MOTIVES FOR EUROPEAN EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION “Exploring North America”

Objectives:  8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of North America  Students will be able to recall the 3 reasons for Exploration and Colonization of the New World by Europeans  Protestant Reformation  Search for the Northwest Passage  Economic reasons – Mercantilism  Students will be able to identify European explorers and the areas they explored

Causes of the Colonization & Exploration era Protestant Reformation Search for the Northwest Passage Early Trading Activities driven by Mercantilism

Motive #1: Protestant Reformation  Caused many English and Dutch religious dissenters to settle in North America for RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.  Includes  Pilgrims (Separatists)  Puritans  Quakers

Protestant Reformation  Many Protestants (non-Catholics) sought religious freedom in North America.  What was the Protestant Reformation?  A Christian reform movement  started by a priest, Martin Luther  Originally intended to reform the Catholic Church  Ultimately resulted in Protestantism, which became a separate branch of Christianity

Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses on the door of the church

Protestant Reformation  England became a Protestant nation when King Henry VIII, the King of England, declared himself the head of the Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church.  This split was for personal, not religious reasons.

Protestant Reformation  The Anglican Church was still very “Catholic” in its practices and traditions, so “true Protestants” were still not satisfied with the new Protestant church.

Protestant Reformation  England persecuted, or harshly treated, those who didn’t conform with the church of England.  Dutch and English Protestant dissenters immigrated to North America to practice their religion freely.

Motive #2: Searching for the Northwest Passage  European countries wanted to trade with Asia.  Water travel was faster than land travel.  It took too long to sail around the tip of Africa or South America.  Europeans needed a western route to Asia that cut through North America

Northwest Passage Why were Europeans interested in Asia? What were explorers searching for in their exploration of North America’s coast? Why were explorers searching for this?

Northwest Passage Why were Europeans interested in Asia? TRADE What were explorers searching for in their exploration of North America’s coast? Why were explorers searching for this?

Northwest Passage Why were Europeans interested in Asia? TRADE What were explorers searching for in their exploration of North America’s coast? A NORTHWEST PASSAGE Why were explorers searching for this?

Northwest Passage Why were Europeans interested in Asia? TRADE What were explorers searching for in their exploration of North America’s coast? A NORTHWEST PASSAGE Why were explorers searching for this? EUROPEAN NATIONS WANTED A QUICKER TRADE ROUTE TO ASIA

Motive #3: Mercantilism  What is mercantilism?

Mercantilism  What is mercantilism?  The economic theory that a nation’s power was based on its wealth

Mercantilism = Economic Rivalry  What fueled the competition? $$$ from fishing and fur trading American land and resources Competing for power at home in Europe

The Race to Claim America  After Christopher Columbus’ discoveries in America, other European countries began racing west to claim land.

The Columbian Exchange  exchange of goods, ideas, diseases and people between Europe and the Americas This was the most NEGATIVE effect of the Columbian Exchange. Millions of Native Americans with no immunity to European diseases died.

Hernando De Soto  Spanish  Sent by King Charles V of Spain to conquer Florida (most of the southeastern mainland) and search for gold.  Results  Explored Florida  crossed the Mississippi River  explored areas of Arkansas  Never found gold  Took advantage of Native Americans

Jacques Cartier  French  Wanted to find gold and the Northwest Passage to Asia  Results  Claimed the St. Lawrence River for France  Founded Montreal  Never found gold  Never found the Northwest Passage

Samuel De Champlain  French  Sent to establish a fur trading post and settlement in Quebec  Results  Established New France (earned nickname “Father of New France”) Founded Quebec- first permanent French settlement in North America  Developed French fur trade with Indians

Robert La Salle  French  Wanted to reach the Gulf of Mexico by traveling down the Mississippi River  Results  Reached the Gulf of Mexico and claimed the entire Mississippi River Valley for France

John Cabot  Sent by England  Searched for the Northwest Passage  Results  Never found the Northwest Passage  Claimed New Foundland (in Canada) for England

Henry Hudson  English  Searched for the Northwest Passage TWICE  Sent by Dutch… turned around.  Sent by English  Results  Discovered the Hudson River and Hudson Bay

Sir Walter Raleigh  English  Sent by Queen Elizabeth to claim land for England in North America  Results  Claimed land from present-day North Carolina to Maine and named it Virginia, in honor of Queen Elizabeth.  Sent 100 people to settle at Roanoke Island off North Carolina, but colony disappeared by 1591.

How did England become powerful enough to claim the thirteen colonies?  By defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588!  Major turning point in history  Spain’s power declined and England ruled the seas.  England’s colonial empire grew.

Objectives:  8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of North America  What are the three reasons for European Colonization and Exploration?  Which explorers claimed land for England?

Objectives:  8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of North America  What are the three reasons for European Colonization and Exploration?  Protestant Reformation  Search for the Northwest Passage  Economic reasons – Mercantilism  Which explorers claimed land for England?

Objectives:  8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of North America  What are the three reasons for European Colonization and Exploration?  Protestant Reformation  Search for the Northwest Passage  Economic reasons – Mercantilism  Which explorers claimed land for England?  John Cabot, Henry Hudson and Sir Walter Raleigh