Exploring the Americas: 1400 - 1625 Exploring North America

Church Divided 1517- Martin Luther (German monk) Nails list of complaints about Catholic Church to door of local cathedral 95 Theses Believed church corrupt including the Pope!!! Believed faith not good deeds was way to Heaven Can’t buy salvation Changes Europe… B4 all Europe Roman Catholic Now… people question ideals of Roman Catholic Church Begin to “protest” it Become known as “protestants” Movement away from Catholic Church to other versions of Christianity called Protestant Reformation Beginning of Lutherans

Protestantism Spreads Luther’s ideas spread widely John Calvin (French) Agrees w/ Luther and also breaks away from Catholic Church Start of Calvinism King Henry VIII of England breaks away too Selfish reasons though Wants divorce; Catholic says, “NO!” Declares all England now members of new Church of England King is head of church now, not Pope! Europe divides Countries and people decide whether to stay Catholic or join Protestant version of Christianity Spain and France stay Catholic and work to spread their ideas English and Dutch turn Protestant New World will be divided as well “Come here, Honey… come look through this hole. I have a surprise for you!”

Money, Power, Respect Religion only 1 of factors that pushed Europeans across Atlantic Mercantilism: money = POWER Spain controls trade route, trade, money So… have all the power Too powerful to be challenged directly Other countries explore areas Spain doesn’t control New World has tons of goodies and resources $$$ to be made

The Columbian Exchange Voyages of Columbus and other explorers Brought 2 parts globe B4 had no contact Europe & Asia Americas Led to exchange of goods on both sides of Atlantic To Americas- Colonists, animals, plants, Disease To Europe- Crops, food, disease

A Northwest Passage Treaty of Tordesillas divided Americas between Spain and Portugal Didn’t allow for claims by other countries England, France, & Netherlands ignored treaty They wanted in on the $$$ from trade and colonization too Voyage to Asia, either around Africa or S. America long and difficult Want to find route going NW over Canada “NW Passage” 1497- England sent John Cabot look Only made it to Newfoundland But trip was basis for future attempts 1524- France hires Giovanni da Verrazano to look Explored coast from N. Canada all the way to Carolinas 1535- French hire Jacques Cartier Sails up St. Lawrence hoping it would lead to Pacific Made it to present-day Montreal, claiming land for France

Hudson’s Discoveries Netherlands (Dutch) wanted to find NW Passage too 1609- Dutch hire Henry Hudson Discovers the Hudson River Sails up as far as Albany and turns back 1610- hired by England and discovers Hudson Bay Thought it was the Pacific but when couldn’t find outlet crew rebelled Hudson, his son, and a few sailors were kicked off boat never to be seen again

French Open Trading Posts Not really interested in building an empire in New World Saw it as opportunity for $$$ in fishing and fur trade Furs were popular in Europe Traders make big time $$$ in beaver pelts Made agreement w/ Natives to trade fur 1608- sent Samuel de Champlain to set up trading post Turns into modern-day Quebec Used Quebec as basis for moving into other parts of Canada Built trading posts for fur

Dutch Settlements Wanted its share in world trade Hudson’s voyage starts their claims Netherlands was small but had large fleet of ships 1621- Dutch West India Company sets up trading colony New Netherland Where Hudson explored 1624- sets up forts Fort Orange (Albany) Fort Burlington Island (NJ) Fort Nassau (Philadelphia) New Amsterdam (Manhattan Island)(NYC) 1626- Governor pays Manhates Natives for the island in goods Goods included cloth, beads, trinkets, and metal tools like axes and hoes