European exploration of North America

1450- 1600 = Europe's Age of Exploration.

Christopher Columbus

• 1452- Christopher Columbus convinced the queen of Spain he could find trade route to Asia.

• He landed at San Salvador & Colonization of the America’s or “the new world” began.

• To Colonize = __________________.

Why the need for another route to Asia?

• 1453: Constantinople falls to the Turks. This was the connection between Europe and Asia for Trade.

• The Europeans wanted a new trade route to Asia in order to maintain power and wealth, trading spices and gold, silver and silks.

• The Europeans did not have the same resources as Asia.

Where was he aiming for? Was Columbus the first European to “discover” North America?

• Looking for Asia, Columbus found the Caribbean and called the area “the Indies” and the people: the “Indians”.

• Soon it became apparent that North America was not a part of Asia but a new continent.

• Most European explorers continued to hope that exploration would uncover a sailing route through N.A.

• The first explorers had no knowledge of the great land mass and interior of N.A. ( It took over 300 years!)

• Following the example of Spain, Portugal, England and France sent its explorers westward in 1534.

• Canada A People’s History part 4/7 (watch until 5:20 then again 9:14 to end)• Canada A People’s History part 5/7• Canada A People’s History Part 6/7

The Northwest Passage• Between the end of the 15th century and the 20th century, colonial

powers from Europe dispatched explorers in an attempt to discover a commercial sea route north and west around North America.

• The Northwest Passage represented a new route to the established trading nations of Asia.

• In 1493, to deal with trade disputes, Pope Alexander VI split the discovered world in two between Spain and Portugal.

• This left France, the Netherlands and England without a sea route to Asia, (via Africa or South America) unless their ships defied the ban and explored different routes.

• England called the hypothetical route the “Northwest Passage”. The desire to establish such a route motivated much of the European exploration of both coasts of North America.

In the minds of the early explorers, North America did not exist. As they came to “discover” the “new world”, they still thought they

could get “through” the land mass via “ the North West passage”.

When it became apparent that there was no route through the heart of the continent, attention turned to the possibility of a passage through northern waters.

There is a possible passage, but it is not what the explorers thought. Also it’s not practical. Why?

• In 1497, Henry VII of England gave John Cabot (Italian) permission to explore the North Atlantic.

• He was also searching for the riches of Asia• The crew of Mathew landed on “New Found Land” and

claimed it for England.• Cabot discovered great schools of cod Fish

Jacques CartierFrench Explorer- We will read story about Jacques Cartier and fill out graph using text/ video notes and more notes to come…

Terms/vocabulary to look up (p. 216-223 Crossroads) and write down in your notes

• Imperialism• Colonize• Sagas• Monopoly• Letters Patent• Heathen• Romanticized• Ambush• Archipelago• Scurvy• Immunity• Sieur• Pyrites• Treachery

Reflection Questions Please respond in paragraph answers.

1) Why “Explore”? Why did the Europeans venture out of Europe in the first place and why did they keep going? Please respond with at least three reasons. (including historical information and your opinion.)

2) How do you think European and Aboriginal cultures (at the time of contact) were similar / different?

3) How do you think contact between the American and European cultures changed the world? America? Europe?

Pacific Coast Exploration

Canada A People’s History Part 7/7More on this to come……