Lecture # 03

Exploration of the American Continent

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Only one sea route, which ran through Cairo,

the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean
Did anyone discover the American continent
before Columbus?
Yes, the American Continent was first discovered by the Norsemen from Scandinavian
Countries, but much was not known about the continent
Norse Seafarers from
Scandinavia
They were not successful in the
settlements because of
1. Conflict with Native
(800-1100) A.D Americans
2. Lack of support from home

Iceland Greenland

Vinland
 First Country to Explore America was Portugal
The Portuguese were the first to explore the high sea and reach the American continent

 In the early 1400s, Prince Henry, son of King John I of Portugal, brought together mapmakers, astronomers,
and shipbuilders to plan voyages of exploration. (He set up a school to train mariners).One of Henry's plans was
to have his ships sail around Africa and find a path to India. These mariners, trained by Henry succeeded in reaching
as far as Cape Verde. By the time Prince Henry-known as "the Navigator"-died in 1460, his ships had reached just
beyond the westernmost tip of Africa.
 In 1487 and 1488, a Portuguese expedition led by Bartholomeu Dias rounded the southern tip of Africa. The area
was soon named the "Cape of Good Hope" because it seemed to promise the existence of a new sea route to India
 Ten years later (1497), another Portuguese expedition led by Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope,
sailed up the east-ern coast of Africa, and crossed the Indian Ocean to Calicut on the coast of India. Da Gama
finally returned home to Portugal in 1499. The sea route that he opened challenged other European nations to make
their own explorations. In the following four centuries, western Europe's quest for wealth and empire would affect
the lives of people on every continent.
 In 1501 Pedro Cabral, who had gone in search of far East , driven by the western winds, reached Brazil in the
South American continent.
First Country to Explore America was Portugal
 Second Country to Explore America was Spain
Though the Portuguese were the first to reach the American continent, their arrival was
merely by accident. The credit for discovering American continent goes to Christopher
Columbus, an Italian by birth
 He was born in Geneva (Italy) in 1457 In 1470, he came to Portugal and made
Why did Columbus start sea voyages? efforts for almost 10 years to secure
assistance for exploration from King
1. He was fond of sea Voyages John of Portugal, but failed.
2. He took voyages for the sake of Commerce Columbus also sent his brother to King
3. He was against the general belief that the Henry VII of England, but he also
earth was flat failed to secure necessary help.
 As a result of his studies and calculations, the Italian-born navigator Christopher Columbus came to believe
that it would be easier to reach Asia by traveling west. He eagerly sought to lead such a voyage, and for
years sought financial backing. Columbus finally persuaded King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of
Spain that his plan would bring them wealth, empire, and converts to the Catholic religion. The
monarchs provided Columbus with three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
Voyages of Columbus
1. Nina
2. Pinta
3. Santa Maria

