONTHS!! The crew ran out of food and ate sawdust, rats, and leather to stay alive. Magellan was killed in a skirmish in the Philippines but the crew continued.

Slide 22

Ferdinand Magellan Took three years to complete Only one of the ships and 18 out of 200 crew members made it. These were the first men to circumnavigate the world.

Slide 23