Chapter 1
What were European explorers looking for?
Explorers were looking for a shortcut to the East Indies.
How did de Soto first become rich?
He was part of the expedition that conquered the Inca Empire and exploited the people and riches of Peru.
What did people believe about the city of El Dorado?
It was far away. It glowed. It was a city of gold with silver and gems on the buildings. No one there was ever hungry, thirsty, or worried. People were always happy.
What did Pedro Menendez de Aviles do in 1565?
He set up the colony of St. Augustine in Florida.
Where was Cabot born, and what did he do for work?
He was born in Italy and worked as a merchant.
What was Champlain searching for in his voyages to North America?
He searched for the Northwest Passage.
What three beliefs guided Columbus’s voyage?
He believed that the world was round.
He believed that the world was smaller than most people thought.
He believed that he could get from Europe to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.
Why did de Soto return to the Americas for the second time?
He wanted to find more riches.
What was Coronado looking for on his expedition?
He wanted to find the Seven Cities of Cibola.
What did the Spanish do to the Pueblo who refused to give up their religion and become Christians?
They were enslaved, punished, or killed.
Why did Cabot explore England?
He tried unsuccessfully to get Spain and Portugal to give him a fleet, so he moved to England and was able to persuade King Henry VII to give him a fleet to find a way to the East Indies.
Why was the St. Lawrence River Valley a good place to establish a settlement?
The area had many natural resources.
What was Ponce de Leon looking for?
He was looking for the island of Bimini he heard about in stories because he hoped to find gold, pearls, and the Fountain of Youth.
Why did de Soto bring weapons on an expedition of exploration?
He knew Native Americans had fought Ponce de Leon, and he wanted to be prepared for the same thing if it happened again
What else did Coronado and his men find in their search for cities of gold?
They found the Grand Canyon and a village of Native American Wichita people in what is now Kansas.
What was the purpose of Spanish missions?
Their purpose was to convert Native Americans to Christianity.
What was the goal of Cabot's second voyage? What happened on that voyage?
The goal of Cabot’s second voyage was to find a new trade route to the Spice Islands. Instead, he and his crew disappeared.
What does the author mean by “One of the most remarkable things about the exploration of North America is how much was accomplished by accident”?
Each explorer planned to find one thing and ended up finding something different
What did Ponce de Leon actually find?
He found land he called Florida.
Why did the Native Americans tell de Soto he could find gold and silver if he traveled farther north and west?
They wanted de Soto and his men to leave them in peace.
How many cities of gold supposedly existed?
Others said there were seven cities of gold located near each other
What were the presidios?
The presidios were forts. Like the missions, they helped the Spanish control Native Americans.
What great river did Hudson find along the east coast of North America?
He found the river that is now called the Hudson River, which flows out of New York State past New York City.
What role did the St. Lawrence River have on the French exploration of the North American continent? What did they find?
They found fiver very large lakes that today are called the Great Lakes.