Download UNIT 2 Exploration and Settlement

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UNIT 2 Exploration and Settlement
Christopher Columbus 1451–1506
This explorer had a bold plan to sail west to Asia. Although he never reached his goal, his
journeys to the Americas changed history for millions of people. page 96
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History Makers
Queen Isabella 1451–1504
Why did Queen Isabella take a chance on Columbus? She agreed to pay for his voyages
because she thought they would bring power and wealth to Spain. page 96
Moctezuma 1480?–1520
Moctezuma ruled the great Aztec empire in the 1500s. When Spanish explorers arrived in the
Aztec capital, he welcomed them and treated them like honored guests. page 105
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UNIT 2 Almanac
North American Exploration, 1500s and 1600s
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Connect to Today
Exploration in the 1500s
Explorer
Distance
Time
de Soto
3,000 mi.
3 yrs.
Coronado
2,500 mi.
2 yrs.
Destination
Distance
Time
Moon
242,114 mi.
195 hrs.
Ocean Floor
4 mi.
3–4 hrs.
Exploration Today
Why do explorers travel faster today?
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Chapter 3 Age of Exploration
Vocabulary Preview
navigation
In the 1400s, Europeans studied ways to improve navigation They wanted to plan and control
the direction in which they sailed on long voyages. page 91
circumnavigate
In 1522, explorers sailed around the world. Magellan led this first successful effort to
circumnavigate the earth. page 101
Chapter Timeline
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expedition
Francisco Vazquez de Coronado led an expedition into present-day Arizona and New Mexico.
He hoped to find wealth for Spain and for himself. page 104
colony
Spanish explorers took land in present-day Mexico for Spain. Settlers built towns and farmed in
this colony page 110
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Core Lesson 1 World Travel and Trade
VOCABULARY
merchant
kingdom
caravan
Vocabulary Strategy
merchant
Trader is a synonym for merchant. To earn money, merchants trade goods that people want.
READING SKILL
Cause and Effect Note the effects that trade had on people in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Build on What You Know Have you ever traded one thing for something you wanted more?
Hundreds of years ago, people made long journeys to trade the goods they had for other
goods they wanted.
Trade with China
Main Idea Trade between Europe and Asia spread new ideas.
Before 1500, there were few connections between the Eastern and the Western hemispheres.
Most Europeans, Africans, and Asians did not know that the Americas existed. The
Vikings, a group of people from northern Europe, had sailed to what is now eastern
Canada and started a settlement there. The settlement did not last, however, and other
Europeans didn't follow them. Some historians believe that African or Asian sailors may
have also traveled to the Americas, but if they did, few people learned of the journeys.
Marco Polo Travels to China
The travelers to distant places were often merchants. A merchant is someone who buys and
sells goods to earn money. In 1271, three merchants from Venice, Italy, began a trading
journey to China. One of them was Marco Polo. He was only about 17 years old when he
left Italy with his father and uncle. The journey to China took three years.
Marco Polo stayed in China for 16 years. He worked for China's ruler, Kublai Khan (KOO bly
KAHN). While traveling in China, Marco Polo saw many inventions, such as paper,
printing, and gunpowder.
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Traveling Merchants This illustration, made in the 1300s, shows Marco Polo and his family
traveling by camel and horse on the Silk Road.
When Polo returned to Venice, he told about his travels in a book. His stories of China and the
journey on the Silk Road fascinated Europeans. They became more interested in traveling
to Asia.
The Silk Road was not one road, but several trade routes connecting China and Europe.
Merchants traveled the routes to China to buy silk, spices, and other goods. The Chinese
made silk, which is a very finely woven cloth. Wealthy Europeans were willing to pay high
prices for silk. Merchants became rich by bringing goods from Asia to Europe on the Silk
Road.
Zheng He The Chinese explorer sits on one of his boats.
Chinese Sailors Explore
More than 100 years after Marco Polo visited China, the Chinese explored the world. The ruler
of China wanted to impress other countries with China's power. He sent Admiral Zheng
He (jung HUH) on a series of voyages. In 1405, Zheng He set sail with hundreds of ships
and thousands of sailors. Some of the ships were longer than a football field.
Zheng He sailed throughout Southeast Asia and all the way to Africa's east coast. Zheng He
traded goods, such as gold and silk, with the people he met. He once brought a giraffe from
Africa back to China.
In 1434, a new ruler stopped Chinese exploration. He believed that China did not need to have
contact with other countries. Zheng He's amazing voyages came to an end.
REVIEW What was the importance of the Silk Road?
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African Trading Kingdoms
Main Idea People in West Africa gained wealth and knowledge through trade.
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai The map shows three major African trading kingdoms at different
times in history. Their areas overlap. SKILL Reading Maps Which kingdom covered the
largest area?
Trade took place in Africa as well as in Europe and Asia. Several kingdoms in West Africa
grew strong through trade. A kingdom is a place ruled by a king or queen.
The first West African trading kingdom was Ghana, which grew powerful in the 700s. Ghana
was rich in gold, but did not have enough salt. Salt was used to keep food from spoiling.
Merchants from Arabia brought salt to Ghana by crossing the Sahara, the largest desert in
the world.
This desert crossing was dangerous. For safety, merchants traveled in large caravans, using
camels to carry their goods and supplies. A caravan is a group of people and animals who
travel together. After reaching Ghana, the Arab merchants traded their salt for gold.
