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"A generation which ignores history has no past and no future." ~Robert Heinlein
ploring the Explorers
Ex
Essential Question:
What is out there?
exploration (noun)- the act of searching or traveling for the purpose of discovery
Exploration leads to discoveries of new and exciting people, places, and things. You are heading out on an expedition to explore the European Explorers. Who
were they? Why did they explore? When did they live? Why are they important to our lives today?
European Explorers
The Silk Road, or Silk Route, is an interconnected series of ancient trade routes through various regions of
the Asian continent mainly connecting Chang'an in China , with Asia Minor and the Mediterranean . It extends
over 8,000 km (5,000 miles) on land and sea. Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the
development of the great civilizations of China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Indian subcontinent, and Rome ,
and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world.
Portugal
&
Prince Henry the Navigator
Astrolabe
The Astrolabe is an instrument used to calculate the positions of the sun, moon and stars. It helped sailors find
their location by using the position of the sun or the North Star.
(photo courtesy Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum)
http://teacherweb.com/WI/Rhinelander/MrsRumney/SD3L3.stm
Caravel: A Revolutionary Sailing Ship
The caravel (also spelled carvel) is a light sailing ship that that was developed by the
Portuguese in the late 1400's, and was used for the next 300 years. The Portuguese developed
this ship to help them explore the African coast.
The caravel was an improvement on older ships because it could sail very fast and also sail well
into the wind (windward). Caravel planking on the hull replaced thinner, less effective planking.
Caravels were broad-beamed ships that had 2 or 3 masts with square sails and a triangular sail
(called a lanteen). They were up to about 65 feet long and could carry roughly 130 tons of cargo.
Caravels were smaller and lighter than the later Spanish galleons (developed in the 1500's).
Turks capture Constantinople
Turks capture Constantinople
invention of the compass
development of the astrolabe
expeditions
Enabled the explorers and
merchants to travel long distances
at a faster speed while carrying
more cargo; led to extended ocean
exploration.
closed the Silk Road, stopping all
trade between Europe and Asia.
navigational tool that allowed longer
voyages and more accurate sailing.
development of the caravel
cartographers begin working together
Enabled Europeans to travel over
land to Asian trade cities.
improved navigation by making
more accurate maps.
improved navigation by helping
sailors use the position of the sun
or North Star to find their location.
enabled explorers to discover new
lands and established routes for
future explorations.
DIAS, BARTOLOMEU
Bartolomeu Dias (1457-1500) was a great Portuguese navigator and explorer who explored Africa's coast. In 1488, Dias led the
first European expedition to sail around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, leaving Tagus, Portugal in 1487. This breakthrough of
circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope opened up lucrative trading routes from Europe to Asia. Dias may have originally called
the southern tip of Africa the "Cape of Storms"; it was later renamed the Cape of Good Hope.
On a later expedition, Dias sailed near South America on the way to Africa, and spotted land at Espírito Santo in Brazil, calling it
the "Land of the True Cross." Although they thought it to be an island, Dias was still among the first Europeans to see Brazil. Dias
died during this expedition; he was lost at sea near the Cape of Good Hope in 1500.
DA GAMA, VASCO
Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) was a Portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East.
Da Gama sailed from Lisbon, Portugal, around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, to India (and back) in 1497-1499. At that time,
many people thought that this was impossible to do because it was assumed that the Indian Ocean was not connected to any
other seas.
Da Gama's patron was King Manuel I of Portugal, who sent da Gama, then an Admiral, on another expedition to India (15021503). After King Manuel's death, King John III sent da Gama to India as a Portuguese viceroy (the King's representative in
India). Da Gama died in India in 1524.
COLUMBUS, CHRISTOPHER
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in
1492, hoping to find a route to India (in order to trade for spices). He made a total of four trips to
the Caribbean and South America during the years 1492-1504, sailing for King Ferdinand II and
Queen Isabella of Spain. On his first trip, Columbus led an expedition with three ships, the Niña,
the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/1500a.shtml
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John Cabot: Explorer
John Cabot (about 1450-1499) was an Italian-born English explorer and navigator. In Italy, he is known as Giovanni
Caboto (which is his original name).
