Explorers and Settlements TC#4

Spanish Exploration

Christopher Columbus Was looking for a westward route to Asia Queen Isabel and King Fernando supported his expeditions He landed in the Caribbean in 1492

Ponce de Leon First Spaniard to explore North America 1513 Explored area of Florida Called La Florida by Spanish meaning Island of Flowers In search of the Fountain of Youth When attempting to establish a settlement he was attacked by Natives and killed

Hernando Cortez 1519 Conquered the Aztec Natives of Mexico Exploited their wealth by stealing gold, silver and other riches Forced them into slavery

Fancisco Pizarro 1531 Conquered the Incas of South America Exploited their wealth Forced them into slavery

Hernando DeSoto First to record expedition through Georgia in 1540 In search of Gold and silver Explored much of the South Eastern US Came up through Florida with more than 600 men

De Soto (Cont.) Explored Savannah and Ocmulgee River Never found gold He encountered the Mississippian Natives

90% of the Native population vanished Natives had never seen: Guns, steel swords, metal armor, or horses Only weapons Natives had were made of wood and stone Many were killed in battle or just plain murdered Many were made slaves

Natives Vanished Continued 1 in 3 Natives died from Measles, chicken pox, small pox Because they had never been exposed to these diseases With so few Natives left, the Spanish began to import black slaves from Africa to work in the fields and mines

French Settlemens

Jean Ribault Came with 150 men called Huguenots Huguenots were French Protestants Landed on Florida’s Coast and sailed north Settled just north of present day Savannah Huguenots built the first fort on the mainland of North America named Fort Charles They were forced to abandon it because of famine and sickness

Spanish Settlements

Pedro Menendez Spain sent him because they were worried about French success He built St. Augustine First successful settlement in North America

St. Augustine Menendez helped build missions Church outpost The Friars (Church Missionaries work with the natives teaching them: Read and write Modern agricultural techniques They also traded with the natives

Missions St. Catherine’s Island Spanish called Santa Catalina de Guale Georgia’s coast was called Guala named after the natives there