Arab merchants taught people in Ghana about their religion, Islam. Many people in Ghana
became Muslims, or followers of Islam.
By 1240, the nearby Kingdom of Mali had taken control of Ghana. Mali's cities became new
centers for trade. One of its largest and most important cities was Timbuktu (TIHM buhk
TOO).
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Mansa Musa
Mali's greatest king was the Muslim ruler, Mansa Musa (MAHN sah MOO sah). One person
said that Mansa Musa was
“the most powerful, the richest, the most fortunate, the most feared by his enemies, and
the most able to do good to those around him.??
In 1324, Mansa Musa traveled to Mecca, the most holy Muslim city in Arabia. He set up trade
agreements with the cities he visited. When he returned to Mali, he brought scholars and
artists from Arabia with him. They made Timbuktu a center for learning and art as well as
trade.
Mali grew weaker after Mansa Musa's rule. A new kingdom called Songhai (SONG hy) took
over much of Mali in 1468. For over one hundred years, Songhai continued the trade
begun by the earlier kingdoms.
REVIEW What effect did trade with North Africa have on Ghana's culture?
Lesson Summary
Trade connected people in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Marco Polo, Zheng He, and Mansa Musa
spread new ideas as well as goods. Their travels inspired others to explore even farther,
seeking new trade routes and new knowledge.
Why It Matters …
Trade and travel brought the people of Asia, Europe, and Africa in contact with each other.
Ideas and goods began to flow freely between them.
Mansa Musa He brought hundreds of pounds of gold with him to Mecca to give away as gifts.
Lesson Review
1. VOCABULARY choose the correct words to complete this sentence.
merchant caravan kingdom
A traveled in a for safety and protection.
1. READING SKILL What effect did Mansa Musa's trip to Mecca have on Mali?
2. MAIN IDEA: Culture What did Europeans learn from Marco Polo's trip to China?
3. MAIN IDEA: Economics What did Ghana and Arabia trade with each other?
4. PEOPLE TO KNOW Why do you think Marco Polo is remembered today?
5. TIMELINE SKILL In what year did Mansa Musa visit Mecca?
6. CRITICAL THINKING: Synthesize Explain how trade increased connections among
Europe, Asia, and Africa.
WRITING ACTIVITY What were some of the reasons that people traded with each other in
Marco Polo's time and Mansa Musa's time? Write two paragraphs explaining your answer.
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Extend Lesson 1 Geography The Silk Road
Eight hundred years ago, silk and spices from China traveled by caravan on the Silk Road. The
Silk Road was a series of trade routes between Europe and Asia. Merchants traded goods,
especially Chinese silks, in hopes of earning a profit. European traders often paid for silks
with gold, because they had few goods the Chinese wanted.
The Silk Road was dangerous. It ran beside the hot, dry Taklamakan Desert and crossed high
mountains. Merchants risked thirst, hunger, and attacks by bandits.
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Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project
Today, the Silk Road continues to inspire new discoveries. Yo-Yo Ma, a Chinese American
cellist, directs the Silk Road Project. The project builds cultural understanding by
performing the music that is still played along the Silk Road. He says, “We live in a world
where we can no longer afford not to know our neighbors. The Silk Road Project is a
musical way to get to know our neighbors.??
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Core Lesson 2 New Ideas in Europe
VOCABULARY
technology
navigation
astrolabe
profit
slavery
Vocabulary Strategy
navigation
To remember navigation, think of the word “navy.?? A navy uses navigation to know where to
sail.
READING SKILL
Problem and Solution Portuguese explorers faced a problem in trying to get to Asia. Find their
solution.
Build on What You Know Are there any recent inventions that are important in your life?
How do you use them? Europeans in the 1400s used new inventions to find sea routes to
Asia.
The Renaissance
Main Idea New learning spread through Europe, leading to better tools for sailors and
explorers.
Important changes took place in Europe during the 1300s and 1400s. This period of time was
called the Renaissance (REN nuh sahnce), which means rebirth. The Renaissance was a
rebirth in learning and knowledge. Europeans took new interest in the writing, art, science,
and ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans. They also learned from people in Africa and
Asia.
During the Renaissance, technology in Europe changed. Technology is the use of scientific
knowledge and tools to do things better and more rapidly. The printing press was an
example of new technology. Developed in 1454 by Johannes Gutenberg, the printing press
made it possible to print many copies of a page of type quickly. Before the printing press,
people had to copy books by hand. The printing press allowed books and ideas to spread
across Europe.
Printing Press Books were printed by pressing one page at a time.
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Sea Exploration New technologies helped European explorers travel farther than ever before.
Find the sailor who is using an astrolabe.
New Knowledge for Sailors
New technology also helped European exploration by making navigation easier and more
accurate. Navigation is the science of planning and controlling the direction of a ship.
Europeans learned about a navigation tool called the astrolabe from North Africans. An
astrolabe is a tool that measures the height of the sun or a star above the horizon. Using an
astrolabe, sailors could tell how far north or south of home they were.
European sailors also learned about the compass from North Africans. A compass is an
instrument with a magnetic needle that always points to the north.
Sailors did not have to depend on the sun or the stars to tell them which direction they were
traveling. They could use a compass to check whether they were heading north, south, east,
or west.