Cabot was born in Italy but moved to England in 1495. At the request of King Henry VII of England, Cabot sailed to
Canada in 1497, commanding the small ship called "Matthew." Cabot landed near Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape
Breton Island (the exact spot is uncertain) on June 24, 1497. One of John Cabot's three sons, the explorer Sebastian
Cabot, accompanied him on this trip. Cabot claimed the land for England.
Cabot explored the Canadian coastline and named many of its islands and capes. The mission's purpose was to
search for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia (a seaway to Asia). Cabot was unsuccessful, although
he thought that he had reached northeastern Asia.
Cabot undertook a second, larger expedition in 1498. On this trip, Cabot may have reached America, but that is
uncertain. Cabot's expeditions were the first of Britain's claims to Canada.
MAGELLAN, FERDINAND
Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) was a Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition that sailed around the
Earth (1519-1522). Magellan also named the Pacific Ocean (the name means that it is a calm, peaceful
ocean).
The Line of Demarcation
Up to this time the two major powers exploring the world were Spain and Portugal. These nations worried that their new
territories would be taken by each other, or by others. In order to protect their new empires these nations looked to the Pope
for help.
In 1493 the Pope drew a line on the globe cutting the new world in half. This line was known as the line of demarcation. Any
territory discovered on the East side of the line was to be controlled by Portugal, while any lands found on the West side of the
line were to be ruled over by Spain.
In 1494 Spain and Portugal signed a treaty moving the line further West. This treaty was known as the Treaty of Tordesillas,
and divided the new world between these two powers.
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas was a treaty between Portugal and Spain in 1494 where they agreed to divide up all the land on the Earth outside of Europe
between the two of them, no matter who was already living there.
VESPUCCI, AMERIGO
Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) was an Italian explorer who was the first person to realize
that the Americas were separate from the continent of Asia. America was named for him in
1507, when the German mapmaker Martin Waldseemüller, printed the first map that used the
name America for the New World.
On his first expedition (sailing for Spain, 1499-1500), Vespucci was the navigator under
under the command of Alonso de Ojeda. On this trip, Ojeda and Vespucci discovered the
mouth of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in South America, thinking it was part of Asia. On
his second expedition (sailing for Portugal, 1501-02) he mapped some of the eastern coast
of South America, and came to realize that it not part of Asia, but a New World.
CABRAL, PEDRO ALVARES
Pedro Álvares Cabral (1467-1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, explorer, and navigator who was the first European to
see Brazil (on April 22, 1500). His patron was King Manuel I of Portugal, who sent him on an expedition to India.
Cabral's 13 ships left on March 9, 1500, following the route of Vasco da Gama. On April 22,1500, he sighted land
(Brazil), claiming it for Portugal and naming it the "Island of the True Cross." King Manuel renamed this land Holy
Cross; it was later renamed once again, to Brazil, after a kind of dyewood found there, called pau-brasil.
Cabral stayed in Brazil for 10 days and then continued on his way to India, in a trip fraught with shipwrecks (at the Cape
of Good Hope), and fighting (with Muslim traders in India). After trading for spices in India, Cabral returned to Portugal
on June 23, 1501, with only four of the original 13 ships.
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/conquistadors/
Spanish Conquerers
or
"Conquistadors"
VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA
Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1519) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was the first European
to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (in 1513), after crossing the Isthmus of Panama overland.
HERNAN CORTES
Hernán Cortés (also spelled Cortez), Marqués Del Valle De Oaxaca (1485-1547) was a Spanish adventurer and
conquistador (he was also a failed law student) who overthrew the Aztec empire and claimed Mexico for Spain
(1519-21).
