5.3 The discovery of America Flashcards
What was the Reconquista in Spain?
The war against the Moors who conquered large parts of the Iberian Peninsula
What did Ferdinand and Isabella hope to gain from supporting Columbus’ expedition?
gold, spices and riches
When and how did Columbus discover America?
He discovered America on 12th October 1492, they sailed through the Atlantic Ocean hoping to find India but instead he discovered the Bahamas
How was the contact between the Spanish and the Indians?
At first the spanish were nice to the Indians so they were nice back; but then the spanish conquered them.
Why was the New World named America?
Until the day he died, Columbus was convinced that he had found a new western route to Asia. The explorer Amerigo Vespucci discovered that Columbus had not found a sea route to Asia, but a new world. The new continent was named after him: America.
1492
Ferdinand and Isabella defeat the Moors in Granada
colombus sails to America
1507
the new world is named “America”
Ferninand + Isabella
- a prince of Aragon
- a princess of Castile
- instructed to marry others, married in secret
1479
Countries worked closely together
Iberian peninsula
Spain + Portugal
Why did Ferdinand and Isabella not support Columbus before 1492?
They were too busy with the Reconquista of Granada to bother with exploration.
Christopher columbus
- born in the Italian town of Genoa in 1451
- hoped to find a faster route to the spice islands and China.
- Columbus three ships: the Santa
Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina.
6th September 1492
Columbus commanded his sailors to
set out on one of the farthest adventures in history.
12th October 1492
a young sailor named Rodrigo de Triana yelled that he saw land.
Why would it have been hard for Columbus to get a
normal crew for his voyage?
Normal sailors would not risk going on a journey from which they might not return safely. He had to blackmail men to join his crew.
