European Exploration and Colonization of North America

European Exploration and Colonization of North AmericaThe Old World Meets the New WorldFirst ContactThe term First Contact literally describes the first contact between Europeans and the indigenous peoples of North AmericaFirst Contact happened at different times in different places, took a variety of forms, and forever changed the lives of the Indigenous Peoples of the AmericasIn some cases neither Europeans nor Natives were sure the other was human It is estimated that somewhere between 50%-90% of Natives died as a result of this contact (disease being the primary cause). 50-90%!!!!!!!!!The legacy of First Contact dramatically alters the histories of the Americas, Europe, and the entire WorldExamples from Canadian HistoryThe Vikings and First Nations in Vinland around 1000 CE, John Cabot and the Beothuk in 1497Jacques Cartier and the Mi'kmaq in 1534Canadian Arctic Expedition and the Kitlinermiut (Copper Inuit) and Netsilingmiut (Netsilik Inuit) in 1915

Who were the Frist Europeans to Reach the New World?The VikingsIn 986 CE, Bjarni Herjolfsson, while sailing to Greenland from Iceland, was blown off course by a storm and reported seeing land that was not Greenland. Years later, Leif Ericson, followed Herjolfsson's route. Noting an abundance of trees as he passed by what is now Labrador, he named the area Markland (forest land). Eventually, he landed on Newfoundland and called the region Vinland (wine land) after he discovered what he thought were vines and grapesThe Vikings settled the area for approximately 3 years Ericson established what is believed to be the first European settlement in North America: L Anse aux MeadowsSagas tell us information about their voyages

Statue of Leif Ericson in Greenland

Contact with Indigenous PeoplesThere is evidence of trade, but also hostile confrontationsIt is thought that the Vikings who had a tradition of raiding settlements in Europe and were not strangers to violence, killed a number of Natives and were eventually forced to leave due to retaliatory attacks on their settlement This marked the end of the first period of European contact (~1000 CE)It was brief and not sustainedIt would be approximately another 500 years before the next contact between the Old World and the New

Leif Ericsson discovered Helluland, Markland, and Vinland

Vikings in North America

In 1960 the Lanse aux Meadows site was discoveredThe only authentic Viking settlement in the New World. Many artifacts were discovered at this settlement including buildings, nails, chunks of iron, & charcoal

Lanse aux Meadows, Newfoundland

The Next Wave of ExplorationWho was next?What did he discover?Who did he claim the land for?

Columbus Song

From the 1400s to the 1700s, Europe experienced an Age of Exploration As a result of exploration, European nations grew powerful & spread their influence throughout the world The Renaissance encouraged curiosity & a desire for tradeMotivations: Why did Europeans want to explore?A period beginning in the early 1400s and ending in the late 1700s in which European explorers and merchants discovered areas of the world yet unseen by Western Europe. These expeditions led to the discovery of new lands, new markets, and new technology

By the early 1400s, Europeans were ready to venture beyond their borders. As Chapter 17 explained, the Renaissance encouraged,among other things, a new spirit of adventure and curiosity. This spirit of adventure, along with several other important reasons, prompted Europeans to explore the world around them. This chapter and the next one describe how these explorations began a long process that would bring together the peoples of many different lands and permanently change the world. For God, Glory, and GoldEuropeans had not been completely isolated from the rest of the world before the 1400s. Beginning around 1100, European crusaders battled Muslims for control of the Holy Lands in Southwest Asia. In 1275, the Italian trader Marco Polo reached the court of Kublai Khan in China. For the most part, however, Europeans had neither the interest nor the ability to explore foreign lands. That changed by the early 1400s. The desire to grow rich and to spread Christianity, coupled with advances in sailing technology, spurred an age of European exploration. 12Motives for European ExplorationGod, Glory & Gold!Crusades raised interest in Asia.Renaissance curiosity about other lands and peoples.Reformation refugees & missionaries.Monarchs seeking new sources of revenue. (competition between them)Technological advances.Fame and fortune. (The rise of banks and commercial ventures)13God

