Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Age of Exploration
Age of Exploration
THE VIKINGS
First to discover North America Clues first appeared in written stories called sagas. The sagas suggested that Bjarni Herjlfsson and Leif the Lucky had sailed to the new lands west and south of Greenland
Back to Greenland.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Influenced Marco Polo and his travels. Columbus believed that if you traveled east by land, you arrived in the Indian islands off the coast of Asia. If you traveled west, you could reach India by water- faster and cheaper. Columbus moved to Lisbon, Portugal. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella funded his trip. Columbus made his famous voyage in 1492. Three ships were the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
He reached the land at the island of San Salvador (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). He was convinced he arrived in India his was not the only one to make this mistake. He made 3 more voyages across the Atlantic Ocean in the next 10 years.
JOHN CABOT
Homeland: Venice, Italy Project: A voyage to discover an all-water route to the riches (spices)of Asia. Sponsor: King Henry VII of England Discoveries: Probably NFLD and/or Cape Breton Island. Outcomes: In 1498, Cabot set out on a 2nd trip and was never was never seen again. Cabots crossing of the Atlantic had lasting results.:
He made Englands first claim to territory in North America. He found an unlimited supply of Cod fish. In Catholic societies, eating of meat 153 days a year was prohibited. English fishermen became regular visitors.
JACQUES CARTIER
Homeland: France Projects: To search for an all-water passage to Asia and then to follow the St. Lawrence River in hope of finding riches closer to home. Sponsor: King Francis I of France Discoveries: Various parts of NFLD and parts of what are now NS (Cape Breton), PEI, NB and PQ. Much of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River.
Outcomes: Had three voyages: 1534, 1535, and 1541 Made contact with Aboriginal People. He did not discover the riches of the East or a route to them. French leaders lost interest, as they were after diamonds and gold and not beaver pelts. About 50 years later, Europeans became interested in North American furs. Fur traders, fishermen and map makers were all crossing the Atlantic.
SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN
Homeland: France Projects: To help French explorers on fur-trading voyages by acting as a map maker Sponsor: King Henry IV of France appointed Champlain Royal geographer Discovery: The St. Lawrence River as far as the Lachine Rapids in 1603; the coastline of North America, from present-day NS to present-day Massachusetts in 1604-05 Outcomes: In 1604, he went with Sieur de Monts to the Bay of Fundy. De Monts had been granted a monopoly on the fur trade. In return, he was to start a colony.
Spent the winter on the island of St. Croix, where many men died of scurvy. In 1605, they moved to Port Royal where he explored the Atlantic coast and made careful maps of NS, NB, Maine and Massachusetts. The maps were so accurate that sailors could use them today. Many places along the coast still have the names Champlain gave them more than 350 years ago. In 1608, he moved to a location what is now Quebec on the St. Lawrence river. He developed the rest of his life to the development of a fur-trading colony.
HENRY HUDSON
1609-11 Discoveries: Hudson River and Hudson Bay
ETIENNE BRULE
LOUIS JOLIET AND FATHER JACQUES MARQUETTE 1669-73 Discoveries: Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron; Lake Michigan and upper Mississippi River
DANIEL DULHUT
HENRY KELSEY
1690-92 Discoveries: Buffalo country of Northern Saskatchewan and possibly Alberta
PIERRE LA VERENDYRE
1731-43 Discoveries: West of Lake Superior as far as the Saskatchewan River and south to South Dakota
ANTHONY HENDAY
1754-55 Discoveries: First European to travel west to within sight of the Rockies
SAMUEL HEARNE
1770-72 Discoveries: Overland to the mouth of the Coppermine River on the Arctic Ocean
ALEXANDER
MACKENZIE
1789, 1793 Discoveries: Down the MacKenzie River to the Arctic Ocean; overland to the Pacific
GEORGE VANCOUVER
1791-95 Discoveries: Vancouver Island and much of the coast of BC