Glossary
Age of Exploration
A period from the early 15th to the early 17th century when European ships traveled around the world to search for new trading routes and partners.
Example:
The Age of Exploration led to the discovery of new lands, the establishment of global trade networks, and significant cultural exchanges.
Amerigo Vespucci
An Italian explorer and cartographer who explored the coast of South America, leading to the continent being named 'America' after him.
Example:
Unlike Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci recognized that the lands he explored were a 'New World' rather than part of Asia.
Bartolomeu Dias
A Portuguese explorer who, in 1488, was the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa, opening a sea route to Asia.
Example:
Bartolomeu Dias's successful rounding of the Cape of Good Hope proved that a sea route to the East was possible, inspiring further Portuguese voyages.
Caravel
A small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed by the Portuguese in the 15th century, crucial for long-distance exploration.
Example:
The innovative design of the caravel, with its triangular lateen sails, allowed explorers to sail against the wind, making transatlantic journeys feasible.
Christopher Columbus
An Italian explorer who, funded by Spain, made four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, initiating European colonization of the Americas.
Example:
Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Caribbean in 1492 is often cited as the pivotal moment marking the beginning of the Columbian Exchange.
Columbus's voyage
The journey undertaken by Christopher Columbus in 1492, marking the beginning of sustained European contact with the Americas.
Example:
The impact of Columbus's voyage extended far beyond his initial landing, fundamentally reshaping global trade and power dynamics.
Ferdinand Magellan
A Portuguese explorer who organized the Spanish expedition that completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth, though he died during the voyage.
Example:
Ferdinand Magellan's ambitious journey proved that the Earth was indeed round and that a vast ocean lay between the Americas and Asia.
Francisco Coronado
A Spanish conquistador who led a large expedition from Mexico into present-day Kansas, exploring the southwestern United States in search of mythical cities of gold.
Example:
Francisco Coronado's expedition, though failing to find gold, provided Europeans with extensive knowledge of the American Southwest and its native peoples.
Francisco Pizarro
A Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru in the 1530s.
Example:
The vast wealth of gold and silver acquired by Francisco Pizarro from the Inca Empire significantly enriched the Spanish crown.
God, Glory, and Gold
The primary motivations for European exploration and colonization: spreading Christianity, achieving national and personal fame, and acquiring wealth and resources.
Example:
Many Spanish conquistadors were driven by the pursuit of God, Glory, and Gold, seeking to convert indigenous populations, expand their empire, and find riches.
Henry Hudson
An English explorer who made multiple voyages in search of a Northwest Passage, discovering the Hudson River and Hudson Bay.
Example:
Henry Hudson's explorations for both the Dutch and English led to significant territorial claims in North America, including the area around present-day New York.
Hernan Cortez
A Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in Mexico in the early 16th century.
Example:
Hernan Cortez's conquest of the Aztecs was facilitated by superior weaponry, European diseases, and alliances with indigenous rivals of the Aztecs.
Jacques Cartier
A French explorer who made three voyages to North America, exploring the St. Lawrence River and claiming Canada for France.
Example:
Jacques Cartier's explorations laid the foundation for French claims in North America, leading to the later establishment of New France.
John Cabot
An Italian explorer who, sailing for England in 1497, explored the North American coast, laying the groundwork for British claims in Canada.
Example:
John Cabot's voyage to North America provided England with an early claim to territory in the New World, though colonization efforts came much later.
Juan Ponce de Leon
A Spanish explorer who discovered Florida in 1513 while reportedly searching for the Fountain of Youth.
Example:
Juan Ponce de Leon's expedition to Florida marked the first significant European exploration of what would become the southeastern United States.
Leif Ericson
A Norse explorer believed to be the first European to land in North America, around 1000 CE.
Example:
Centuries before Columbus, Leif Ericson established a short-lived Norse settlement in what is now Newfoundland, Canada.
Samuel de Champlain
A French explorer and colonist who founded Quebec in 1608 and is known as the 'Father of New France'.
Example:
Samuel de Champlain established crucial alliances with Native American tribes, which were vital for the success of the French fur trade.