Download Section Two

Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
Period ______________________________
American History I: Chapter Two- Section Two
Europeans Reach the Americas

I.
Stories of fabulous kingdoms and wealth in Asia captured the imagination of
Christopher Columbus, a sailor from ___________; was convinced that he could reach
__________ by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.
Columbus Sails across the Atlantic
A. The Journey Begins- Columbus asked King Ferdinand and Queen _____________
of Spain to pay for an expedition across the ____________.
1. Setting Sail- On August 3, 1492 Columbus’s three ships set sail; The
__________ and the ____________ were caravels; Columbus sailed in the
larger __________________.
a. October 12, 1492- The ships landed on an island in the ______________;
Columbus had thought he found a new route to _________; called the
island ________________, which means “Holy Savior”; also visited
another island called __________________; there he met the
_____________ (whom he called Indians); After three months of
exploring, looking for _________, and collecting exotic ___________ and
_______________, Columbus returned to Spain. (see map pg. 43)
B. Impact of Columbus’s Voyages- The voyages of Columbus changed the way
Europeans thought of the _________ and their place in it; A new interaction
between Europe and the ______________ had begun.
1. Rise of Empires- Columbus’s discovery also created conflict between
____________ countries; Both ___________ and _____________ wanted to
add these lands to their growing empires.
a. Line of Demarcation- In 1493, Pope Alexander VI, originally from Spain,
issued this decree that drew a new _______________ for Spain and
Portugal; this imaginary line divided the ______________ Ocean. Spain
could claim all land _________ of the line.
b. Treaty of Tordesillas- moved the Line of Demarcation 800 miles further
__________.
II.
Other Explorers Sail to the Americas
A. Amerigo Vespucci- In 1501, led a Spanish fleet to the coast of present-day
___________________; He believed he found a ______________; A German
mapmaker labeled the continents across the ocean _____________ in honor of
Vespucci.
B. Vasco Nunez de Balboa- In a Spanish settlement in present-day ___________,
another explorer heard stories from local Native Americans about another ocean
further __________; In 1513 they reached the top of a mountain; From this spot
Balboa saw- the ______________ Ocean- stretching out before him.
C. Ferdinand Magellan- a ________________ navigator, set out with a Spanish fleet
to sail down the east coast of __________ America; After sailing around the tip
of the continent into the Pacific; Magellan’s fleet sailed ___________ the Pacific
Ocean; In 1522 the voyage’s only remaining ship returned to _________; These
sailors were the first people to circumnavigate, or go all the way around the
___________.
D. Columbian Exchange- European explorers and settlers took plants and animals
with them to the _____________; They also brought back a variety of new plants
and animals to ____________, __________, and ____________; this transfer
became known as the Columbian Exchange because it started with
_______________ exploration.
A. Items brought from the Americas- included corn, ____________,
___________ and _____________.
B. Items brought from Europe- introduced horses, __________, and ________
to the Americas; (Native Americans) also started to farm European grains
such as __________ and ____________; Without intending to do so, the
explorers also introduced deadly new _____________ to the Americas.