© 2005 Clairmont Press Chapter Explorers

Essential Questions Which European countries explored and attempted to colonize the Southeastern United States? How did Native American culture change as a result of European exploration?

Day 1

The Amazing Race of Discovery

Early Viking explorer Leif Ericson arrives in North America.

Marco Polo travels to China to get spices, jewels, perfumes, and silks. 1295Marco Polo returns from China with fascinating tales of the Far East.

“Black Death,” a plague, kills one third of Europe’s population.

Small, light Portugese ships called caravels explore the coast of Africa. 1400Prince Henry builds a school of navigation. His ships find a route around the southern tip of Africa Portugese build larger ships called Merchant Ships to use for trade. 1488Bartholomeu Dias wants to find an all- water route to Asia by heading around Africa. He makes it as far as the southern tip of Africa.

Christopher Columbus completes his first voyage to San Salvador (Salvador means “Holy Savior.”) 1497John Cabot wanted to find an all-water route to Asia by traveling north and west Columbus completes voyages to South America. 1498Vasco da Gama wanted to find an all- water route to Asia by heading around Africa. 1499Amerigo Vespucci voyages to the Americas.

Christopher Columbus dies believing he had discovered an unknown part of Asia. 1507Geographer Waldseemuller names the continent America after mapmaker Amerigo Vespucci. 1513Juan Ponce de Leon was looking for gold and the “fountain of youth”. He claimed Florida.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa wanted to find riches a way across America; first European to reach the Pacific Ocean. 1519Hernando Cortes wanted to conquer the Aztecs for their gold and silver. He conquered the Aztecs, stole their gold and silver, and claimed their land for Spain Ferdinand Magellan wanted to reach 1522Indies by sailing west. Though he was killed, his crew reached the Indies and sailed around the world.

Giovanni da Verrazano wanted to find a Northwest Passage to Asia. He explored the coast of North America from what is now the State of North Carolina up to Canada. 1531Francisco Pizarro wanted to conquer the Incas and take all of their gold and silver. 1534Jacques Cartier wanted to find a Northwest Passage to Asia. He discovered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River and claimed the area of France.

Hernando de Soto explores the Southeast, reaching the Mississippi River. 1540Francisco de Coronado travels in the Southwest. 1550England builds a speedy fleet of royal ships called Men-of-War.

Jean Ribault explores Coast of North Florida and Georgia. 1565Pedro Menendez explores St. Augustine and established Spain’s 1 st Successful Settlement. 1577Sir Francis Drake was the first Englishman to sail around the world.

Samuel de Champlain called the “Father of New France,” is the first explorer of his day to see the Great Lakes. 1609Henry Hudson investigates the Hudson River and Canada for England. 1673Father Jacque Marquette and Louis Joliet explore the upper Mississippi.

Day 2

1 st European Explorer Leif Ericson – Around st European to set foot on North America Viking Explorer Sailed from Greenland Landed along the coast of Canada. Settled Briefly, but Returned to Greenland

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Leif Ericson1000Viking Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Coast of CanadaSettled Briefly, But Returned to Greenland

Age of Discovery For almost 3 centuries, European nations would challenge each other for rights to the Western Hemisphere.

Europeans believed the world consisted of only 3 continents: World Europe Plus Scattered Islands in the Ocean AfricaAsia

Far East Europeans were really interested in the Far East (a region of Southeastern Asia that included India, China, and Japan).

Source of Goods Silk Spices Tea Gems

Muslim traders in western Asia, however, controlled the land and sea routes over which these goods were supplied to the west. The Age of Discovery began because European nations wanted their own direct access to the Far East.

Portugal Portugal took an early lead in this race. Explored the western coast of Africa in search of an eastern route to the Indies. In 1497, Vasco de Gama was the first European to journey to India by sea.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Vasco de Gama1497Portugal Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration western coast of Africa Found Eastern Route to the Indies

Spain Christopher Columbus believed that only ocean separated Europe from the Indies... King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella financed his great exploration. Columbus was instructed to discover and conquer any islands or continents he should find on behalf of Spain.

Columbus Sets Sail Christopher Columbus and his crew set sail aboard the The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. Journey Took 6 Weeks

Columbus discovered San Salvador Island (part of today’s Bahamas) on October 12, 1492.

Convinced that these were part of the Indies, Columbus called the dark-skinned natives – Indians (term Europeans came to apply to all natives in this newly discovered world.)

Disappointed to find no silk, spices, or riches, except for native jewelry. Returned to Spain with the great news that a westward route had been found.

Columbus later explored the coasts of Central and South America and other Caribbean islands.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Christopher Columbus1492Spain Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Discovered North America Explored the Island of San Salvador Discovered the New World and Opened It for European Exploration

Amerigo Vespucci Italian Businessman Mapmaker

America  Convinced that a new continent had been found  Called the new region a New World named the new land “America.”  Soon other explorers discovered that “America” was not just one continent but two...