1) 1492
2) 1493
3) 1498
4) 1502

Death of Columbus in 1506

 First Voyage of Columbus (1492)
The famous voyage of Columbus began on Friday, August 3, 1492. The total crew consisted of 120 members,
including ninety mariners (90), a physician, a surgeon, and an interpreter of Asiatic languages, a metallurgists,
and few others. The explorers set on three ships-Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina. The voyage cost
nearly $100,000.Most of the persons who accompanied Columbus on this voyage were convicts released from
jail for this purpose. They were setting out on the journey with the expectation that they would never return.
Two months later, after a difficult Atlantic voyage, Columbus went ashore onto a small island in the Bahamas
(San Salvador) and claimed it for Spain. Believing he had reached the East Indies off the coast of Asia, he
called the local people Indians. He landed here on October 12, 1492. He thought, he would reach East indies
because sailing for almost 2 months towards the east he should have reached Cipango (Japan) or Cathey
(China).
 Though Columbus had not discovered, Cipango (Japan) or Cathey (China), but he succeeded in discovering
beautiful land beyond the Dark Sea, New World and it was great discovery. He left about 40 men or this land
and sailed back on January 4, 1493 with the rest of the crew. He reached Spain on March 15, 1493 and sent
a message to the king. The King received Columbus and his party with great regard and organised a great
reception in their honour.
San Salvador  Cuba  Island of Haiti
 Second Voyage of Columbus (1493)
Columbus set on his second voyage in September 1493.
When he reached the place where he had left forty of his men (Island of Haiti), he found
all of them dead. He tried to plant a colony there but failed. Ultimately he returned to
Spain in 1496
Third Voyage of Columbus (1498)
In 1498 Columbus set
out on his third voyage
and discovered Trinidad
and the mainland of
South America. This
time also he tried to plant
a colony, but failed.
These failures evoked
bitter criticism at home
as well as by his
companion on the new
land.
Fourth Voyage of Columbus (1502)
In 1502 Columbus made his fourth
voyage and discovered the coast of
Honduras. He came back to Spain in
1504. In view of the mounting
criticism of Columbus, the King
refused to give an hearing to him, and
did not give him the due favours.
Ultimately Columbus died in 1506,
dejected penny less and completely
broken in health. Though Columbus
failed to get the due recognition
during his times, his discovery has
immortalised him.
 Naming of new continent
This new land discovered by Columbus was
known as New World till German Professor
named it America in 1507 in honour of an
Italian Mariner Americus Vespucci. He had
made at least three voyages to the new world
and had a sensational account of the land and the
people. The name first applied only to the
western part of Argentina, Then it was
extended to the South American continent and
ultimately it was applied to the entire continent.
1) Discovered Amazon River
2) Rio de janeiro
 Main Reason Of Exploration and Colonization

Political Gains Economic Gains

Empire Wealth
 Division of the World
Columbus's exploration put Spain and
Portugal in direct competition for trade and
empire. In 1493, Pope Alexander VI
convinced the two Catholic nations to divide
any new overseas territories between them. He
set a line of demarcation, an imaginary
north-south line, west of the Azores, a group
of islands in the North Atlantic about 800
miles off the coast of Portugal. The agreement
gave Spain rights to all the non-Christian
lands to the west of the line, and Portugal
rights to all those to the east
 Magellan's Voyage
Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan believed he could find passage
to sail around the world. Spain's King Charles I agreed to finance
Magellan, and in 1519 Magellan set sail with five ships. By October 1520,
Magellan had reached the strait that now bears his name at the southern tip
of South America. The strait, with its fierce winds, was difficult to navigate.
Because the ocean on the other side seemed so calm, Magellan called it the
Pacific, meaning "peaceful." Magellan later died in April 1521 as the result
of a local war in the Philippines. Only one of his ships, the Victoria
carrying 18 survivors, finally reached Spain in 1522. These survivors
and their ship were the first to circumnavigate the
world.
 Third Country to Colonize America was UK(English)
In 1497, John Cabot explored the Atlantic
shores of present-day Canada and claimed the
land for England.
In the late 1500s, daring English sea captains
such as Francis Drake, had sailed in 1577
around the world to find a westward route to the
East Indies, and touched the eastern coast of
Brazil, went through the straits of Magellan,
and reached back England after sailing through
the Pacific and the Cape of good hope, but no
official encouragement was given to explorations.
New Foundland (Canadian Province)
Why Was Britain so late in exploring and Colonizing the
NEW world?
1) Poor finances
2) Religious conflict
3) The threat of war with Spain kept the English from following
up on Cabot's claims
In the late 1500s, daring English sea captains, such as Francis Drake, cruised the shores of
Spanish America, capturing treasure ships and looting towns. In 1588, seeking revenge
for English attacks on Spanish ships and colonies, King Philip II of Spain sent a huge fleet
of ships, known as the Spanish Armada, to sail against the English fleet.
The outnumbered, but swift, English vessels attacked the slow, heavy Spanish galleons one
by one. The badly damaged Armada was forced up the English Channel and into the North
Sea, where it was further crippled by storms. In a single battle, Spain had lost most of its
naval forces. The way was now cleared for English colonization in the Americas.
 Fourth Country to Explore America was France
In the early 1500s, French-sponsored
expeditions sailed to North America in search
of a northwest passage.
In early period French were more enterprising,
than English. It was in 1523 when Giovanni de
Verazano had reached the Gulf of St.
Lawrence and took possession of the whole
region in the name of the King of France.
In 1534, Jacques Cartier explored the St.
Lawrence River as far as present day
Montreal, but failed to find the elusive
passage. In 1608, Samuel de Champlain
founded the first French settlement, Quebec,
on the banks of the St. Lawrence River.
 Fifth Country to Explore America was Dutch
The Netherlands, which had won its independence from Spain in the
late 1500s, was also interested in exploration.
In 1609, the Dutch funded an expedition by an English navigator, Henry
Hudson. He reached New York Harbor and sailed up the river, which
today bears his name, as far as present-day Albany, New York. The Dutch
soon set up trading posts on Manhattan Island, which they named New
Amsterdam, and along the Hudson River. A profitable fur trade was
established with the Native Americans. The Dutch promised land to settlers
in an attempt to populate the colony; however, few were interested.
Because of poor leadership and weak government, the Dutch colony
easily fell to the English in 1664
 Causes of Colonization

