European Exploration

European Expansion Before Columbus, the first Europeans to come to the “New World” were from Scandinavia Vikings Established colonies in Greenland and Canada Failed Columbus landed in the Bahamas in 1492 Started wave of explorations where many nations will attempt to settle North America Motivations for explorations God Gold Glory

Causes The Renaissance in Europe increased communication and trade with other countries in Asia Spices and Silk Explorers wanted to find a quicker route to Asia Scientific advances allowed explorers to travel more effiecently Astrolabe Device that used the position of the sun to determine direction Caravel Ship that could carry large amounts of cargo

Explorers Vasco de Gama First person to find a water route to Asia Started Competiton to discover new areas of the world Christopher Columbus Goal was to find a new route to Asia by sailing west Landed in present day Bahamas Discovered small amounts of gold Amerigo Vespucci Repeated Columbus’s voyage Land in South American and realized territory was a “new world,” not Asia

European Exploration and Colonization Big 4 Spain England France Portugal Once the “New World” is “discovered” the Big 4 European countries began to compete for control Led to a power struggle War

The Columbian Exchange The arrival of the Europeans led to interactions between environments and peoples On Columbus’ second voyage 17 ships 1200 men Cattle Swine horses Columbian Exchange – definition of the exchange of goods and diseases from the Old World to the New World Europeans brought disease, horses pigs, bananas, coffee, and sugar Natives gave tobacco, disease, tomatoes, and potatoes

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