ACOS #4: Explain effects of European exploration upon European society and Native Americans, including the economic and cultural impact. ACOS #4a: Identify significant early European patrons and explorers and early settlements. ACOS #4b: Locate the countries of origin of early European patrons and explorers.

 settlement = a small community of people living in a new place, usually a frontier region.  epidemic = An outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many people  circumnavigate = to sail completely around something

 Christopher Columbus studied navigation and believed he could reach Asia by a new route.  In 1486, Columbus asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to pay for his voyage. They couldn’t sponsor his trip because Spain was fighting the Muslims in Africa.  Spain’s attempt to push the Muslims out was called the Spanish Reconquista.

 Columbus asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella a second time to pay for his voyage to Asia.  This time they agreed. Spain had won their war and needed gold and spices that would be found in Asia.  Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on August 3, 1492.

Columbus left Spain thinking he was going to land in the Spice Islands. He landed here

 Close to 90 men traveled on the three ships named the Nina, the Pinta, and Santa Maria.  The first ship to spot land was the Pinta on October 12, 1492.

 The ships had arrived at an island in the Caribbean.  Columbus named that island San Salvador, in present day Bahamas.  Columbus believed he had reached land off the coast of Asia, near India.

 The sailors on this expedition were the first Europeans to meet people of the Caribbean.  These people called themselves the Taino.  Columbus visited two other islands, Cuba and Hispaniola.  Ferdinand and Isabella wanted Columbus to start settlements and to search for gold.  Europeans cut down rain forests on Caribbean islands.  Also, Europeans caused many plants and animals to die.

The hoped he would find riches, such as gold.

 Movement of plants, animals, and people between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres is known as the Columbian Exchange.  The Columbian Exchange helped all people. Potatoes became important to the Europeans Corn was important crop in Africa. Tomatoes, peanuts, beans and peppers are grown several places.

 Pedro Cabral explored eastern South American in 1500 and claimed it for Portugal.  Amerigo Vespucci made several voyages to South America and the Caribbean.

 Vasco Balboa sailed to present-day Panama in Central America. In 1513, he crossed the mountains and jungles of Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean.

 He was a Portuguese soldier and sailor who sailed for Spain.  He thought he could go west from Spain, around South America and end back in Spain.  He started his trip in 1519 with 250 men and 5 ships.  He reached the Pacific Ocean in 1520 and named it Pacific which means “Peaceful”.

To cross the Pacific Ocean and return to Spain.

 Magellan and his crew continued to sail west.  Many sailors died of disease and starvation.  Magellan was killed in a battle in the Philippine Islands.  One ship and 18 men made it back to Spain in 1522 loaded with valuable Spices. They became the first to circumnavigate around the world.