A Chinese invention that helped European sailors was gunpowder. Sailors used gunpowder in
weapons such as guns and cannons. Cannons defended their ships. Guns gave sailors
confidence that they could protect themselves if they were attacked or in danger on land.
REVIEW What did new technology do to make exploration easier?
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A Sea Route to Asia
Main Idea Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to find a sea route to Asia.
A New Route to Asia Vasco da Gama (above) used the knowledge gained by Bartolomeu
Dias. SKILL Reading Maps Which explorer sailed the farthest?
Merchants believed that they would make more money if they found a sea route to Asia. In
Asia, merchants bought spices such as pepper, and earned a profit by selling them for a
higher price in Europe. A profit is the money a business has left over after all of its
expenses have been paid.
A sea route to Asia was thousands of miles longer than the Silk Road, but the sea trip would be
faster. The country that found a sea route to Asia could trade more goods than countries
that used the slowmoving caravans of the Silk Road.
Portugal was the first European country to find a sea route to Asia. Portugal is a small
European country.
Portugal's location and coastline made it a good starting place for sailors. The Portuguese
thought they could reach Asia by sailing around the southern tip of Africa. From there,
they hoped to sail up Africa's east coast and find a route to India and China.
Prince Henry of Portugal created a school for navigation. He brought shipbuilders,
mapmakers, and sea captains to Sagres (SAH grehsh), Portugal. They shared their
knowledge of navigation and sailing. People at Sagres improved sailing technology by
creating the caravel. This small, light ship had triangular sails. Caravels were good for
exploring. They could sail into the wind, unlike other European ships. Because he
encouraged exploration, Prince Henry became known as “the Navigator,?? even though he
didn't go on any voyages.
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Dias and da Gama
Portuguese sailors' early voyages went south. In 1448, Portugal set up a trading post off the
coast of West Africa. Portuguese traders forced Africans there into slavery and sold them
in Europe. Slavery is a cruel system in which people are bought and sold and made to work
without pay. Slavery had existed before the Portuguese arrived, but the Portuguese
increased the number of enslaved people brought to Europe.
In 1487, Bartolomeu Dias (bart OH lo MEH oo DEE ahs) was exploring the coast of West
Africa when a fierce storm blew his ships off course. When the storm ended, Dias realized
he had actually sailed around the southern tip of Africa. The Portuguese named the tip of
Africa the Cape of Good Hope. Dias proved that it was possible to sail around Africa and
reach its east coast. From Africa's east coast, ships could then sail east to India.
Vasco da Gama led the first Portuguese voyage to reach India. In 1498, his fleet reached the
Indian port of Calicut. Other Portuguese sailors soon followed da Gama's route to India
and used it for spice trading.
REVIEW Why was sailing around the Cape of Good Hope important?
Lesson Summary
During the Renaissance, Europeans used new navigation tools. This technology helped them
find faster ways to trade goods with Asia. Portuguese sailors, such as Vasco da Gama,
sailed around Africa to reach Asia.
Why It Matters …
The search for a sea route to Asia led to important discoveries in navigation and geography.
Lesson Review
1. VOCABULARY Use the words technology, navigation, and astrolabe in a paragraph.
Explain how new technology affected navigation.
2. READING SKILL Who solved the problem of finding a sea route to Asia from Europe?
3. MAIN IDEA: Technology What was the importance of the printing press?
4. MAIN IDEA: Geography Why did Portuguese sailors begin exploring along the coast of
Africa?
5. PEOPLE TO KNOW Why is Prince Henry of Portugal known as “Henry the
Navigator???
6. TIMELINE SKILL How long after Dias's voyage did Vasco da Gama sail?
7. CRITICAL THINKING: Analyze In what ways was the sea route to Asia different from
the land route?
RESEARCH ACTIVITY With a partner, use library resources to research the compass,
astrolabe, or caravel. Find out how sailors used them to explore. Make an illustrated report
about what you learn.
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Extend Lesson 2 Technology Tools for Discovery
Crew Most of the space on a ship was used for equipment and supplies. In good weather, the
crew could sleep on the deck, but if the weather was bad they slept in the storage rooms.
In 1420, the oceans of the world were a mystery to most Europeans. Sailors told stories of
monsters and boiling seas. Portuguese explorers soon showed that those stories were false.
They used new inventions and new ship designs and traveled farther than before.
Ship captains sailed with the latest maps and with new navigations tools, including the compass
and astrolabe. Later inventions, such as the sextant and the chronometer, made navigation
even better.
Also, shipbuilders designed ships that were small, light, and easy to control. Because they
could sail in shallow water, explorers could travel near coastlines and up rivers.
Improvements also made it possible for explorers to sail over long distances. This ship, the
Santa Maria, could cross the Atlantic Ocean.
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Sails The sails hanging straight down helped this ship move quickly. The sail in the back hung
at an angle, helping the ship sail against the wind.
The astrolabe measured the angle of the sun or a star above the horizon. Sailors could use this
information to find out how far north or south they were.
European sailors used this tool to find their direction. Its magnetic needle always points north.
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Core Lesson 3 Europeans Arrive in the Americas
VOCABULARY
settlement
epidemic
circumnavigate
Vocabulary Strategy
circumnavigate
The prefix circum- comes from a word that means “circle.?? To circumnavigate means to
travel in a circle around something.
