European Explorations and Contact with Natives 1450-1730

Reasons For Coming to the New World All Water Route to Asia going West Religious Freedom Defense Against other Countries Wealth/Gold & Riches

The Race is On! Columbus’ theory: sail West from Spain and end up in Asia via an all-water route Spain: first country to send out explorers and claim land in the New World Spanish missions: built along the Atlantic coast to keep France away from the coast and to bring Christianity to the Native Americans.

Hernando De Soto treated the Native Americans cruelly causing them to be suspicious of other explorers. brought diseases to the Native Americans such as chicken pox and measles. first to explore what is now Georgia in his quest for GOLD.

France Enters the Race Needed a colony to attack Spanish ships and have land claims in the New World. Huguenots (Protestants) came to the New World for religious freedom France was officially a Catholic country wanted to spread their religious beliefs to the Native Americans. Spain pushed France into the interior of North America.

England Enters the Race England and Spain often fought with each other because of different religious beliefs. England’s navy defeated Spain’s fleet, the Spanish Armada.

What is the importance of the English defeat of the Spanish Armada? England remained independent and Protestant Spain’s image as a major power suffered This opened the door for England to challenge Spanish claims in North America.

Mercantilism Colonies supplied England (the Mother Country) with raw materials such as lumber. England would make furniture or other goods and sell them back to the colonies or to other countries. Exported products should make more money than spent on raw materials (PROFIT$$$$$)

Jamestown English colonists had a rough first year Poor weather + poor farming = many people died Tobacco grew well in this area – becomes leading cash crop First slaves – brought to this colony by Dutch traders

Need for a Buffer Colony England’s colonists fought with Native Americans and with Spanish colonists England wanted all the land it could get Native Americans driven into Florida where Spanish still in charge England feared Spanish would move north to attack its colony at Charles Town. Needed another colony between Charles Town and Florida

S. CAROLINA (ENGLISH) GEORGIA (DISPUTED LAND) FLORIDA (SPANISH