Line of Demarcation All lands east of this line could be claimed by Portugal, while land to the west (including Georgia) went to Spain.

England & France  Other European nations refused to accept Spain and Portugal’s division of the Americas between themselves.  England and France prepared to make their own explorations.

England In 1497, John Cabot sailed from England to the northeastern coast of North America.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented John Cabot1497England Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Explored Coast of North America Established England’s Claim to the Eastern Seaboard of North America

The Race Is On... Spain financed more than 80 voyages to the New World during the 12 years after Columbus’s first voyage.

How much land could an explorer claim and for how long?  Any first discovery claims had to be followed by actual occupation  It was not enough to plant a flag on the beach.  To enforce a claim, settlers and soldiers from the explorer’s country must follow and colonize (occupy and control) the land.  Did not require permission from Native Americans.  Felt a moral duty to convert the natives to Christianity.

GodGoldGlory Spain Comes to the Southeast Convert the Natives Discover New Riches Expand Its Empire

Wheat Oranges Sugar cane Horses Cows Pigs Chickens Take to the New World Corn Potatoes Tomatoes Pineapple Tobacco Bring Back to Spain More Than Gold Changed Hands...

Juan Ponce de Leon  In 1513, First explorer to set foot on the soil of what today is the United States (Florida Coast/St. Augustine.  Came in search of riches, adventure, and a legendary fountain of youth

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Juan Ponce de Leon1)1513 2)1521 Spain Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration 1)Eastern Coast of Florida 2)Western Coast of Florida First Spanish Explorer to Set Foot on North American Mainland Failed to Find the Fountain of Youth

Lucas Vazquez de Allyon A young Spanish lawyer Owner of a sugar cane plantation that was worked by Indian slaves Many of the slaves died from disease Began looking to the north for more Indians to enslave Arrived in present-day South Carolina and then sailed southward Established a new settlement of men, women, children, and Africans called San Miguel de Gualdape However, cold weather and Allyon’s death followed. Soon, San Miguel de Gualdape was abandoned.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon 1526Spain Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Explored South Carolina and Georgia Coast First European to Set Foot in Georgia Unsuccessfully Attempted a Settlement

Mission: Search for Gold & Conquer Hostile Indians Hernando de Soto

In return, he would be given a title, land, and a portion of the colony’s profits.

In 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto, with hundreds of men, marched north from Tampa, Florida into southwest Georgia (near today’s Albany).

The Mississippians On this journey, the Spanish encountered the Indian chiefdoms of the Mississippian period.

Journey of Death & Disappointment Food was a continual problem. Often seized stored food supplies from Indians. Meat was in such short supply that the expedition reportedly even ate the dogs of some Indian villages.

Native Americans Weapons of Stone & Wood Spanish GunsSteel SwordsMetal ArmorHorses

De Soto’s weapons, plated armor, and horses overwhelmed the Native Americans; thousands of American Indians in Georgia died, many from disease brought by the Spaniards.

Diseases The Native Americans were exposed for the first time to European diseases against which they had little resistance. Measles Chicken pox Small pox During the two centuries following the discovery of the New World, 90% of the Native Population vanished.

Descendants Cherokees Creeks

The Spaniards marched across Georgia into South Carolina, but never found the gold they sought.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Hernando de Soto1540Spain Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Explored Georgia and Southeastern North America Failed to Find Riches, Brought Death and Destruction to Indians

French Claims in the Southeast France was the 3 rd European power to enter the race for North America. Giovanni de Verrazano believed that he could sail westward from Europe to Asia. First, landed on the Carolina coast.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Giovanni de Verrazano1524France Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Explored Coast of North America Established France’s Claim to North America

Jean Ribault Jean Ribault and a band of 150 Hugenots (French Protestants) landed on Florida’s coast and sailed northward looking for a place to settle.

Charles Fort Just north of present-day Savannah, Ribault discovered a protected inlet, which he named Port Royal. The French constructed Charles Fort, the first European fort on the North American mainland. Two years later a second group of Hugenots arrived and built Fort Caroline.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Jean Ribault1562France Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration Explored Coast of North Florida and Georgia Established Charles Fort in the Carolinas, north of Present Day Savannah

Catholic Spain Was Outraged! Pedro Menendez and a large force of soldiers and colonists sailed from Spain. They quickly drove the French out and captured Fort Caroline and then executed the French Huguenots.

Spanish Settlements Menendez founded St. Augustine (Spain’s first successful settlement in North America). In an attempt to convert the Indians to Christianity, Spain built Catholic Missions. Friars (Church missionaries) lived and worked with the Indians at these outposts.

ExplorerDateCountry Represented Pedro Menendez1565Spain Territory Discovered/Explored Results of Exploration FloridaFounded St. Augustine, Spain’s first successful settlement in North America

Spanish Settlements in Georgia Georgia’s coast was divided into two Spanish provinces: Guale North Coastal Area Between Savannah & Altamaha Rivers Mocama South Area Between the Altamaha and St. Mary’s Rivers