1. Factors That Led to Expansion
Lesson 2.1: European Background

2. Unit Overview
The purpose of this unit is to understand the factors that led to exploration, settlement, movement, and expansion and their impact on United States development over time.

3. Essential Question
Summarize the causes and effects of European Exploration in the America’s.

4. Activating
List as many reasons that you can think as to why Europeans would be interested in exploring the Americas.

5. Key Vocabulary
Mercantilism

6. Technology & History
New technologies helped launch the European age of exploration in the 1400’s.
The caravel was highly maneuverable and fast. Their small size allowed them to sail along shallow coast lines and rivers.

7. The astrolabe helped sailors stay on course by using the position of the sun and stars to determine time, direction, and latitude.
The compass was invented by the Chinese. It would always point north.

8. Mercantilism

9. What is Mercantilism?
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine that government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the military security of the country.
In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. In other words, in order to be considered a powerful nation, it was necessary to export more than import.
Think of balancing a check book. You don’t want to write a check for more money than you have in your account. The goal is too make more money than you spend…..so that the amount of money that you have will continue to grow!!!!

10. Mercantilism developed at a time of transition for the European economy. Isolated feudal estates were being replaced by centralized nation-states as the focus of power.
Technological changes in shipping and the growth of urban centers led to a rapid increase in international trade. Over time, competition between nation-states led to the need for strong navies backed by a strong economy.
As a result, mercantilism led to the development of Triangular Trade. Triangular Trade involved a three way system of goods between Europe, the Americas, and Africa that was good for the economies and societies of Europe and the colonies. Also led to the strengthening of imperialistic policies, slavery, and the eradication of native peoples.

11. https://www. youtube. com/watch
u_2Mh_L4MocE_duUOBn04ZF8KAFzHf
What is the concept of mercantilism?
Why were the Navigation Acts so important to the British and why did they generally alienate the colonists?
What is meant by the term “salutary neglect” and what did it mean for the colonies?

12. Assessment Prompt 1
Using the information you have acquired, create a visual symbol that will illustrate the importance of mercantilism (favorable balance of trade) and it’s impact.

13. New Spain

14. Primary Source Document
“The Spaniards grinned like little beasts and patted each other with delight. When they entered the hall of treasures, is was as if they had arrived in paradise. They…..coveted everything, they were slaves to their own greed….they seized these treasures as if they were their own, as if this plunder were merely a stroke of luck.”
By this account, what was the main reason for the Spanish conquest of the Aztec?

15. Spain Claims America
In 1492, Spain’s King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agreed to finance Christopher Columbus’s voyage across the Atlantic.
His goal was to find a better route to India
What did Christopher Columbus actually discover? (Hint: It wasn’t India!)

16. In March 1493, Columbus made a triumphant return to Spain with gold, parrots, spices, and Native Americans.
The Age of Exploration now turned its sights on the Americas!
God, Glory, Gold!!!
Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian map maker, eventually realized that the New World was not a part of Asia.
America is named after “Amerigo, the discoverer.”

17. New Spain
Conquistadors were independent Spanish adventurers who spread Catholicism and attempted to gain wealth and Power.
Spanish conquistadors had incredible success against natives due to disease, gunpowder, and disunity among the natives.
Hernando Cortes took only three years to destroy the mighty Aztec Empire in central Mexico.
By 1550, Spain controlled all of Northern Mexico. Francisco Pizarro took control of the Inca Empire.

18. Spanish American Society
Cortes rewarded his men by giving them control of some towns in the Aztec empire.
This became the Encomienda system:
Based on protection and conversion to Christianity.
Sadly, many natives were worked to death.
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19. Assessment Prompt 2: Cause & Effect
Spanish Exploration
Causes: Why did it happen?
Effects: What happened?

20. England Looks to the Americas

21. England Looks to America
Please draw this KWL chart in your notes. This will be Assessment Prompt 3 as well at the end of this section.
Before we being, please complete the K & W sections of the chart. For K, consider reasons England would look to exploring the new world.

22. Reformation
In England, the rebellion against Catholicism began in 1527, when Henry VIII declared himself the head of England’s church, or Anglican Church.
Puritans wanted to “purify” the Anglican Church of any remaining Catholic elements.
King James later refused to tolerate any changes to the church, and as a result, many Puritans left for America!

23. Economic Changes in England
Economic changes also gave people a motive to migrate to America.
In the 1500’s, the wool market led to thousands of tenants being evicted from their land so landowners could enclose their land for sheep. Many immigrated to America.
Enclosure movement
Gold, access to precious metals. They saw what Spain was getting and wanted a piece of the pie!

24. England Returns to the Americas

25. Assessment Prompt 3: KWL
Please complete the L section of the KWL.

26. Assignment
Answer these questions:
What were Europeans in search of?
How were the voyages of Prince Henry the Navigator different than those previously conducted by Portuguese?
What was the main goal of the Portuguese voyages?
What was the intended purpose of the Christopher Columbus voyage?
What happened as a result of the Treaty of Tordesillas?
What did Ferdinand Magellan attempt?
What were 2 factors that led to the end of the Age of Exploration?
How did the Age of Exploration impact Geography?

27. Journal What factors led Europeans to begin exploring in the 1400’s?
How did Christopher Columbus contribute to the Age of Exploration?
Summarize how the Spanish were able to defeat the Aztecs.
What was the intended purpose of the Encomienda system? What was the outcome of using such a system?
For what reasons did the English begin to be interested in the America’s?