1.Finding of new sea route:

 Anglo- Orient Concept

 Trade between Europe and China--- silk route

 Roman Empire

 Captain Mahan,Book Name,Influence of Sea Power on the World Power

 ‘Sea Power is the key to the World Power’

 Christopher Columbus was going to find a new trade route…. Discovered

America
 Causes of Colonization

2. Enlightenment in Europe
 Johannes Gutenberg

 Johannes Gutenberg is known for having designed and built the first known
mechanized printing press in Europe (1455)
 The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual and
cultural movement that emphasized reason over superstition and science over blind
faith.
 Causes of Colonization

3. Advancement in technology
 Enlightenment in Europe led to advancements in technology

1. Fast Ships

2. Navigational tools

3. Improvement in Mapmaking

4. Oceanography
 Columbus took a risk to discover a new sea route because of advancements in
technology
 Causes of Colonization

4. Religious persecution
 Henry 8 ….. Married …. Catherine (Spanish Queen) …. Daughter (Marry -1 ).. Catholics

 Politically dependent on king…religiously dependent on … Pope (Roman catholic church)

 Decision for annulment of marriage……………. Decided by pope…

 Protestant reformation….. Henry married …. Anne …Son (Henry 6 )… protestant

 Henry 8… Edward 6 ..everything was going good(Protestant)…. Mary-1 came and killed
300 protestant … after mary -1 ……Elizabeth … took the charge …. She was a
protestant and killed Catholics
 Causes of Colonization
Collusion…….. Pope and king
King--- Legislature, Political
Pope ---- Religious Matters
 Causes of Colonization

5. Political Persecutions
 Political awareness was there due to these scholars but there
was no political rights
 The poly crises in Pakistan has prompted a mass exodus
from the country.(Example)
 Causes of Colonization

6. Increase in population in Europe

 100 million population in Europe

 Methods to increase agriculture growth

 1- Vertical Growth(Not possible due to poor technology)

 2-Horizontale Growth (Not possible at that time)

 Causes of Colonization

7. Poor Agriculture
 Famines

 Why not to live in the new world?

 NEW World …. America

 Causes of Colonization

8. Involvement of State (Imperialism)

 The state is a powerful entity it can do anything

 The nation-state concept was not there at that time… (1648

Treaty of Westphalia)
 At that time there were empires which expanded for political
and economic gains
 Causes of Colonization

8. Involvement of State (Imperialism)

 The empires were also involved in making more and more
colonies for political and economic gains
 Motherland (Finished products) ………… Colonies (Raw
material)