European Exploration

Focus Question What do you see in this picture?

Objectives Identify the goals of Christopher Columbus. Explain the consequences of his journey to the Americas. Analyze the effects of European contact with the people of the Americas.

Exploration With the goal of reaching Asia, European sailors continued their journeys of exploration In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas, planning to conquer the land, exploit its wealth, and convert its people to Christianity– a pattern followed by later explorers

Dominate Force Portuguese sought a route to India, the East Indies, and China Bartolomeu Dias ▫In 1487 used the winds of the South Atlantic to get around the southern tip of Africa Vasco da Gama ▫In 1498 reached India, opening an enormously profitable trade route

Christopher Columbus The Italian mariner, Christopher Columbus, had heard stories about mysterious lands to the west Columbus was determined to make a westward voyage in search of China Hoped to convert the Chinese to Christianity and use their wealth to begin a new crusade against Islam

SOAPSTone Get in your group, determined by number on your note card The person with birthday closest to September 2 nd (today) will be the group leader Group leader will determine which document each person will read and complete SOAPSTone attached to the document Each group member will discuss their document with their group using the SOAPSTone technique

Columbus 1492 Columbus reached the Bahamas, which he claimed for Spain Columbus made four voyages to what he thought was the East Indies, near Asia ▫He used force to conquer Native Americans on the islands Columbus had not reached Asia, but he had found a land that would bring riches and power to European Christendom ▫At the expense of Native Americans and African slaves

Columbus’s Voyages

Treaty of Tordesillas 1494 Boundary line: mid- Atlantic, the Spanish claiming Columbus’s western lands and the Portuguese claimed the east Other European kings refused to honor the treaty No one bothered to consult the Native Americans

Conquistadors Extended Spain’s empire in the Americas, treating Native Americans brutally in the process The Spanish killed or enslaved thousands of Native Americans Many were forced to convert to Christianity The Spanish destroyed their cities, stole their gold, and exploited their natural resources

Columbian Exchange

Population Shifts European Population Growth ▫Large harvests aided by new American crops caused the European population to grow from 80 million in 1492 to 180 million by 1800 Native American Population Decline ▫The Native American proportion of the global population collapsed from 7 percent in 1492 to less than 1 percent in 1800

Summary Look back at your answer from the focus question Has your image of the relations between the Native Americans and Europeans changed? ▫How so/Why not?