Ch. 10: Exploring America Vocabulary: isthmus, Christopher Columbus, Hernando de Soto, Vasco Núnez de Balboa, Francisco Pizzaro

Christopher Columbus Columbus was the first European explorer to try to sail around the world. Sailed on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. Landed in the islands of the Bahamas. Given credit for discovering the New World. He was trying to get to the East Indies for spices and silks. Thought he made it, so he called the natives he saw “Indians.” Remember “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Hernando de Soto de Soto landed in Florida with an army of 600 men and 200 horses. He was searching for gold, silver, and any other valuable resources he could find. He was the first European to travel to the Tennessee region. He never found any riches. He and his men did map out large areas of the Southeastern North American wilderness. de Soto killed many Native Americans in this area and caused trouble between Europeans and natives that lasted for a very long time.

Vasco Núnez de Balboa In 1513, while living on his plantation, on the island of Barbados, Balboa was accused of treason back in Spain. He had to prove his loyalty to the king, or he would have been killed. The king of Spain had heard of an ocean on the other side of the New World. He told Balboa to go find this new ocean. Balboa crossed the isthmus of Panama and found the ocean. He called it the Mar del Sur (Southern Sea). Later on, Ferdinand Magellan would rename it the Pacific Ocean.

Francisco Pizarr o After Balboa found the Pacific Ocean, Spain started sailing up and down the coast of North and South America. Pizarro, was told about an empire in South America that had a huge amount of gold. He found the Incan Empire in the Andes mountains. He told them he wanted to discuss peace between Spain and the Inca. The leader of the Inca, Atahualpa, met with Pizarro, unarmed.

Francisco Pizarr o At the meeting, Pizarro sent a friar to ask Atahualpa if he would convert to Christianity. Atahualpa said no. The friar told Pizarro, that because the Inca would not convert to Christianity it would be okay to attack them. Pizarro’s men jumped from their hiding places and attacked Atahualpa’s Incas, killing over 2000 of them in the first fight. They then conquered the Incas and made them into slaves.

Routes of the Explorers: Columbus

Routes of the Explorers: de Soto

Routes of the Explorers: Balboa

Routes of the Explorers: Balboa

Questions about Chapter 10 Why did Pizarro search for the Incan Empire? When Columbus landed in the Bahamas, where did he think he had landed? What was de Soto hoping to find on his expedition? What did Balboa name the ocean he found? When did Columbus get credit for discovering the New World?