Contact and European Explorations Spanish Explorations in North

Contact and European Explorations

Spanish Explorations in North America Renaissance leads to trade • Renaissance means “rebirth” -begins in Italy; 1300 s-1600 s -time of change in learning, art, religion and trade • Trade is mainly between Europe and Asia by eastern land route -merchants suggest shorter sea route

Finding a Water Route to Asia • Portuguese explorers try to sail around Africa to Asia -Vasco da Gama succeeds in 1497 • Christopher Columbus thinks he can sail west across Atlantic to Asia -He finds Americas instead; Spain’s wealth, power increase

Spanish Explorers in the New World • Conquistadors are conquerors, seek to take over existing cultures; do not live peacefully with natives • Coronado, de Soto, Cabrillo expeditions each seek “cities of gold” • Gold never found, treasure stolen from natives, Spain grows richer

Spanish Explorers in Florida • Juan Ponce de León on Columbus’s second voyage, stays in Caribbean • Brutally conquers natives in Puerto Rico, becomes governor • Explores Florida coasts, seeks “fountain of youth, ” never finds it • Discovers Gulf Stream —powerful ocean currents

Other Explorers in the Southeast • Vásquez de Allyón tries to set up Spanish settlement on east coast • First attempt in North Carolina fails • Establishes San Miguel Guadalupe settlement off Georgia coast -lasts less than year; Vásquez de Allyón and most settlers die -survivors leave for Hispaniola

Hernando de Soto • Hernando de Soto enters southwest corner of Georgia in 1540; de Soto goes northeast into Carolinas; first Europeans to cross Appalachian Mts. • Reentered Georgia into Chiefdom of Coosa • De Soto cruel to Native Americans, captures Coosa chief • Southeastern native groups angered, try to destroy expedition • Massacre fails, 2, 500– 3, 000 Native Americans killed in attempt • De Soto heads west but dies soon after, possibly from battle injuries

Hernando de Soto • Only 300 of de Soto’s men survive the expedition • Return to Spain penniless; never find gold • Natives suspicious of Europeans after de Soto -blame explorers for exposure to European diseases • Other Spanish explorers focus efforts in Mexico, South America

A Spanish Colony St. Augustine • 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés tries to keep French out of Florida • Defeats French, builds St. Augustine fort not far from Georgia Spanish Missions in Georgia • Missions —small settlements built around church • Purposes: convert natives to Christianity, keep French off coast • Guale mission district covers Outer Coastal Plain, barrier islands • Spanish control coast and southern Georgia for over 100 years

French Explorations in North America • France hopes to gain riches, freedom by peaceful colonization • Sends Jean Ribault in 1562 to establish colony on Atlantic coast -travels with Lieutenant René de Laudonnière, 150 settlers • Settlers are Huguenots—French Protestants wanting religious freedom

A Failed Attempt by Ribault • Ribault lands in Florida, goes north, builds Fort Caroline • Ribault and de Laudonnière must return to France for supplies • French religious war prevents aid; Ribault asks England for help, but is imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth until 1565

René de Laudonnière • René de Laudonnière, 304 Huguenots return to Florida, 1564 • Group builds Fort Caroline near present-day Jacksonville • De Laudonnière friendly with natives until supplies run out • Some colonists lose faith in leadership, turn to piracy • De Laudonnière, colony wait for France to help

Conflict with Spain • Ribault released from prison, sent to rescue Fort Caroline • Spain’s King Phillip II angered by French in Florida territories -sends Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, warships to defeat colony • 500 men destroy Fort Caroline; Ribault killed -de Laudonnière wounded; escapes, writes history of event -France ends colonization of southeastern North America

New France • English settle coast of North America; France explores interior • By late 1600 s French claim Ohio, Mississippi valleys; Great Lakes • French Louisiana runs from Appalachians to Rockies • New France colony has 80, 000 people by 1760 • French control most land in interior of North America

Early English Colonies in North America • Catholic Spain, Protestant England clash over religion • English navy defeats powerful Spanish Armada (1588) -England remains Protestant, Spain no longer major power • English challenges Spanish claims in North America

Conditions in England • Poor conditions in England: cities overcrowded, food shortages • Colonization seen as solution to overcrowding, boost to economy • Colonies become market for English exports; provider of raw materials • Transfer of wealth from colony to parent country called mercantilism

The Roanoke Colonies • Sir Walter Raleigh funds colony on Roanoke Island, Virginia (1585) • Food supplies run out; survivors return to England the next year • Second try at Roanoke colony in 1587; John White named governor • White goes to England for supplies, returns in 1590; colonists gone -colonists may have joined nearby tribes, or relocated and died -known as the Lost Colony

A Colony at Jamestown • English learn that one person cannot finance entire colony • Joint-stock companies formed to raise money for projects -investors back company, receive stock shares, split profits or losses • Virginia Companies of London, Plymouth obtain charters in 1606 -charters—written contracts giving holder rights to set up colony

A Difficult First Year • Virginia Company of London sets up Jamestown in 1607; 100 colonists • Climate, malaria, inefficiency take toll, 38 alive January, 1608 • John Smith has wall built around colony, trades food with Powhatans • Colony survives, 800 more colonists arrive in 1609

Tobacco Changes Jamestown • John Rolfe develops easy-growing tobacco; popular in England • Virginia Company offers 50 acres to those who can pay own passage • Indentured servants —sell labor to person who pays their passage -work for set number of years, then free to set up own farm or trade • First enslaved Africans brought to Jamestown in 1619 (for tobacco) • Population of colony 2, 000 by 1621

Other Early English Colonies • Carolina founded 1663, Charles Town (later Charleston) in 1670 • Charles Town becomes Huguenot refuge in 1685 • English use trails through Georgia to raid Spanish forts in Florida • Spanish attack Charles Town but are defeated, retreat to Florida • Creek trade with English, fight tribes who side with Spain

The Yamasee War • France, Spain lose power, England dominates trade in colonies • English hold monopoly—control prices of all goods, supplies • Native Americans cheated; Yamasee tribe leads uprising (1715) • Other tribes join; traders killed; settlers flee to Charles Town • English regroup, push Yamasee to Florida; Creek retreat to Alabama

Plans for a Georgia Colony • English want Carolina plantations protected, fear Spanish in Florida • Need to colonize land between Spanish Florida, English Carolina • Scottish nobleman Sir Robert Montgomery proposes colony • 1717, Margravate of Azilia colony planned in present-day Georgia • Charter lost 3 years later; English wary of dangers of settling land