READING SKILL
Compare and Contrast List ways in which the voyages of the explorers in this lesson were
alike and different.
Build on What You Know Many people today like spicy food. In the 1400s, European
countries had very few spices. Europeans traveled far to bring spices and other riches back
to Europe from distant lands.
Christopher Columbus
Main Idea Christopher Columbus sailed to the islands of the West Indies trying to reach Asia.
Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 near Genoa, in Italy. Columbus studied navigation
and believed he could reach Asia by a new route. He wanted to sail west across the
Atlantic Ocean, instead of south around Africa. He did not know that North and South
America were between Europe and Asia.
In 1486, Columbus asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to pay for a westward
voyage to Asia. Ferdinand and Isabella didn't have money for exploration at that time.
They were fighting to take back southern Spain from North African Muslims, who had
ruled the region for 700 years. Spain's attempt to push the Muslims out was called the
Spanish Reconquista (reh con KEY sta).
Christopher Columbus This explorer wanted to find a new route to India.
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Columbus Sails West
Daring Journey Columbus sailed into unknown waters for more than a month before seeing
land. SKILL Reading Maps Where did the three ships first land?
Six years later, in 1492, Columbus again asked Ferdinand and Isabella for money. This time
they agreed. Spain had won the Reconquista and needed to pay for it. Ferdinand and
Isabella hoped to make money from the gold and spices they believed Columbus would
find in Asia. They also wanted to teach others about their religion, Roman Catholicism.
Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on August 3, 1492. He carried enough supplies for a year.
Close to 90 men traveled in three ships named the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María.
The sailors did not know how long the trip would take or where they would land. Shortly
after midnight on October 12, 1492, a sailor aboard the Pinta saw land.
The ships had arrived at an island in the Caribbean Sea that Columbus named San Salvador.
This island is part of the present-day Bahamas, east of Mexico.
Columbus mistakenly believed he had reached land off the coast of Asia, near India. He named
the islands the West Indies and the people living on them Indians.
The sailors on this expedition were the first Europeans to meet people of the Caribbean. These
people called themselves the Taíno (TY noh), which means “good.?? The Taíno were
peaceful and fought only to defend their villages from attacks. More than 600,000 Taíno
lived in the Caribbean at the time of Columbus's visit.
After meeting the Taíno and trading with them, Columbus sailed on with his crew. They visited
two other large islands, Cuba and Hispaniola, before returning home.
REVIEW Why did Ferdinand and Isabella finally agree to give Columbus money for his
voyage in 1492?
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The Columbian Exchange
Main Idea Columbus carried new plants and animals to and from the Americas and Europe.
Columbus made three more voyages to the Caribbean and the coasts of Central and South
America. Ferdinand and Isabella wanted him to start settlements and to search for gold. A
settlement is a small community of people living in a new place. Columbus sailed a fleet of
17 ships back to the island of Hispaniola. He also explored and claimed more islands in the
West Indies for Spain.
Columbus and the settlers with him brought ships filled with horses, cows, pigs, wheat, barley,
and sugar cane plants to the Western Hemisphere. These animals and plants did not live in
the Americas before Columbus brought them there. Some European crops were able to
grow in places where local crops could not.
The arrival of Europeans in the West Indies had many harmful effects. Europeans cut down
rain forests on Caribbean islands and built sugar plantations. Many American plants and
animals were destroyed. The Europeans also brought diseases that the Taíno had never had
before. Many Taíno died from epidemics. An epidemic is an outbreak of disease that
spreads quickly and affects many people. Within 50 years of Columbus's arrival, almost no
Taíno people were left.
Columbus returned to Spain with plants no one in Europe had seen. These included maize
(corn), peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, cacao (chocolate), and certain peppers, beans, and
squashes.
Columbus Lands This woodcut from the 1500s shows Columbus meeting the Taíno people in
the Caribbean.
This movement of plants, animals, and people between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres
is known as the Columbian Exchange.
The Columbian Exchange benefited people all over the world. Potatoes from the Americas
became an important food for most Europeans. Corn became an important crop in Africa.
Sweet potatoes were grown as far away as China. Today, tomatoes, peanuts, and American
beans and peppers are grown in many lands.
REVIEW How did the Columbian Exchange change the diet of Europeans?
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Columbian Exchange
Mustangs These wild horses, called mustangs, were brought to the Americas by Spanish
explorers.
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Exploration Continues
Main Idea Explorers continued to sail to the Americas to search for new routes to Asia.
Magellan Sails Around the World This map shows the route of Magellan and his crew during
the first round-the-world trip. SKILL Reading Maps How long did Magellan's voyage
take?
Word of Columbus's voyage spread throughout Europe. European rulers soon sent their own
explorers to the Americas.
Pedro Alvarez Cabral (ka BRAHL) explored eastern South America in 1500 and claimed it
for Portugal. An Italian named Amerigo Vespucci (vehs POO chee) made several voyages
to South America and the Caribbean. A Spanish explorer, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, (VAS
coh NOON yez deh bal BOH ah) sailed to present-day Panama in Central America. In
1513, he crossed the mountains and jungles of Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean.
Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese soldier and sailor who sailed for Spain. Magellan had a
daring idea. He believed that he could sail west, go around South America, cross the
Pacific Ocean, and end up back in Spain.
