Early Exploration of the New World

Europeans begin thinking about Asia's riches

Jan 1, 1300

As Europeans begin to read of Marco Polo's travels to China. This lead them to think about the riches of Asia.

The age of exploration and discovery begins...

Jan 1, 1400

Some Europeans began to long for adventure. Others wanted to spread Christianity, while most wanted to find riches.

Christopher Columbus

Sep 3, 1492

Columbus led his first expedition westward, landing in the Bahamas.

Vasco Da Gama

Sep 3, 1497

Vasco Da Gama found a route around Africa to the Spice Islands, near India, and sailed all the way to India in 1497-1498.

John Cabot, The Northwest Passage,

Sep 5, 1497

in 1497 King Henry VII sent John Cabot on a voyage to the west. Cabot landed on a far northern Atlantic coast of North America. Though, he failed to find the Northwest passage, In time, Europeans gave up their search for the water route that through the Americas that would lead north and west to Asia.

Christopher Columbus, another voyage

Sep 3, 1498

In 1498, Columbus reached South America. Later, a mapmaker labeled this new continent "America" for another explorer whose name was Amerigo Vespucci.

Spanish Exploration

Sep 3, 1500

Spanish governors and explorers began to look northward. WHile, Spain was taking control of much of South and Central America and many Caribbean Islands.

Juan Ponce de Leon

Sep 3, 1513

Juan Ponce de Leon was a Spanish official in the New World. In 1513, he set out on an expedition wiht ships and crew, landing on the east coast of Florida. Ponce de Leon's expedition revealed that large tracks of land ripe for exploration lay to the north of the Caribbean Islands.

Spain

Sep 3, 1520

In the 1520s, Spain was the most powerful nation in the world.

Giovanni da Verrazano

Sep 3, 1524

KIng Francis I of France sent Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazano westward. He first reached land at NC's Outer Banks. He sailed farther up the coast. He came back with glowing results.

Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon

Jul 3, 1526

Ayllon led a group of over 500 men, women, and children to a river he called "Jordan". The Rio Jordan colony failed because of disease and starvation. However, the colony fared no better there. Disease and starvation killed the settler and Ayllon died there.
Then in October 1526, the 150 remaining colonists returned to Hispaniola.

Hernando de Soto

Sep 3, 1539

Hernando sailed with a military expedition from Havana, CUba, to the west coast of Florida. De Soto's soldiers then marched northward to a site near present day Tallahassee, Florida. They soon met CHerokee Indians in mountainous lands. De Soto died on the trip, but many of his men returned to Mexico.