1.3 The Discovery of America

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

1.3 The discovery of America

Goals for this lesson

At the end of this lesson you know...

• What the Reconquista was in Spain.
• What Ferdinand and Isabella hoped to gain from supporting Columbus.
• When Columbus discovered America.
• How the contact was between the Spanish and the 'Indians'.
• Why the New World was named America.

The Reconquista

• =Reconquest of Muslim Spain by christian kingdoms.
• The kingdoms of Castille and Aragon kicked out the last muslims in 1492.

Aragon & Castille

• Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille fell in love and married.
• Their lands were combined to form one mighty Spanish kingdom.

Columbus

• Italian merchant.
• Hoped to find a western road to reach Asia.
• Was sponsored by the new Spanish kingdom.
• Was given three ships.
• Santa Maria, Pinto and Nina.

New land

• 1492: Discovery of new land.
• Planted a Spanish flag in the Bahamas.
• He thought he found a new sea route to Asia. 

First contact

• Columbus thought he was in India -> called the people Indians.
• Columbus received gifts from the locals.

New world

• Many Spanish ships came after Columbus.
• A few years after Columbus Amerigo Vespucci discovered that Columbus found new land. In 1507 it was first called America.