US Notes 9/9/14

1488 -0 Bartholomeu Dias -  sailed around Africa's Cape of Good Hope - proving that Africa did not block the way to Asia

1498 - Vasco da Gama - rounded Cape of Good Hope and continued to Calicut, India
                                      - he had found an all water route to the Spice Islands that would bring great
                                         wealth to Portugal
1494 - Treaty between Portugal and Spain established the Line of Demarcation at 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands; line decided by the Pope in Rome; West of the line was the land belonging to Spain; East of the line was the land belonging to Portugal

1492 - Christopher Columbus sailed west from Spain to what he believed was Asia
12 October 1492 - Columbus made landed on an island he called San Salvador; Columbus made four trips to the area that he believed was Asia - others would disagree with him and believe that this was a  New World

Columbus' voyage launched Spanish exploration of the New World and the hunt for riches

Ferdinand Magellan (Portuguese) - 1519 - left Spain with a crew of 237; 18 has survivied to return in 1522 having circumnavigated the world; Magellan had died in the Philippines

1500 - Pedro Alvares Cabral - landed in Brazil and claimed the area for Portugal

1501 - Amerigo Vespucci - Florentine on a Spanish expedition along the coast of South America - stated that this was a new continent; mapmake in Europe named the new land America after Vespucci

1513 - Ponce de Leon - explored Florida looking for the "Fountain of Youth"

1519 - Hernando Cortez landed on coast of Mexico; defeated the Aztecs; although, their king, Montezuma, led a revolt against the Spanairds and was killed; found gold

Francisco Pizzaro - captured Inca Empire in present Peru; found much gold and silver

Wealth made Spain the wealthiest and most powerful country in Europe

Conquistadores

Hernando de Soto - explored southeastern US; discovered Mississippi River; died and was buried in the Mississippi.

1540 - Coronado - explored northward from Mexico into southwestern US; found Grand Canyon but not riches

1565 - St. Augustine - first Spanish settlement in what would become the US; making it hte oldest city in what is today the US