European Christians, especially Catholics, wanted to stop the spread of Islam & convert non-Christians to the faith

Explorers were encouraged to spread Christianity or bring missionaries who would focus only on conversionsDuring the Middle Ages & the Renaissance, Europe was very religious Christians wanted to stop the spread of Islam & also convert natives they discovered to Christianity; explorers were encouraged to spread Christianity or bring missionaries who would focus only on conversions14Glory

The Renaissance inspired new possibilities for power & prestige Exploration presented Europeans the opportunity to rise from poverty and gain fame, fortune, & status Kings who sponsored voyages of exploration gained overseas colonies, new sources of wealth for their nation, & increased power

Renaissance inspired new possibilities (no one explored during the Middle Ages)

Exploration led to fame for the explorers & sponsor country (found new places & gained more lands)

Demand for new land & glory led to competition between countries

15Gold (MGoldoney)

A desire for new sources of wealth was the main reason for European exploration The Crusades & Renaissance stimulated European desires for exotic Asian luxury goodsMerchants began looking for quick, direct trade routes to Asia to avoid Muslim & Italian merchants & increase profits

The desire for new sources of wealth was the main reason for European exploration. Through overseas exploration, merchants and traders hoped ultimately to benefit from what had become a profitable business in Europe: the trade of spices and other luxury goods from Asia. The people of Europe had been introduced to these items during the Crusades, the wars fought between Christians and Muslims from 1096 to 1270 (see Chapter 14). After the Crusades ended, Europeans continued to demand such spices as nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and pepper, all of which added flavor to the bland foods of Europe. Because demand for these goods was greater than the supply, merchants could charge high prices and thus make great profits. The Muslims and the Italians controlled the trade of goods from East to West. Muslims sold Asian goods to Italian merchants, who controlled trade across the land routes of the Mediterranean region. The Italian merchants resold the items at increased prices to merchants throughout Europe. Other European traders did not like this arrangement. Paying such high prices to the Italians severely cut into their own profits. By the 1400s, European merchantsas well as the new monarchs of England, Spain, Portugal,and Francesought to bypass the Italian merchants. This meant finding a sea route directly to Asia.16

Also, other historical events were at playIn the mid 1450s, overland trade routes connecting Europe with Asia were severedThis occurred when Muslim Turks conquered the city of ConstantinopleEuropean monarchs imported a wide variety of goods from Asia including spices, silks, tea, gold & silverIn desperation, they began to finance expeditions to find an western ocean passage from Europe to Asia

European/Asian trade routes were closed in the mid 1400s when Constantinople was conqueredTrade routes from EuropeTrade routes to AsiaThe Age of Exploration

Means: How were explorers able to sail so far & make it back again?Before the Renaissance, sailors did not have the technology to sail very far from Europe & return19

NavigationTrade & cultural diffusion during the Renaissance introduced new navigation techniques to Europeans Magnetic compass made sailing more accurate

Astrolabe used stars to show direction

Maps were more accurate and used longitude & latitude

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European shipbuilders built a better ship; The caravel was a strong ship that could travel in the open seas & in shallow water

Caravels had triangular lateen sails that allowed ships to sail against the wind A moveable rudder made the caravel more maneuverable Cannons & rifles gave ships protectionWhile God, glory, and gold were the primary motives for exploration, advances in technology made the voyages of discovery possible. During the 1200s, it would have been nearly impossible for a European sea captain to cross 3,000 miles of ocean and return again. The main problem was that European ships could not sail against the wind. In the 1400s, shipbuilders designed a new vessel, the caravel. The caravel was sturdier than earlier vessels. In addition, triangular sails adopted from the Arabs allowed it to sail effectively against the wind. Europeans also improved their navigational techniques. To better determine their location at sea, sailors used the astrolabe, which the Muslims had perfected. The astrolabe was a brass circle with carefully adjusted rings marked off in degrees. Using the rings to sight the stars, a sea captain could calculate latitude, or how far north or south of the equator the ship was. Explorers were also able to more accurately track direction by using a magnetic compass, a Chinese invention.21The Age of ExplorationWho were the explorers, where did they go, & how did they change world history?

