Spanish Explorers

Questions from page 74 How did feuding among Spaniards slow Spain’s completion of Reconquista? The Spanish had been feuding with one another while they were trying to drive the Moors out of Spain. Once the Spanish people united, they were able to retake Spain from the Moors. What political and economic motives led Ferdinand and Isabella to fund Columbus’ first voyage? They hoped Columbus’s voyage would result in tremendous riches and greater power for Spain. They also wanted to embarrass their rival Portugal, which had refused to pay for Columbus’s voyage.

Questions from page 74 How were the patterns Spanish soldiers learned in the Reconquista used in the Americas? The goal of a Spanish soldier was to defeat his enemies, take their wealth, and move on to the next battle. The conquistadors did likewise in the Americas by conquering the Aztec and Inca civilizations. How did the technology of Spanish warfare differ from that of the Aztecs? The Spanish had the advantage of horses to fight their enemies, while the Aztecs fought on foot. Spanish armor and weapons were made of steel, while Aztec warriors wore animal skins and carried weapons made of wood and stone.

Questions from page 74 How did European diseases affect the Spanish conquest of the Americas? Despite the fact that many of the diseases were common childhood illnesses in Europe, the Indians could not survive because they lacked resistance to these diseases.

Questions from page 84 Why did Cortés imprison some of Pineda’s men when they met in Mexico? Since the Spanish explorers were all searching for riches in the Americas, Cortés viewed Pineda as a rival who might deny him the wealth he was looking for. What did the Narváez expedition show about the risks of exploration to find wealth? The quest for wealth can lead to bad decisions and dangerous consequences. Explorers and conquerors in the Americas could let their greed overcome their common sense.

Questions from page 84 Give evidence to support the claim that Cabeza de Vaca was a resourceful person. Cabeza de Vaca was enslaved by Indians after being abandoned by the other survivors of the Narváez expedition. But he later became a trader and traveled across coastal Texas before gaining a reputation among the Indians as a powerful medicine man. How did Cabeza de Vaca’s reports in Relación impact Spain? People became more interested in the Americas due to the possibility of treasure in the unexplored lands. And the Spanish government sent expeditions to look for the legendary golden cities.

Questions from page 84 Contrast the different ways American Indians treated the Spaniards they encountered. Some Indians enslaved the Europeans who came onto their territory, but other tribes like the Pueblos killed the Europeans or tricked them into leaving. The Caddo feared destruction by the Spaniards and tried to keep them as far away from their towns as possible.

French Explorers

Contrast how early French interactions with Indians were different than those of Spain. The French traded with the Indians instead of using force to conquer them as the Spanish did. Generate Explanations Why was finding the Northwest Passage so important to France? Europeans believed that the Northwest Passage would offer an all-water route from the Atlantic to the Pacific, giving them an easy way to cross to rich lands in Asia. France wanted to establish trade with Asia before its European rivals did.

Summarize How was La Salle’s expedition impacted by unforeseen dangers? La Salle had to deal with pirates and shipwrecks as well as the Spaniards, who captured one of the four ships. Hypothesize How might better geographical knowledge of the Americas have changed the results of La Salle’s expedition? With better geographical knowledge, La Salle would have reached the Mississippi River instead of going past it by more than 100 miles. At the mouth of the Mississippi, he could have built a fort and started the trade empire he originally planned.

Identify Cause and Effect How was the colonial government in New Spain affected by news of the French explorer La Salle in its territory? The Spanish government felt threatened and began to pay more attention to its northern frontier lands. As a result, Spanish settlements in the region increased.