EUROPEANS ENCOUNTER THE NEW WORLD

Printed Page 28

2

EUROPEANS ENCOUNTER THE NEW WORLD

1492–1600

image LearningCurve

After reading the chapter, use LearningCurve to retain what you’ve read.

> What were the most significant effects of European exploration in the sixteenth century? Chapter 2 examines the causes, course, and impact of European exploration of parts of the world previously unknown to them. It follows early Portuguese efforts to chart the coast of Africa and the Spanish establishment of a colonial empire in the New World. It then explores the many changes in both the New and Old Worlds that were a result of Europeans’ encounters with Native Americans during the sixteenth century.

image
Europeans Encountering Indians. Unknown artist, ca. 1700. Private Collection/Picture Research Consultants and Archives.

> What factors led to European exploration in the fifteenth century?

> What did Spanish explorers discover in the western Atlantic?

> How did Spaniards explore, conquer, and colonize New Spain?

> What impact did Spain’s New World endeavors have in Europe?

> Conclusion: What promise did the New World offer Europeans?