Magellan left Spain in September 1519, with five ships and about 250 men. They crossed the
Atlantic Ocean and arrived on the coast of present-day Brazil. The crew spent the winter
on the coast of presentday Argentina. Magellan then sailed south down the east coast of
South America. In November 1520, his ships entered the Pacific Ocean. He named it
Pacific, which means “peaceful,?? because it looked so calm. Magellan and his crew had
no idea how large the Pacific was.
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Ferdinand Magellan His voyage proved people could sail around the world.
Sailing west, Magellan and his crew did not see land for more than three months. Many sailors
died of disease and starvation along the way. When they reached the Philippine Islands off
the coast of Asia, Magellan was killed in a battle with people on the islands.
Only one ship of the original five survived the trip. It arrived back in Spain in September 1522.
It was loaded with valuable spices. Of the 250 men who began the journey, about 18
remained. Magellan's crew became the first explorers to circumnavigate the world.
To circumnavigate is to sail completely around something. Although Magellan did not survive
the voyage, he proved that Columbus's theory about sailing west to Asia was correct.
REVIEW Who named the Pacific Ocean and why?
Lesson Summary
Why It Matters …
The search for a route to Asia gave Europeans new knowledge of the world's size and
geography.
Lesson Review
1. VOCABULARY Use the words settlement and epidemic in a paragraph about the
Columbian Exchange.
2. READING SKILL What qualities do you think the explorers probably had in common?
3. MAIN IDEA: Geography What kinds of food went from the Americas to Europe?
4. MAIN IDEA: History What was Magellan's goal? Did he succeed? Why or why not?
5. PEOPLE TO KNOW Who was Christopher Columbus, and what did he think was the
best way to sail to Asia?
6. TIMELINE SKILL In what year did the first European see the Pacific Ocean?
7. CRITICAL THINKING: Evaluate What were the effects of Columbus's journeys in
Europe and the Americas?
WRITING ACTIVITY Using what you have learned in this lesson, write an entry for a ship's
log, or diary, summarizing Magellan's journey.
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Extend Lesson 3 Primary Source Mapping New Lands
New View of the World In 1507, Martin Waldseemüller (VAHLT zay mool uhr) published the
first map to use the word “America.“ It was also the first map to show North and South
America as continents separate from Asia.
European explorers faced an interesting problem: There were no maps to show the new
land they had seen. In the 1500s, new maps had to be created to show people's expanding
understanding of the world.
Early world maps look very different from today's maps.Whole continents are missing because
Europeans didn't know about them yet. The land and oceans are the wrong size or oddly
shaped. The locations and distances recorded by explorers on their voyages were often not
exact, so mapmakers did the best they could with the information they had.
The new maps created a lot of excitement in Europe. They sparked interest in more exploration
and changed Europeans' picture of the world.
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Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512) Vespucci is shown above on the border of the map. He
realized that he and Columbus had not reached Asia but a continent unknown to
Europeans. The land was named America, after Amerigo's first name.
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Core Lesson 4 Conquest of the Americas
VOCABULARY
expedition
conquistador
empire
Vocabulary Strategy
expedition
The word expedition begins with the prefix ex-, meaning “out.?? An expedition goes out to
explore.
READING SKILL
Compare and Contrast Contrast what Spanish explorers were looking for with what they
found.
Build on What You Know Many books and movies today tell stories about people traveling to
other worlds. In 1519, when the Spanish and the Aztecs first met, it was like a meeting of
people from two different worlds.
Cortés Conquers the Aztecs
Main Idea Spanish soldiers conquered the Aztecs in present-day Mexico.
The travels of Columbus and Balboa were exciting news in Europe. Sending ships and
soldiers across an ocean was expensive, but Spain's rulers believed the explorers would
bring back gold.
One of these explorers was Hernán Cortés (er NAN kohr TEHS). In 1519, Cortés led an
expedition to Mexico. An expedition is a journey to achieve a goal. Cortés's ships carried
horses, weapons, and an army of more than 500 conquistadors (kohn KEY stah doors).
Conquistador is Spanish for conqueror. The conquistadors were eager to find wealth and
fame for themselves and their families.
Cortés had heard stories about the Aztec Indians in present-day Mexico. The Aztecs had built
an empire by conquering other Indian nations. An empire is many nations or territories
ruled by a single group or leader.
Aztec Sun Stone The Aztec civilization had its own calendar. This carved stone is 13 feet
across.
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Cortés and Moctezuma A Spanish artist in the 1500s made this drawing of Cortés and
Moctezuma at the gates of Tenochtitlán.
After landing in Mexico, Cortés met people who were enemies of the Aztec empire. Cortés
convinced them to come with him to defeat the Aztecs. An Indian woman named
Malinche (Mah LEEN chay) joined Cortés. She helped him to communicate with the
Aztecs and gave advice about how to conquer them.
When the conquistadors arrived at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán (tay nohch tee TLAHN), they
were amazed by its size and beauty. One conquistador wrote,
“Indeed, some of our soldiers asked whether it was not all a dream.??
The city was twice as big as any European city and was built in the middle of a lake.
Causeways, or land bridges, stretched across the lake to the city.
The Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomed Cortés. Cortés, however, wanted Aztec gold and put
Moctezuma in prison. The Aztecs attacked the Spanish and drove them from Tenochtitlán.
