Exploration
Who sailed from Spain in 1492 looking for a new trade route to Asia?
Christopher Columbus
Which European country claimed much of Central and South America?
Spain
What area of North America did many French explorers first explore?
Present-day Canada/northern North America
What country claimed much of the eastern coast of North America?
England
What group founded the Plymouth Colony?
The Pilgrims
What did Columbus think he had discovered when he reached the Caribbean?
A new trade route to Asia/India
What were Spanish explorers and conquerors called?
Conquistadors
What river valley did French explorers travel along?
The Mississippi River Valley
What important English colony was established in 1607?
Jamestown
In what year did the Pilgrims arrive in North America?
1620
What was one major effect of European exploration on Native American peoples?
Disease, loss of land, warfare, and cultural changes
What were two major reasons the Spanish came to the Americas?
To gain wealth/land and spread Catholic Christianity
What region did the French claim around the Great Lakes and name New France?
The Great Lakes region
What was the main goal of the investors who established Jamestown?
To make a profit from the riches and resources of North America.
What ship carried the Pilgrims to North America?
The Mayflower
What European explorers crossed from Greenland and Iceland around the year 1000?
Norse Vikings
What did Spanish priests build to convert American Indians to Christianity?
Missions
What valuable animal fur helped the French become wealthy?
Beaver fur/beaver pelts
Why was Jamestown significant?
It was the first successful English colony in North America.
Why did the Pilgrims leave England?
They wanted religious freedom and the ability to practice their religion.
What major historical event began as a result of Columbus's voyages and the movement of people, goods, plants, animals, and diseases between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?
The Columbian Exchange
How did Spanish conquistadors and colonization affect American Indian peoples?
Many were conquered, enslaved, killed, lost wealth and culture, and died from European diseases.
How did French relationships with American Indians differ from Spanish relationships?
The French generally traded and formed partnerships with American Indian groups, while the Spanish more often conquered and forced their culture and religion on them.
In what year was Jamestown estabilished?
1607
How was Plymouth Colony's beginning different from Jamestown's?
Plymouth was established by Pilgrims seeking religious freedom, while Jamestown was established primarily as a business venture to make a profit.