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Europeans were not the first to explore the oceans in search of new trade routes Islamic merchants explored the Indian Ocean & had dominated the Asian spice trade for centuries before European exploration Islamic merchants were the 1st to extensively sail in the Indian Ocean (the Spice Trade)Chinese Admiral Zheng He & the Ming Treasure Fleet sailed to Africa (& maybe further)But in the late 1400s, there is a new player: European explorers

23Early Exploration

From 1405 to 1433, Zheng He led the Chinese treasure fleet on 7 expeditions to SE Asia, India, & Africa during the Ming Dynasty

But in the late 1400s, the European sailors did what neither Muslim nor Chinese explorers could: Begin global (not regional) exploration & create colonies to increase their wealth & power 25

Portugal was the early leader in the Age of Exploration

In Portugal, Prince Henry the Navigator started a school of navigation to train sailorsHe brought in Europes best map-makers, ship-builders, & sailing instructorsHe wanted to discover new territories, find a quick trade route to Asia, & expand Portugals powerPrince Henry, the NavigatorSchool for Navigation, 1419

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Vasco da Gama was the 1st explorer to find a direct trade route to Asia by going around Africa to get to IndiaPortugal gained a sea route to Asia that brought them great wealth Prince Henrys navigation school & willingness to fund voyages led the Portuguese to be the 1st to explore the west coast of Africa

During the Age of Exploration, Portugal created colonies along the African coast, in Brazil, & the Spice Islands in Asia

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The Spanish government saw Portugals wealth & did not want to be left outMore than any other European monarch, Ferdinand & Isabella of Spain sponsored & supported overseas expeditionsChristopher Columbus[1451-1506]

31Columbus SignificanceColumbus ushered in a new era of European exploration and domination in the world!Columbus was also the first of many Europeans to horribly mistreat the Indigenous populations of the Americas

Columbus reached the Bahamas in the Americas but thought that he had reached islands off the coast of IndiaHe made 4 trips to India never knowing he was in AmericaLike most educated men of the Renaissance, Columbus believed the world was round & thought he could reach Asia by sailing west

33Columbus Four Voyages

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Despite the fact that Columbus never found Asia, Ferdinand Magellan still thought he could reach Asia by sailing WestMagellan became the first explorer to circumnavigate the Earth (go all the way around)

The Northwest PassageAfter becoming aware of North America's existence, Europeans looked for the Northwest Passage, a route around North America through the Arctic OceanJohn Cabot and the Northwest PassageAfter hearing about Columbus's voyages, England commissioned Italian navigator Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) to find the Northwest Passage. In 1497, reached Newfoundland, raised a cross and England's banner and claimed the land for England, believing he was in AsiaCabot reported waters full of codfish Soon many European nations were seasonally fishing in NA

Cabot in NewfoundlandSubsequent Exploration of the Northwest PassageA route to Asia was still desired by many European countries, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, and England, sent hundreds of adventurers to find the Northwest PassageBritish explorers who looked for the Northwest Passage included: Sir Martin Frobisher (1576, 1577, 1578 expeditions)John Davis (1585, 1586, 1587 expeditions)Sir John Franklin (1845-1847)Henry Hudsons VoyageThe best-known northern mariner was Henry Hudson. In 1610, he ventured into a strait that would one day be named in his honour He then sailed southward into a wide expanse of water that he supposed to be the Northwest Passage to Asia. The water proved to be an inland sea (Hudson Bay) After spending a winter in the Bay, his crew mutinied and the captain and his close associates were set adrift in the ship's small rowboat. Four mutineers survived to tell the story in England, but Hudson's party was never heard from again.