Cortés went to neighboring Indian nations that had been conquered by the Aztecs and
persuaded them to join his army.
Contact with the Spanish had infected the Aztec army with disease. When Cortés returned to
Tenochtitlán, he used guns, horses, and steel armor to defeat the weakened Aztec army.
Cortés soon controlled the entire Aztec empire. By 1535, Spain had claimed all of Mexico
and renamed it New Spain.
After Cortés, other conquistadors explored Central and South America to find more gold and
treasures. In the 1530s, a conquistador named Francisco Pizarro defeated the powerful Inca
empire in South America.
REVIEW Why did people inside the Aztec empire help Cortés defeat the Aztecs?
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Exploring North America
Main Idea Spanish explorers went to the southern parts of the present-day United States
looking for gold.
Three Explorers This map shows the routes of de Soto, Ponce de León, and Coronado across
North America. SKILL Reading Maps Which explorer crossed the Mississippi River?
Conquistadors also explored North America in their search for gold. The first conquistador to
reach the land that is now the United States was Juan Ponce de León (pon seh deh leh
OHN). In 1513, he led an expedition to present-day Florida. Ponce de León claimed
Florida for Spain. He was looking for a “fountain of youth?? that legend said could make
old people young again. A legend is a story handed down from earlier times.
In 1539, Spain sent a conquistador named Hernando de Soto to conquer and settle Florida and
the lands beyond.
De Soto went to present-day Georgia. From there, he traveled thousands of miles through the
American Southeast. De Soto was the first European explorer to reach the Mississippi
River.
Along the way, De Soto found many American Indians but no riches. The conquistadors fought
and enslaved American Indians they met. Many Spanish died in battles as well. De Soto
died in 1542, without starting any settlements in North America.
In 1540, a conquistador named Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition into North
America. Coronado was looking for cities of gold that he had heard about in legends.
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Cities of Gold
The Grand Canyon Coronado's soldiers were the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon in
Arizona.
American Indians had told two earlier explorers named ??lvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (AHL
vahr NOON yez ca BEH sa deh VAH ca) and Estevanico (es STEH vahn EE KO) of rich
cities to the north. Coronado and other explorers thought these cities might be the cities of
gold. During the search for them, Coronado's soldiers traveled over 3,500 miles.
Spanish conquistadors faced many obstacles, including long distances, bad weather, and
starvation as they explored the continent. They also learned much about the geography and
peoples of North America.
REVIEW What did the Spanish hope to find in the lands north of Mexico?
Lesson Summary
1. The Aztecs ruled a large empire in present-day Mexico. Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztecs
in 1521.
2. Spanish conquistadors explored much of the southern United States.
Why It Matters …
What the Spanish learned about the American Southwest helped future explorers for hundreds
of years.
Lesson Review
1. VOCABULARY Write a paragraph about Hernán Cortés using conquistador and
expedition.
2. READING SKILL What did the explorers find that was different from what they were
looking for?
3. MAIN IDEA: History Why was Cortés able to defeat the powerful Aztec Empire?
4. MAIN IDEA: Geography What areas of the present-day United States did Coronado and
De Soto explore?
5. PEOPLE TO KNOW Who was Moctezuma?
6. TIMELINE SKILL How long after Cortés conquered the Aztecs did New Spain become a
colony?
7. CRITICAL THINKING: Fact and Opinion Write one fact about the Spanish conquest of
the Americas. Then write an opinion about that fact.
ECONOMICS ACTIVITY Choose an explorer in the lesson. Think about his goals and the
risks he took. Make a list of the risks.
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Extend Lesson 4 Biographies SPANISH EXPLORERS
What were explorers looking for? What drove them to take great risks? Spanish explorers
came to North America looking for treasures and for places they had heard stories about.
They hoped their discoveries would make them rich and famous.
None of the expeditions of the Spanish explorers was easy. They didn't always find what they
were looking for.
Juan Ponce de León 1460–1521
Goal: Wanted to find gold and a legendary “fountain of youth.??
Explorations: Was the first European to set foot in Florida in 1513. Explored the Florida coast.
Interesting fact: Named Florida after the Spanish words for Easter, “Pascua de Florida??
(Feast of Flowers), because it was the Easter season when he landed there.
Hernando de Soto 1500–1542
Goal: Wanted wealth and power.
Explorations: Led a large army through the American Southeast, from present-day Florida to
Arkansas. Planned to conquer and colonize the region.
Interesting fact: Many believe he and his all-volunteer army were the first Europeans to see
the Mississippi River.
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado 1510–1554
Goal: Wanted to find gold.
Explorations: An adventurer, Coronado assembled a large expedition and traveled throughout
the Great Plains and the Southwest. He hoped to find some legendary cities of gold.
Interesting fact: Some of his men were the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon and to
live among the Pueblo Indians.
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Cabeza de Vaca and Estevanico Dorantes spent eight years traveling on the route shown above.
??lvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca 1490–1557
Goal: Wanted travel and adventures.
Explorations: Was shipwrecked by a hurricane near present-day Texas. He and three other
members of the expedition survived. They traveled across the Southwest, eventually
reaching Mexico City.
Interesting fact: Published an account of his experiences, urging better treatment of American
Indians.
