1. European Exploration & Colonial America Ashley Ritz

2. The Age of Exploration European Exploration started for many reasons. All of these explorers were sponsored by their own countries or some by others. Explorers started exploring for reasons like: wanting to find gold and other treasure expanding their countries empire finding new trade routes to Asia for spices and trading.

3. Many explorers started exploring for riches and gold to bring back to their countries. Many countries had fought a lot of wars and were poor from the expenses that the war had cost them, so many countries had hope that exploration would bring them gold and riches. Reasons for Exploring

4. Even though countries like Spain and France were already well off with land they wanted more. A second reason for exploring was to expand empires. This reason caused many problems later on in Colonial America and settling land battles. Major countries like France and Spain went head to head to gain more land in the New World. Reasons for Exploring

5. Reasons for Exploring One of the major reasons for exploration was to find alternate trade routes to China. It was a very long journey to get to China and explorers wanted to find a shorter route to where all the spices were. Unlike Asia where spices grew abundantly Europe did not have this convenience. If the explorers could find a trade route to Asia this would make countries very rich since finding spices were so rare in Europe. Many explorers like Marco Polo found easier trade routes to Asia and became wealthy merchants.

6. European Exploration Sir Francis Drake was from England and sailed around the world. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was from Spain and wanted to conquer the “Seven Cities of Gold” and explored New Mexico and parts of Southwestern North America. Christopher Columbus was from Italy but sailed for Spain and made 4 voyages of exploration and founded North America.

7. European Exploration Jacques Cartier claimed Canada for his homeland France. Hernando Cortes was from Spain and caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. Samuel de Champlain was from France and founded Quebec City and noted as the “Father of New France”

8. European Exploration Vasco da Gama was from Portugal and commanded the first ships from Europe to India Marco Polo was from Italy and was a merchant who journeyed to Asia and traveled the Silk Road Ferdinand Magellan was from Portugal and explored the Philippines and found the Straight of Magellan