Cortes sailed with 11 ships from Cuba to the Yucatan Peninsula to look for gold, silver, and other treasures. Hearing
rumors of great riches, Cortés traveled inland and "discovered" Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. He then
brutally killed the Aztec emperor Montezuma and conquered his Aztec Empire of Mexico, claiming all of Mexico for
Spain in 1521. Treasures from the Aztecs were brought to Spain, and Cortés was a hero in his homeland. Cortés
was appointed governor of the colony of New Spain, but eventually fell out of favor with the royals. He then returned to
Spain where he died a few years later.
PANFILO DE NARVAEZ
Panfilo de Narvaez (1470?-1528) was a Spanish explorer and soldier. He helped conquer Cuba in 1511 and
led a Spanish royal expedition to North America (leaving Spain in 1527). He was born in Valladolid, Spain
and died on his expedition to Florida.
De Narvaez was granted the land of Florida by the Emperor Charles V in 1526. He led an expedition there
with 300 men, including Cabeza de Vaca. After surviving a hurricane near Cuba, his expedition landed on
the west coast of Florida (near Tampa Bay) in April, 1528, claiming the land for Spain.
DE LEON, PONCE
Juan Ponce de Leon (1460?-1521) was a Spanish explorer and soldier who was the first European to set
foot in Florida. He also established the oldest European settlement in Puerto Rico and discovered the Gulf
Stream (a current in the Atlantic Ocean). Ponce de Leon was searching for the legendary fountain of
youth and other riches.
Hernando De Soto
Hernando De Soto (1500?-1542) was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Atlantic Ocean and was the first European to explore
Florida and the southeastern US.
De Soto was born in the Spanish province of Extremadura (near Portugal). In 1524, he went on an expedition to Nicaragua, South
America, with Francisco de Cordoba . De Soto sided with Pedro Arias de Ávila (also called Pedrarias Dávila) against Cordoba
(who had tried to claim land for himself), and Cordoba was killed. De Soto lived for a while in Nicaragua, prospering by engaging
in the slave trade.
Francisco Pizarro enlisted de Soto for an expedition to Peru (1531-1532). During this expedition they met and killed Atahualpa,
the ruler of the Incas, and conquered the Inca empire.
De Soto returned to Spain in 1536, and was granted the rights to conquer Florida and was named governor of Cuba in 1537.
De Soto arrived on the west coast of Florida on May 30, 1539 with 10 ships carrying over 600 soldiers, priests, and explorers.
They spent four years searching for gold and silver, exploring the area, and brutally contacting native societies, including the
Cherokees, Seminoles, Creeks, Appalachians, and Choctaws. De Soto died during the explorations and was buried on the banks
of the Mississippi River in late June, 1542.
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1510-1554) was a Spanish ruler,
explorer and conquistador. He was the first
European to explore North America's Southwest.
Coronado was a governor of New Galicia, a western province of Mexico. He searched fruitlessly for treasure
that was rumored to exist in northern Mexico: the fabled seven Golden Cities of Cibola. With a group of
hundreds of Spaniards and enslaved natives, he traveled through what is now northern Mexico and the
southwestern USA (including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas). His expedition found only
Zuñi, Hopi, and Pueblos, native Americans who repelled Coronado when he demanded that they convert to
Christianity. Coronado killed many native Americans during this expedition. Since he did not find gold, silver, or
other treasures, his expedition was branded a failure by Spanish leaders.
GIOVANNI DA VERRAZZANO
Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485-1528) was an Italian navigator who, in 1524, explored the northeast coast of North
America from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Maine while searching for a Northwest passage to Asia. Verrazzano sailed
for King François-premier (Francis I) of France. Verrazzano's brother, Girolamo da Verrazzano, was a mapmaker who
accompanyed Giovanni on his voyage, and mapped the voyage.
