Exploration of North America

Exploration of North America

​Today you're going to review for your DA tomorrow

Reasons for Exploration

• God (Religion)

  • Kings and queens of Europe wanted to spread Christianity around the world

  • most explorations included missionaries and/or priests to convert Native Americans/American Indians

• Gold (Economics)

  • European Kings and Queens were convinced that there was gold in North America

  • Mercantilism

    • European nations wanted the natural resources (raw goods) like timber, coal, and animal furs which will be manufactured into finished goods in Europe like furniture and clothes. 

• Glory (Power)

  • European nations were in competition to see who could explore and claim the most land and people.  

  • Explorers thought of the Native Americans/American Indians as unintelligent savages.

  • Explorers often enslaved and/or killed the native people they encountered as a way to show power. 

Overview of obstacles explorers faced...

• Before The Voyage:

  • raising the money for the voyage

  • finding skilled people willing to go

• During The Voyage:

  • lack of maps

  • fear of the unknown

  • the length of the trip

  • encounters with native people

​Overview of Explorers...

​Overview of Explorers...

​Explorers and American Indians

The relationship was one of cooperation and conflict.  

• New Items for American Indians

  • guns and horses were new to the Native people

  • horses are particularly important in the Plains Region

  • metal cooking supplies for American Indians

  • new diseases from Europe

• Cooperation:

  • At first, American Indians helped explorers hunt food and navigate the land

  • Explorers shared more advanced farming techniques with American Indians

• Conflict:

  • Natives believed the land belongs to everyone.  Europeans believe in private property so they fought and killed Natives to take their lands from them.  

  • Explorers enslaved Natives & forced them to work on their expeditions.  

  • Explorers brought diseases which killed millions of Natives.  

  • Missionaries tried to convert Natives to Christianity. 

Multiple Choice

Why did many explorers look for a “Northwest Passage”?

• to find gold

• to claim land for their country

• to find a quicker route to Asia

• to search for the coldest climate

Multiple Choice

Why did European explorers bring a lot of food and supplies on their trips to North America?

• Explorers wanted to give gifts to American Indians.

• Explorers did not have the skills needed to find food and supplies.

• Explorers believed they would become rich by selling these goods.

• Explorers were unsure how long it would take them to reach land.

Multiple Choice

Why was it difficult for early European explorers, such as John Cabot and Christopher Columbus, to plan their journeys to the Americas?

• They could not build big enough ships to hold all of their supplies.

• They did not have the skills needed to find food on their voyages.

• They had to pay for their ships and supplies by themselves.

• They did not have maps that could show them where to go.

Multiple Choice

Did Columbus meet the goals set out for his voyage by the king and queen? Why or why not?

• No, because he did not find any oil or coal.

• No, because he did not find a sea route to Asia.

• Yes, because he traded furs with American Indians.

• Yes, because he found land that was good for farming.

Multiple Choice

Why was Hernando de Soto considered a “conquistador”? 

• He named rivers to honor Spain during this exploration. 

• He killed many American Indians during his exploration. 

• He helped American Indians make weapons during his exploration. 

• He created peace treaties with American Indians on his exploration. 

Multiple Choice

Based on your knowledge of Hernando de Soto’s exploration, what river did de Soto explore? 

• The Hudson River

• The Colorado River

• The Mississippi River

• The St. Lawrence River

Multiple Choice

Why was Vasco de Balboa considered a “conquistador”? 

• He helped indigenous people build canals on their land. 

• He shared food and supplies with indigenous people. 

• He fought with many indigenous people to take their land. 

• He created a way to communicate with indigenous people. 

Multiple Choice

What did Vasco Núñez de Balboa accomplish during his exploration?

• He became the first European to explore South America.

• He became the first European to explore North America.

• He became the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean.

• He became the first European to reach the Atlantic Ocean.

Multiple Choice

What was the MAIN goal of John Cabot’s exploration of North America?

• To find gold and silver

• To find the Northwest Passage

Multiple Choice

How did John Cabot’s final voyage end? 

• He remained in North America to start a colony. 

• He and his crew vanished and were never found. 

Multiple Choice

What does it mean when a ship’s crew does a “mutiny”?

• The crew disobeys the captain’s orders and takes over the ship. 

• The crew puts their resources together and helps the captain. 

• The crew leaves the ship and swims to the nearest shore. 

Multiple Choice

What was the MAIN goal of explorer Jacques Cartier's first voyage to North America?

• to trade with Spanish colonies and become rich

• to discover gold and find a northern sea route to Asia

Multiple Choice

What was one accomplishment of Jacques Cartier’s exploration for France?

• He found the Northwest Passage to Asia. 

• He discovered gold in what is today Canada. 

• He began the fur trade with American Indians. 

Multiple Choice

What did European explorers believe about land in North America? 

• They believed that land was not shared by all people. 

• They believed that land was only good for farming.

• They believed that land belonged to all people. 

Multiple Choice

How did the fur trade with American Indians benefit the French?

• The French became better boat builders.

• The American Indians captured furs for the French. 

• The American Indians taught the French to make clothes.