Exploration of the New

World

Reasons for Exploration:

• Gold• Silver• Valuable natural resources (to Europe)– Fish -Turkey– Potatoes - Peanuts– Lumber - Corn -Pumpkins

• God – Spread Religion • Glory

• In 1540, he led 600 men, from, Florida into southwest Georgia in search of Gold.

• De Soto’s metal weapons, plated armor, dogs, and horses overwhelmed the Native Americans

Hernando De Soto

Hernando De Soto

• Thousands of Georgia’s Native Americans died, many from diseases (such as Small Pox) brought by the Spaniards.

• The Spaniards marched across Georgia into South Carolina, but never found the gold they sought. Almost half of the expedition died on the trip.

God, Glory, Gold

• GOD: In order to spread the word about God, missions were started.

• Mission: A church or station established in a foreign land to allow people to spread their religion.

God, Glory, Gold

• In 1566, Spain established missions on Cumberland, St. Catherine’s, Sapelo and St. Simon’s.

• The missions were used by the Spanish to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism but also served as a trading post; Native Americans used the missions to integrate themselves into the European world.

God, Glory, Gold• GOLD: To find gold in the new world, make

money for themselves, and the country that they sail for.

• GLORY: To be famous for their explorations.

Explorer Country Areas What did they find?

Francisco Coronado(1541)

Spanish Southwestern Searching for gold

John Cabot (1497) England Canada Fish, lumber, valuable natural resources

Samuel de Champlain (1603)

France Canada Beaver fur

Spanish, French, British

• All three want control to build trade routes• 1500s Spanish had settlements in Florida• 1600s British and French have settlements• 1682 France claims Mississippi region• 1700: 12 British Colonies on the Atlantic

Coast• As the Europeans battle for land they have

no care for the Indians in the area.