Verrazzano left Madeira, Spain, on January 17, 1524, and landed at Cape Fear on March 1. He first sailed south, then
returned and sailed north, to New York, anchoring the narrows that are now name for him. He sailed up to Maine and
then on to New Foundland, Canada, and back to Europe (landing in Dieppe, France on July 8). Verrazzano thought that
North America was a thin isthmus separating the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Verrazzano was killed and eaten by Carib
Indians in 1528. The Verrazzano Narrows Bridge, a suspension bridge that spans New York Harbor, connecting
Brooklyn and Staten Island (New York, USA), was named for Verrazzano.
CARTIER, JACQUES
Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) was a French explorer who led three expeditions to Canada, in 1534,
1535, and 1541. He was looking for a route to the Pacific through North America (a Northwest
Passage) but did not find one. Cartier paved the way for French exploration of North America.
Cartier sailed inland, going 1,000 miles up the St. Lawrence River. He also tried to start a settlement in
Quebec (in 1541), but it was abandoned after a terribly cold winter. Cartier named Canada ; "Kanata"
means village or settlement in the Huron-Iroquois language. Cartier was given directions by HuronIroquois Indians for the route to "kanata," a village near what is now Quebec, but Cartier later named
the entire region Canada.
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson (1565-1611) was an English explorer and navigator who explored parts of the Arctic Ocean and northeastern North
America. The Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay are named for Hudson.
Little is known about Hudson's early life. Hudson was hired by the Muscovy Company in 1607, to find a waterway from Europe to
Asia. Hudson made two trips (in 1607 and 1608), but failed to find a route to China. In 1607, he sailed to Spitzbergen (an island
north of Scandinavia in the Arctic Ocean) and discovered Jan Mayen Island (a tiny island off eastern Greenland). In 1608, he
sailed to Novaya Zemlya (an island north of Russia in the Arctic Ocean).
Hudson was then hired by the Dutch East India Company in 1609, to try to find the Northwest Passage farther south. On this trip in
a ship called the Half Moon, Hudson sailed to Nova Scotia, and then sailed south. He found what is now called the Hudson River.
Hudson is credited with discovering the location which is now New York City (although da Verrazzano had previously sailed by the
area in 1524). Hudson sailed into New York's harbor on September 3, 1609 and noted what an excellent harbor it was. Hudson
sailed up the river about 150 miles (240 km) and noted the abundance of rich land, but realized that this was not a waterway to
India. His reports resulted in many Dutch settlements in the area.
A 1610-1611 trip through the Hudson Strait and into Hudson Bay ended in a mutiny. Hudson died in 1611 after his crew mutinied
and left Hudson, his son, and seven crew members adrift in a small, open boat in Hudson Bay.
"A generation which ignores history has no past and no future." ~Robert Heinlein
ploring the Explorers
Ex
Essential Question:
What is out there?
exploration (noun)- the act of searching or traveling for the purpose of discovery
Exploration leads to discoveries of new and exciting people, places, and things. You are heading out on an expedition to explore the European Explorers. Who
were they? Why did they explore? When did they live? Why are they important to our lives today?
Click the blue box to find out which Explorer you will be Exploring!
www.irwinator.com/120/ch2.htm <http://www.irwinator.com/120/ch2.htm>
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Trade_Route_to_the_Indies__Genoa__Venice__and_the_Great_Silk_Road.asf
Portuguese_Explorers__Exploration_of_the_African_Coast.asf
Vasco_de_Gama_and_the_Trade_Route_to_the_Spice_Islands.asf
The_First_Voyage_of_Christopher_Columbus.asf
The_Later_Journeys_of_Christopher_Columbus_and_John_Cabot.asf
John_Cabot_s_Search_for_a_Northwest_Passage_to_Asia__1497_1498_.asf
Exploring_the_World__Ferdinand_Magellan_and_the_First_Voyage_Around_the_World.asf
Spain_s_Efforts_to_Expand__The_Conquistadors_and_the_New_World.asf
Ponce_de_Leon.asf
The_Expeditions_of_Hernando_de_Soto_.asf