What did early explorers want to find?

What did early explorers want to find?

They wanted to improve their economy for instance by acquiring more spices, gold, and better and faster trading routes. Also, they really believed in the need to spread their religion, Christianity. Finally, they explored for their own personal interest like fame from discovering new land.

What did the explorers find in the new land?

They also found new land where colonies could be established and crops such as sugar, cotton, and tobacco could be grown. The Age of Exploration began in the nation of Portugal under the leadership of Henry the Navigator. Henry sent out ships to map and explore the west coast of Africa.

What did Spanish explorers find in North America?

HERNANDO DE SOTO explored the southeast region of North America for Spain, searching for gold, a suitable site for a colony, and an overland route from Mexico to the Atlantic.

What 4 countries sent explorers?

AGE OF EXPLORATION OVERVIEW

  • ​First, European countries were seeking new trade routes to distant trading partners in the Far East, including: China, India and Japan.
  • The Age of Exploration is considered to have occurred mostly with four European nations, which included: Portugal, Spain, France and England.

How did explorers travel?

European explorers used another tool for figuring out direction—a compass. The compass (left) and the astrolabe (right) were used in the 1500s. These tools helped explorers sail across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. A compass did not tell the navigator where he was.

How did explorers claim land?

Merchants and missionaries wanted to expand their knowledge and spread Christianity. When explorers claimed land in new places, they claimed it for their king and queen. Their travels were “for King and Country”. This meant that when explorers found the land, it belonged to their king and country.

Which country sent the most explorers?

Portugal and Spain became the early leaders in the Age of Exploration. Through the Treaty of Tordesillas the two countries agreed to divide up the New World. Spain got most of the Americas while Portugal got Brazil, India, and Asia. Spain sent over conquistadors to explore the Americas and to conquer the peoples there.

Who was the first Spanish explorer to explore North America?

About the same time, Hernando de Soto explored southeastern North America from Florida to the Mississippi River. By 1650, Spain’s empire was complete and fleets of ships were carrying the plunder back to Spain.

What was the story of the exploration of North America?

The story of North American exploration spans an entire millennium and involves a wide array of European powers and uniquely American characters.

Where did Christopher Columbus do most of his exploration?

Christopher Columbus launched Spain’s imperial ambitions. Born in Genoa, Italy, around 1451, Columbus learned the art of navigation on voyages in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

Who was in charge of the exploration of the New World?

In 1497 Henry VII of England sponsored an expedition to the New World headed by John Cabot, who explored a part of Newfoundland and reported an abundance of fish. But until Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the English showed little interest in exploration, being preoccupied with their European trade and establishing control over the British Isles.