- European Exploration of the Americas - Mr.
Burnett's Notes
- Lesson #1
Earlier “Discoveries”
I. Vikings
A. Faeroe Islands - 800
B. Greenland - 870
II. Bjarni Herjulfsson - 986
A. Blown off course/navigational mistake
III. Leif Eriksson - 1000
A. Helluland - Today > Baffin Island
B. Markland > Labrador
C. Spent summer in huts in Vinland - berries/grapes
D. Location - Unknown - Maybe L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland
IV. Thorvald - Leif’s brother - visited in 1004
V. Thorfinn Karlsefni - 1010 - according to legend
A. Brought men and wome
B. Fought Skraelings - “dwarfs” - Native Americans
C. Left after 3 years
VI. This Vinland legend was passed down all the way to Columbus
Christopher Columbus
I. World is Round Myth
A. Known to Ancient Greeks
1. Pythagoras/Aristotle
B. 3rd Century B.C.E.
1. Eratosthenes of Cyrene found measurement
2. Worldwide Science and Math Experiment - 2002 - Find out how he measured the circumference of the earth
C. Well-known idea by 15th century
D. Knew earth broken into 360 degrees
1. Question was how far between each degree - range from 50 km > 66 km
2. Difference between 18,000 and 23,670 miles
a. Muslim scholars had accurate measurements
b. Did Columbus know this and choose to ignore to sell his idea?
II. Background
A. Born in Genoa, Italy 1451 - Cristoforo Colombo
B. Dad weaver
C. Learned to read as adult
D. 1476 - Went to Lisbon, England, Iceland (See Leif above)
E. 1479 Returned to Portugal, married, wife died child birth 1480
F. Researched wester voyage
G. Believed Marco Polo and Ptolemy’s underestimates
H. Who was Columbus?
H. Believed Japan 5000 miles west of Portugal - Calculate real distance -
(You might have to split the trip up. The search engine uses the
most direct route. It doesn’t give both East and West distances)
III. His Beliefs
A. Geographic Knowledge (The following taken from Cartocraft Teachine
Aides)
1. The earth was a sphere and could be circumnavigated in
an east-to-west journey. Its circumference had a
measurement of 360 degrees.
2. At the equator, the circumference of the earth could
divided into twenty-four parts (24 hours), each part
containing 15 degrees.
3. The "known" lands of the ancients covered fifteen parts
(hours) of the earth's surface, and they stretched from
the Canary Islands to the city of Thinae (some place on
the eastern coast of Asia).
4. The Portuguese had advanced the western frontier one
additional part (one hour) by discovering the Azores
and Cape Verde Islands.
5. Eight parts (hours) remained unknown and unexplored,
therefore, the most easterly part of Asia could not be
separated from the Azores by more than one-third of the
globe.
6. Peninsulas and islands of Asia could well fill the
space remaining (i.e., eight parts--hours).
7. A reduction of the size of the degree of longitude
(east-west measurement) would make the earth's
circumference even smaller.(8)
8. By pursuing a direct course from east to west a
navigator would arrive at the extremity of Asia and its
offshore islands.
B. Didn’t know northeast tradewinds would carry him across ocean
C. Believed he could reverse the Christian defeats (Holy Land)
1. Spain and Portugal locked in battle against Islam
a. Started with Crusaded, but continued strongly on Iberian Peninsula
2. Christian cause united most of Europe
3. Those fighting were able to transfer their religious zeal to taking over a
continent
IV. Finding a Sponsor - The Big Sell
A. 1484 went to King John II of Portugal
1. Benefits - gold, religion, spices (condiments/food preservation)
2. Turned down. King thought distance closer to 10,000 (actually 11,300 as crow
flies) - If Columbus new the truth, would he have ever found a sponsor - Ignorance a benefit
B. Queen Isabella I of Spain
1. Introduced by Don Luis de la Cerda, Count of Medina
2. Turned down, but lives in Spanish court with son Diego for 2 years
3. Finally friend Luis de Santangel convinces Isabella
C. Spain agreed
1. Wanted money
2. Jealous of Portugal
3. Little risk, big gain
D. Promised by Queen
1. 10% of profits
2. Gets to be governor of all conquered lands
3. New cool title - Admiral of the Ocean Sea
E. Desire for sea route to Asia
1. Marco Polo brought back incredible stories
2. Land route gone when Turks conquered Constantinople - 1453
3. Portugese going around Africa - needed better route
V. The Voyage
A. Left August 3, 1492
B. Left Canary Island off coast of Africa
C. September 9, 1492 - began keeping 2 logs
1. True course and distance vs. one to make crew happy
2. Irony - Private log overestimated by 9% - way longer
3. Fake/positive reinforcement log for crew actually correct
C. First 6 weeks, good weather then -> no wind
D. October 12 - crew wants to mutiny - taking too long
E. See Columbus’s journal entry
F. Detailed Journey
VI. Land Discovered
A. Promises money to whoever spots land - lifetime annual salary 10,000 maravedis
B. Crew saw birds, sticks floating in water - land must be nearby
C. Rodrigo sees land - moon shining on white sands shouts “Tierra”
D. Columbus claims saw land night before - who gets the reward? Hmmmm.
E. Island name
1. Guanahani - Natives
2. San Salvador - Columbus
3. Watling Island/Samana Cay - Historians
D. Went to Cuba looking for Mongol emperor or China (surprisingly didn’t find him
there)
E. Went to Hispaniola (Dominican Republic)
F. Santa Maria sinks Dec. 25, 1492
1. Leaves 39 men at La Navidad (named after...)
2. Built fort out of Santa Maria wood
3. Orders - find gold and store it