The Colonization of the AmericasWHY?Abundant Natural ResourcesThe Economic system of MercantilismCompetition between European NationsReligion

Abundant Natural ResourcesAs explorers reached the Americas, European countries began to realize the riches these lands possessed. As the Spanish harvested an abundance of rich minerals, the French and British increased their efforts to explore, settle, and exploit natural resources in the NACompetition became more intense and these nation began to colonize the New World to deter their European competitorsMercantilismA popular economic theory in Europe at this time was mercantilism. Mercantilism is the belief that a country could accumulate wealth by exporting more goods than it imported. A steady supply of raw materials was needed for this to work Countries created empires to secure these raw materials Mercantilism spurred further exploration, and European settlement of NAColonies not only secured raw materials, but also created markets for finished goodsCompetition Between CountriesThis was an era of intense rivalry for power among European countries. Colonialism, the control and exploitation of a territory through settlement, increased power of European nationsIn North America, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and France competed to colonize the most territory.The Religious Impulse to ColonizeMany religious groups believed it was their duty to spread the Christian faith to unknown cultures in the New WorldReligious groups believed that they were saving these people and completely ignored their rich spiritual traditionsThe potential for religious converts prompted religious leaders(primarily the ultra wealthy Catholic Church) to fund exploration and colonization

During the Age of Exploration, Spain created colonies in North & South America

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Spain sent explorers called conquistadors to the New World to find gold, claim land, & spread Christianity Cortez conquered the Aztecs Pizarro conquered the Inca

The influx of gold from America made Spain the most powerful country in Europe during the early years of the Age of Exploration Spain sent explorers to the New World to find gold, claim land, & spread ChristianityCortez conquered Mexico & destroyed the Aztec civilizationPizarro conquered Peru & destroyed the Incan civilization

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England, France, & the Netherlands became involved in overseas exploration & colonization as well Other Voyages of Exploration

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The French explorer Samuel de Champlain searched Canada for a northwest passage to Asia After failing to do so, Champlain founded the French colony of Quebec

The French would soon carve out a large colony along the Mississippi River from Canada to New Orleans

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Unlike other European nations whose kings paid for colonies, the English colonies were paid for by citizens who formed joint-stock companies English colonies formed along the Atlantic Coast of North America by colonists motivated either by religion or wealth

56Early Explorers and Aboriginal KnowledgeEuropean explorers in NA quickly realized they needed help First Nations peoples. First Nations people understood the landthey knew the geographythey had developed trade routes and effective methods of transportationthey could use resources from the environment around them to create medicine and to feed and clothe themselves. This knowledge was essential for survivalJacques Cartier was one of the first Europeans to realize this

Sailing from France, he traveled west to find gold in the new World & to find a passage to the Far EastMade three voyages to the New World between 1534-1542Jacques CartierJacques CartierIn 1534 Jacques Cartier convinced the French monarch, Francis I, to fund his expedition to North AmericaCartier entered Canada through the Gulf of St. Lawrence., believing it to be a passage through the North American continentDuring his first voyage, Cartier placed a cross on what is now the Gaspe Peninsula, claiming the land for the King of FranceCartier made three voyages to the New World between 1534-1542

The Doctrine of Terra NulliusWhen European explorers sailed to North America, they claimed their "discovery" for their mother country despite the fact that First Nations peoples had been living there for thousands of years.the fifteenth century European worldview was totally confident in the superiority of European cultures.They also believed in the doctrine of terra nullius. a Latin expression meaning "land belonging to no one" or territory over which no country had claimed authority. Explorers believing that no one owned the land of NA, even though it was clear that other people were living on the land. The European explorers also believed that because First Nations cultures could not possess the land because they were not ChristianThis European worldview helps explain why Europeans seized the lands which they explored

