Columbus' First Voyage 1492 Flashcards
When was Columbus’ first voyage?
1492
What 3 ships did he hire?
the Nina
the Pinta
and the Santa Maria
Hiring Crew
He needed many crew members, prepared to risk their lives.
He handpicked the crew members
including the Pinzon brothers.
All crew members had a regular pay, and had experience
the Pinzon brothers captained the Nina and the Pinta
What were the challenges of the voyage?
Enough food, wine, water was needed for a year, and items to trade with the natives.
Finding ships and crew.
Possibility Portuguese rivals would try and stop Columbus crossing the Atlantic.
Martin Pinzon disagreed with the navigation plans.
The crew was uneasy about sailing without seeing land for a long time.
discovery of land
Land was first sighted on October 11th.
Rowed ashore on October 12th and claimed new land for Spain.
He discovered an island called SAN SALVADOR.
He encountered natives, gifts were exchanged.
And was discovered that there was a huge amount of gold.
He believed this was the East Indies.
They said there was gold further south.
The Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Columbus sailed south in hope of finding gold.
Failed to find gold in the Bahamas.
Landed on a large island - Cuba, naming it JUANA. He thought it was Japan.
Then discovers HISPANIOLA.
What happened to the Santa Maria?
Wrecked on a coral reef.
Timbers used to build La Navidad.
What happened to the Pinta?
Martin Pinzón
Sailed away to look for gold, without Columbus’ permission.
Having found gold he rejoined the Nina, but lost contact again, landing in Northern Spain before returning to a port.
La Navidad.
Disappearance of Pinta, wrecking of the Santa Maria and the Nina was to small to take everyone back, these all led to the settle First settlement created in the New World.
Set up in Hispaniola.
Used the timbers from the Santa Maria’s wreck.
39 men left behind.
The Tainos
Tribe of people on CUBA/Juana
They believed the Spaniards were he to help, so cooperated.
Traded with the men, such as cotton and glass beads.
Helped the Spanish unload the Santa Maria.
Peaceful
Gold, cotton and tobacco
1492-93
Gold was found on Haiti/Hispaniola, yet small amounts. Natives said there was more further south
Pinzon found more nearby.
Cotton grown on Juana/Cuba.
Tobacco discovered from the natives smoking it.
Tobacco given as a gift in San Salvador.
The Caribs.
Native people living on the Caribbean Islands.
Ferocious
Cannibals
The first conflict at Samana.
Samana, Haiti/Hispaniola
Nina was anchored during a storm
Searched for gold on the island
attacked by natives
only a few natives escaped
showed the Spanish needed to be able to defend themselves.
Columbus then wanted the natives to fear the Spanish.
When did Columbus return to Spain?
1493
He received everything they had promised him
seen as a hero
The Treaty of Tordesillas
1494
Line drawn from the North to the South pole.
All lands west would be Spanish.
All lands east would be Portuguese.
Why was the Treaty of Tordesillas important?
Treaty gave Spain most of the New World.
Now could claim Mexico, and most of America.
Any gold and silver would go to Spain.
Major incentive to explore
Created by the pope - Alexander VI
Why did the Pope create the Treaty of Tordesillas 1494?
Resolved the dispute.
Believed that Spain would spread Christianity to the New World.
Columbus gaining sponsorship
1484 approaches King John II of Portugal, refuses
1486 approaches Ferdinand and Isabela
1486-1488 representatives taken to Charles VIII of France and probably Henry VIII of England too
1491 Ferdinand and Isabela approached again, and agreed to sponsor Columbus.
lands discovered
Sansalvador
then
Juana
Hispaniola
Samana
Nina forced to anchor in Haiti/Hispaniola
Attacked by armed natives
Showed Columbus that the natives were prepared to attack the spaniards
