II THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
American expeditions:
Øð 1000 AD - LEIF ERICSON leading Viking expedition from Iceland
·ð ðEstablishment of Norse scattered settlements from Newfoundland to Virginia
·ð ð ðthe Viking colony supposedly called Vinland - described in the sagas
- he was the first one who discovered America; he reached today's Canada; Vikings never settled down and the
first people who stared to colonize the continent were the Spaniards;
European exploration starts by the end of the 15th century due to:
·ð ð ðsearch for spices
·ð ðsearch for gold and silver after exhaustion of European sources
·ð ð ðnew developments in navigation and shipping technology - three-mast hulks
Øð CRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, Oct 12, 1492 - on his first voyage he had 3 ships: Santa Maria,
Nina and.................He discovered Cuba, Bahamas, Dominica, Panama, San Salvador and Puerto Rico.
San Salvador was first reached by them. They took 4 journeys to the new world.
·ð ðGenoese in service of Spanish king and Queen Isabella in search of the Indies of the Spice Islands
(the Moluccas)
·ð ð ð1st expedition with three ships The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria
·ð ðFirst landing - San Salvador, Bahamas, and Hispaniola (Haiti)
·ð ð ð calling the natives INDIANS (by mistake, thinking he landed in India)
·ð ð1493 - discovery of Jamaica, Puerto Rico,
·ð ðdies certain of discovering Asia or India
·ð ðOct 12, Columbus Day - celebrated since 1792
Other discoverers from various European countries:
Øð 1490s Amerigo Vespucci (Florence) describes the new land in letters
Øð JOHN CABOT  an Italian in service of Henry VII of England reaches Newfoundland and Chesapeake
Bay (Canada) in 1497, opening British claim to America
Øð GIOVANNI VERRAZANO  Italian sailor in service of Francis I of France
·ð1524 - discovers the New York harbor - today's the Verrazano Narrows Bridge
Øð FRANCESCO VASQUEZ DE CORONADO
·ð ð1540 from Mexico - search north of the legend of 'Seven Cities of Gold'
·ð ðexploration of New Mexico and discovery of the Pueblos
·ð ðGarcia Lopez de Cardenas - companion of Coronado  discovers the Grand Canyon in 1540
Øð Spain claims a huge territory in North America
1565 - St. Augustine, Florida - the oldest settlement in the USA
FRANCIS DRAKE 1578  arrives in today s San Francisco Bay
Reasons for colonization:
·ð enlargement of Christ's Gospel
·ð new trade possibilities
·ð enlargement of revenues for Her Majesty
·ð religious freedom
·ð overcrowding poverty
·ð possibilities of gaining quick fortunes
·ð prospects of enrichment
·ð fleeing religious or political persecution
·ð adventure
Difficulties:
·ð climate
·ð diseases
·ð failing crops - hunger
·ð hostile Indians
·ð lots of lands in America already taken by the Spanish or the French in Canada
First settlements in North America:
Øð 1585-88 ROANOKE ISLAND, the LOST COLONY - an early American legend.
·ð ðWalter Raleigh founds a settlement on Roanoke Island, coast of North Carolina-the first English
settlement in America
·ð ðThe colonists in search of gold give up and rescued back by Drake-the colony is abandoned after 9
months
·ðresettlement in 1587-they return under John White - grandfather of Virginia Dare - the first English
person born in America (only women and children)
·ð ðWhite sails to England for supplies and never returns to America, involved in the defeat of the Spanish
Armada
·ð1590 - the colony is lost  what remains are letters 'CROATON' carved on a tree. The colonists could
have either died, lived with the Indians or captured by the Spanish
Øð 1607 JAMESTOWN in VIRGINIA - first permanent English settlement under John Smith, a
courageous and tough leader and explorer - dictatorial rule; his maps used by later English explorers
(Virginia Company-sponsored by private enterprise-London joint stock company based on division of
prospective profits.
·ð 1607-three ships arrive in the New World
·ð disease, starvation, attacks of Indians almost wiped out the colony
·ð TOBACCO becomes Jamestown s main export bringing enormous profits for the settlers (John
Rolfe idea)
·ð Legend of POCAHONTAS - Powhatan princess - the mythical mother of Virginians - saved
Smith from Indian attacks. In 1614 married John Rolfe, converted to Protestantism and traveled to
England - dies on the journey back, leaving a newborn son.
·ð 1619-Negroes come as indentured servants
·ð 1620- Virginia Colony has 2000 people
Øð Puritan New England:
PLYMOUTH COLONY- 1620 - Pilgrim Fathers - Separatists and Strangers -
Congregationalists based on Calvin arrive in America by ship  MAYFLOWER and found the colony.
(from the port of departure) - via Leyden, Holland
·ðfleeing religious persecution outside any government- 35 of them were Pilgrims escaping prosecution
in England
·ð ðMAYFLOWER COMPACT - FIRST written document on government and democracy in American
history stressing civil body politic and just and equal laws is signed on board.-IT SET UP A
GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR NEW SELTTLEMENT
·ðIntolerant and strictly religious
·ðHarsh conditions - Samoset and Squanto (English speaking Indians) help out.
·ð ðTHANKSGIVING - 1621  a feast in thanks to God (Indians), turkey and survival; becomes later
the most important American holiday, est. by A. Lincoln.
Øð Boston Puritans
MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY  1628  led by John Winthrop and Puritans
·ð ðLater the port of Boston
·ð ðTo be the ideal community for the mankind: "We shall be like a city on a hill." (words from J.W.'s
sermon)- he believed that their task was to create new perfect nation living according to the God's
rules
·ðCorn seeds given from Indians saved the colonists from starvation--->Thanks Giving
·ðtheocracy- the clergymen were ministers
1733 - THIRTEEN COLONIES ALONG THE EAST COAST
·ð By 1760 13 colonies were established:
·ð Virginia,
·ð Plymouth,
·ð Massachusetts,
·ð Maryland- 1634  religion colony founded by English Roman Catholic fleeing persecution,
under Cecillius Calvert, Lord Baltimore
·ð Connecticut
THREE AMERICAS-THREE REGIONS (political, economic, cultural, social):
I. New England (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island)
·ð climate: the severe winters
·ð mostly hills with rocky soils
·ð towns were build around fields, towns consisted of congregations with the church in the middle
·ð economy-self-sufficient forms
·ð ðfree farming and handicraft - family life
·ð ðtimber, fishing and shipping, lumbering
·ð trade with West Indies
·ð slaves
II. Middle Colonies (New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)
lð Climate: relatively hot
lð soil-fertile and less rocky
lð 3 social classes: gentry, middle classes, lower classes
lð ðmercantile-capitalist and aristocratic
lð Economy; farmers gathered wheat, barley, rice, grains, fruits
lð merchant-based economy
lð large cities - New York, Philadelphia
lð diversified ethnically
III. The South (Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia)
lð climate-warm, moist
lð aristocratic-planters ,oligarchic, slave-holding plantation
lð small white wealthy population - large black!
lð Lack of towns
lð Tobacco, cotton, indigo, rice
lð Social structure:
-great planters (slave labors)
-yeoman farmers
-frontier families