Consider the Following:Why did the Europeans feel like they could claim the lands of the Americas?Explain the European worldview in this eraWhat effect did this worldview have on Natives in the Americas?Does that worldview still exist today?Give some examplesCartiers First ContactIn 1534, when Cartier met the St. Lawrence River Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), he was introduced to their leader, DonnaconaCartier persuaded Donnacona to allow his two sons, Domagaya and Taignoagny, to go back to France with CartierThe exact manner of persuasion is a bit foggy and was recorded by the French In France, they were taught French so that they could be effective translators Cartier gained valuable information about the region's geography from themCartier had not discovered a route to Asia, however did report on the abundant resources of fish, furs, timber, and fertile land The French administration funded Cartier's second expedition

66Lookingat the map on page 78 of your textbook:

Trace his route with your finger. How long do you think it would have taken him to sail from the Strait of Belle Isle and back?

Cartiers Second VoyageIn 1535 Cartier travelled further up the St. Lawrence RiverHe stopped at the First Nations community called Stadacona (present day Quebec City). He continued upstream until he reached the large Haudenosaunee city of Hochelaga (present day Montreal).That winter, Cartier left Hochelaga too late in the fall and was iced into the St Lawrence near Stadacona The French were totally unprepared for an N.A. winter and Cartier lost twenty-five of his men to scurvy. Domagaya saved many of the French by showing them how to prepare a medicinal drink, called annedda, from cedar leaves and bark.It is believed the name Canada came from a meeting with Natives on this second voyageWhen the French asked the locals where they were, they replied Kanata, likely referring to that specific area

Cartiers Second VoyageCartier's second voyage in 1535 took him up the St. Lawrence River He stopped at the First Nations community called Stadacona (present day Quebec City) He continued upstream until he reached the large Haudenosaunee city of Hochelaga (present day Montreal)Cartier left Hochelaga too late in the fall and was iced into the St Lawrence near Stadacona (Donnaconas stronghold)The French were totally unprepared for a North American winter and that winter and Cartier lost twenty-five of his men to scurvy. The death toll would have been much higher if Domagaya had not showed the Europeans how to prepare a medicinal drink, calAgainled annedda, that combined cedar leaves and bark.

The Effect of First ContactThe First Nations people at Stadacona began to die from European diseases such as smallpox. Indigenous populations had no natural immunity to old world diseases, and no one had cures in this era Relations between the French and the Stadaconians detyeriorated as more people died,Yet Cartier still needed theyre helpBefore leaving for France, Cartier captured Donnacona, his two sons, three other leaders, and four children and took them to France.None of the captives ever saw their homeland again, and all but one died in France before Cartier's return voyage. Cartier's treatment of the Stadaconians proved to be disastrous for his next voyage to North AmericaCartiers 3rd and Final VoyageWhile being held captive in France, Donnacona spun some very tall tales about the fictional Kingdom of Saguenay full of gold and riches, in an attempt to inspire the French to take him homeThis helped to prompt the funding for Cartier's final expedition in 1541. Cartier intended to stay in Canada for some time, he brought cattle, supplies, and even planted crops upon his arrival. This third expedition, however, was plagued by scurvy, a formidable winter and, not surprisingly, a hostile reception from the Haudenosaunee, who had not forgotten what the French had done in 1535The Haudenosaunee attacked on the French in retaliation, and Cartier lost thirty five of his men. By the next spring, Cartier was forced to return to France, and all plans for colonization were abandoned.What is Cartiers Legacy?

The legacy of historical figures are often complicated and contentiousComplete the following chart about Cartier:

Positive Contributions Negative Contributions Considered the Following: LegacyIs it fair to apply 21st century Western ethical standards when viewing historical events?Is it arrogant of us to use hindsight to evaluate Cartier and other historical figures?Would you have acted differently than the French in that time and that place?How can we marry our 21st century focus on human rights with a fair and balanced evaluation of history?This is complicated, but important stuff