Estevanico Dorantes 1503?–1539?
Goal: Wanted travel and adventures.
Explorations: Sold into slavery in Spain, he traveled as a servant to one of the officers on the
same voyage as Cabeza de Vaca. He was one of only four survivors of the shipwreck.
Interesting fact: Was part of the first overland expedition to explore the American Southwest.
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Core Lesson 5 New Spain
VOCABULARY
colony
mission
convert
hacienda
revolt
Vocabulary Strategy
convert
The verb convert comes from a word meaning “to turn around.?? Someone who converts turns
around, or changes, to a new religion.
READING SKILL
Draw Conclusions Note details that will help you draw a conclusion about life in New Spain
for American Indians.
Build on What You Know You may know someone who lives in a place with a Spanish name,
such as San Francisco. From the 1500s to the 1700s, explorers and priests gave Spanish
names to settlements throughout the Southwest and Florida.
New Spain Grows
Main Idea The Spanish increased the size of New Spain and spread their rule in North
America.
By 1535, the Spanish government controlled the former Aztec empire in Mexico. They made it
a colony called New Spain. A colonyis an area of land ruled by another country. In New
Spain, Spanish settlers started towns and farmed the land. They built mines wherever they
found valuable minerals, such as gold or silver. The colony of New Spain grew larger as
government officials, settlers, soldiers, and priests arrived.
Spain's rulers sent priests with the explorers to spread Christianity. Over the next 200 years,
Spanish explorers and priests traveled farther north and started settlements called missions.
A mission was a religious community where priests taught Christianity.
Juana Inés de la Cruz She was a well-known poet in Mexico City, the capital of New Spain.
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New Settlements
New Spain The colony of New Spain in the mid-1700s included parts of what is now the
Southwest United States. Junípero Serra (right) explored much of present-day California.
Spain was not the only nation trying to claim North American lands. The English, French,
Dutch, and later the Russians, were also exploring North America. The Spanish hoped to
prevent other countries from claiming land. They built forts called presidios to protect
Spanish claims and guard themselves against attack.
In 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (ah vee LEHS) started the settlement of St. Augustine in
Florida. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States built by Europeans. The
conquistador went north up the Gulf coast and started settlements all the way into presentday Georgia. Spanish settlers in Georgia tried to convert the Guale (WAH li) Indians to
Roman Catholicism. The settlers forced them to work building roads and growing crops.
The Spanish also built settlements in what is now the southwestern United States. In 1598, the
conquistador Juan de Oñate (ohn YAH teh) led settlers, soldiers, and priests to present-day
New Mexico. In 1610, the city of Santa Fe became the capital of that part of New Spain.
Later, Spanish soldiers and priests also settled and explored present-day Texas and California.
In 1769, a priest named Junípero Serra (hoo NEE peh roh SEH ra) led an expedition up
the coast of California. After helping to build the settlement of San Diego, Serra continued
north, building more missions along the way.
REVIEW Why did the Spanish build presidios in New Spain?
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Life in New Spain
Main Idea Spanish settlers and American Indians lived together, but not always peacefully.
After the Spanish took the Aztecs' riches, the conquistadors did not find much more gold in
North America. Instead, they found large amounts of silver underground. Because New
Spain had good soil, many settlers built haciendas (ah see YEN dahs). A hacienda is a
large farm or ranch, often with its own village and church.
Spanish hacienda owners relied on Indians to farm the land. American Indians were forced to
work at haciendas and were often cheated out of their pay. Many of them died from
overwork in Spanish fields and mines.
Spanish Missions This photo shows a mission in Carmel, California. The main church building
is on the left. The bell at right is from a mission in Pala, California.
The Spanish brought enslaved Africans to replace the thousands of American Indians who had
died. Most of these Africans were forced to work on sugar plantations in Spain's Caribbean
colonies. By 1650, about 130,000 enslaved Africans and their descendants were in New
Spain.
Priests at Spanish missions wanted to convert American Indians to Roman Catholicism. To
convert means to change a religion or a belief.
Some American Indians accepted Spanish rule. They moved to missions and converted to
Catholicism. They learned to speak Spanish and to use European farming methods.
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A Spanish priest named Bartolomé de las Casas wanted to protect all American Indians. He
spoke out against their mistreatment in the Spanish colonies. He convinced the Spanish
king to make laws to help protect them. Many settlers, however, ignored these laws and
continued to mistreat them.
American Indians who did not live at missions continued to practice their own traditions and
religions. In 1680, a Pueblo Indian leader named Popé (poh PEH) led a revolt against the
Spanish in New Mexico. A revolt is a violent uprising against a ruler. The Pueblo kept the
Spanish out of New Mexico until 1692, when the Spanish returned and conquered them
again.
REVIEW What did some American Indians learn when they moved to Spanish missions?
Lesson Summary
Why It Matters …
The growth of New Spain spread Spanish language and customs in the southern United States.
Lesson Review
1. VOCABULARY Match the definitions with the words below.
mission hacienda revolt
a. a Spanish farm b. a place where religion was taught c. an uprising
1. READING SKILL In what ways did life change for American Indians who lived at
missions?
2. MAIN IDEA History Why did the Spanish build haciendas?
3. MAIN IDEA Culture What was the main goal of the Spanish missions?
4. PLACES TO KNOW Why is St. Augustine an important place in American history?
5. TIMELINE SKILL How long after Oñate arrived in New Mexico did the Pueblo Revolt
occur?
