What was it like to sail off into the sunset, not being sure where you would land? Would you have gone?

Storms at sea

Poisonous plants and animals

Ships crashing into rocks and reefs

Pirates

Being attacked by locals

Scurvy

Starvation

Falling off the edge of the Earth 

Sailors being attacked by sea monsters 

When nations explored they also expanded their empires When nations explored they also expanded their empires! Let’s look at Spain

And that starts the story of … England As news spread about Columbus’s journey, England decided to go north to get to Asia. And that starts the story of … John Cabot.

John Cabot

Unfortunately his own country of Italy wasn’t interested in his ideas for exploration, so he moved his family to England where he began exploring.

His first journey was not successful, bad weather and disagreements among his crew members forced him to return back home.

He set sail again and sailed to Newfoundland (Canada) in 1496, and made a map of the area.  He thought that he found China, but he did not.  King Henry was so happy with what he learned about the land and his stories of having sea life so rich you could scoop up buckets of fish, in 1498, he left with 5 ships for another adventure.

He was never heard from again.

France was also itching to find a new trade route to Asia France was also itching to find a new trade route to Asia. About 30 years after England, France sent Jacques Cartier to find a northwestern route to Asia.

He made several trips to Canada, up and down the Saint Lawrence River, but soon religious turmoil in his country kept him from exploring.

Samuel de Champlain In the early 1600’s, France sent Samuel de Champlain all around the Americas where he ended up setting up a trading post in Quebec.