6. CRITICAL THINKING: Analyze How was Menéndez de Avilés's exploration of Florida
and Georgia similar to Serra's exploration of California?
ART ACTIVITY Find out more about the fort that was built at St. Augustine. Make a drawing
or model of it.
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Extend Lesson 4 Biographies Leadership in New Spain
Leaders in New Spain were not always conquistadors. Religious leaders also played an
important role in the way Spanish colonists and Indians lived together. Here are three who
left a lasting mark on the history of New Spain.
BARTOLOMÉ DE LAS CASAS (1474–1566)
Las Casas's most famous book, A Brief Report on the Destruction of the Indies, was read by
people all over Europe.
Bartolomé de las Casas was a priest who believed that colonists and Indians should live as
equals. He devoted his life to improving the lives of Indian workers. In 1542, he wrote a
book to tell people about the brutal treatment of Indians. He persuaded the king of Spain to
issue laws that protected their rights. Although the laws were not fully enforced, de las
Casas's ideas influenced the views of many Europeans.
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JUN??PERO SERRA (1713–1784)
Junípero Serra's statue stands in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
Junípero Serra was a priest and tireless explorer who helped found 9 missions along the coast
of California. He believed he was serving his God by converting thousands of Indians to
the Christian faith. However, many Indians suffered at the missions. They were
overworked and some starved or died of diseases. Their work included building churches,
canals, and mills for the Spanish.
POPÉ (1630–1690)
Popé was a religious leader of the Pueblo Indians. He thought the time had come to drive out
the Spanish colonists who had been forcing the Pueblo to give up their religious beliefs.
Popé planned a revolt against the Spanish and persuaded others to join him. In 1680, his
followers burned churches and attacked haciendas and missions. After the Spanish fled to
Mexico, Popé ordered the destruction of all Spanish buildings and artifacts. The Pueblo
people's revolt was the most successful Indian uprising in the history of New Spain.
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Skillbuilder Map and Globe Skills Use Latitude and Longitude
VOCABULARY
parallel
meridian
absolute location
To help sailors and other travelers locate places, mapmakers created an imaginary grid of
lines over the globe. This grid is made up of lines of latitude and longitude.
Learn the Skill
Step 1: Identify the line of latitude. Lines of latitude run east and west and measure distance
north and south of the equator. The equator is 0° latitude. Lines of latitude north of the
equator are labeled N. Those south of the equator are labeled S. A line of latitude is also
called a parallel.
Step 2: Identify the line of longitude. Lines of longitude run north and south and measure
distance east and west of the prime meridian. The prime meridian is 0° longitude. Lines of
longitude east of the prime meridian are labeled E. Those west of the prime meridian are
labeled W. A line of longitude is also called a meridian.
Step 3: Find where the lines of latitude and longitude cross. The exact latitude and longitude of
a place on the globe is also called its absolute location.
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Practice the Skill
Use the map above to answer these questions.
1. What line of latitude is closest to St. Augustine? What line of longitude is closest to St.
Augustine?
2. What other place is at almost the same longitude as Tampa Bay?
3. What place is near 19°N, 98°W?
4. What are the lines of latitude and longitude closest to Campeche?
Apply the Skill
Use your library or Internet resources to find a map of your state. Locate the town or city where
you live by using latitude and longitude. Then write a paragraph explaining how you did
this.
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Chapter 3 Review and Test Prep
Visual Summary
1–4. Describe what you learned about each person named below.
Facts and Main Ideas
TEST PREP Answer each question with information from the chapter.
1. Economics What was the Silk Road?
2. History What were two inventions that improved navigation?
3. Geography How was Christopher Columbus's route to Asia different from those of earlier
explorers?
4. History Who were the Aztecs and why did Hernán Cortés want to conquer them?
5. History Why did priests travel to New Spain and what did they do there?
Vocabulary
TEST PREP Choose the correct word from the list below to complete each sentence.
merchant, p. 84
slavery, p. 93
circumnavigate, p. 101
colony, p. 110
1. The of New Spain was started in present-day Mexico.
2. Marco Polo was a who traveled to China to find spices and silk.
3. Members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew were the first people to the world.
4. Many Portuguese traders forced Africans into and sold them in Europe.
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CHAPTER SUMMARY TIMELINE
Apply Skills
TEST PREP Map Skill Study the map of explorers in Florida. Then use what you have
learned about latitude and longitude to answer each question.
1. Which explorer or explorers started voyages at about 23°N, 83°W?
A.Juan Ponce de León
B. Juan Ponce de León and Hernando de Soto
C. Hernando de Soto
D.Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
2. What was the most northern line of latitude that Ponce de León reached?
A.about 30°S
B. about 87°W
C. about 30°N
D.about 87°E
Critical Thinking
TEST PREP Write a short paragraph to answer each question.
1. Cause and Effect What were four lasting effects of the Columbian Exchange?
2. Fact and Opinion Bartolomé de las Casas wanted to convince the king of Spain to protect
American Indians. Write one fact and one opinion that he might have included in his
argument.
Timeline
Use the Chapter Summary Timeline above to answer the question.
1. In what year did Europeans first arrive in the Americas?
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