Colonization Timeline

Marco Polos Adeventures

Sep 27, 1400

Marco Polo traveled to China and other exciting Asian lands,he then wrote about adventures which led to many Europeans thinking about the riches of Asia.

Europe Branching Out

Dec 7, 1400

Europeans began looking to the seas and beyond, some of them wanting adventure, Europeans then wanted adventure.Some of the others wanted to spread ChristIanity.Mostly though people wanted to find riches.Thus the Age of Exploration and discovery had begun.

The Search For new Routes

Apr 5, 1450

By now, Europeans had developed a taste for spices.Many spices came from islands in Asia.Due to them having to be shipped halfway around the world on risky voyages, spices were costly.Though for hundreds of years, the Italian Port city of Venice had controlled this. Europeans had begun to look for ways to get by Venices control.In Portugal, a Prince called Henry the Navigator was urging sea captians to explore Southward along the coast of Africa.He wanted someone to find a route around Africa.

The Search For New Routes

Apr 6, 1450

Leading to the Spice Islands.In 1497-1498, Portuguese explorer Vasco Degama found a route and sailed all the way to India.Other Europeans had thought differently.Christopher Columbus thought Asia couold be reached by sailing west from Europe.Columbus had persuaded Ferdinand and Issabella to pay for the trip.In 1492 Columbus led his first expedition westward.He landed in the Bahmmas, he thought he was near Asia.On another voyage in 1948, Columbus reached South America.Later it was labeled America

The Northwest Passage

Nov 2, 1497

King Henry the 7th sent Cabbot on his voyage to the west.The English had thought that there might be a water route through the Americas That would lead north and west to Asia.The called it the Northwest Passage.Cabot landed on the far Northern Atlantic coast of North America- the island of the Newfoundland.Though he failed to find the Northwest Passage.Over time Europeans gave up on their search for the route.

Spanish Exploration

Sep 16, 1500

Spain had clamed many of the New World lands.Spain had taken control of South and Central America along with many Caribbean islands.While the Spanish governers and explorers were looking northward.Juan Ponce de Leonwas a spanish official in the New World.From 1508-1509, he settled on the island of Puerto Rico.King Ferdinand then authorized Ponce de Leon to explore the lands north of Cuba.Early in 1513, Leon went out with ships and crew, landing on the east coast of Florida.

Spanish Exploration

Sep 17, 1500

His ship sailed down the east Florida coast and through the Florida Keys.it then cruised northward along the west coast of Florida for nearly 100 miles.Leon's expedition revealed that large tracts of land ripe for exploration lay north of the Caribbean islands.

Most Powerful Nation

Jun 12, 1520

Spain had become the most powerful nation in the world.Spanish explorers had claimed huge peices of land in the New World.They had started to send gold and silver back to Spain.Spanish officials had been eyeing the North American coast eagarly.

Spaniards Come to North Carolina

Jul 18, 1520

Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon had had his eye on the mainland north of Florida.He had seen a little bit of the Atlantic coastline of the reigon in the 1520 expedition.Ayllon wanted to plant a strong colony for Spain along that coast.

Verrazano's Expedition

Sep 16, 1524

King Francis the 1st of France sent Italian navigator Giovanni da Verranzo westward.Verranzo first reached land on the Outer Banks.he thought he had saw the Pacific Ocean.He was actually looking at the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.Varranzo then went and explored farther.After that the king did not sponser any more voyages to the Americas.

Rio Jordan Colony

Jul 23, 1526

Ayllon had led a group of over 500 people to a river he called "Jordan".The Rio Jordan failed due to disease and starvation.Ayllon then took the colonist to a site in South Carolina: they did no better in the new location.Again disease and starvation killed the sttlers.That was where Ayllon died.

De Soto's Expedition

Mar 19, 1539

The Spanish wanted to know mopre about the inside of North America.1539:Hernado De Soto sailed a military expedition from Havana,Cuba, to the west coast of Florida, they then marched northwardyo a place near Tallahassee, Florida.They stayed there until the spring, they then crossed Georgia and South Carolina and then through the western tip of North Carolina.Soto and his men were the first to see the reigons.Their lands met the Cherokee Indians, who were kind .Europeans then traveled south/west.

The Spanish Set Sights Southward

Aug 18, 1560

Spains rulers had a interest for the lands in the New World to the South.Conquistador:military leaders/Adventurers.Conquistadors has taken control of mineral-rich lands in Mexico and Peru.Spain was a rich country because of the gold/silver in Central and South America.Spain also held islands in the Caribbean Sea: Cuba, Puerto Rico.Rich island soils tilled by African slaves had produced crops. Spain officials saw the need to strengthen their hold on Florida.So they responded firmly to French-

The Spanish Set Sights Southward

Aug 19, 1560

threats.Now the Spanish officials, soldiers, and priest were set on tightening Spanish control and conerting the Indians to Catholicism.After the 1560's when Spain had a hold on Florida and a healthy wealth, they set their eyes Southward.

Port Royal

Apr 21, 1562

Ribaults French Protestants attempted to settle near Port Royal, South Carolina in April of 1562.Despite all the conditions at Port Royal, the colonist just gave up in 1564and went back to France.In that year another group of Huguenots, led by Rene de Laudonniere, settled at Fort Caroline, on the Northern coast.Jean Ribault brough supply ships to the fort.

France and Spain Fight for Land

May 10, 1562

Soon other European nations challenged Spain.In 1562 Freance set a colony under the command of Jean Ribault to North America.The colonist were French Protestants (who were pursecuted sometimes in Catholic France).They then traveled to the New World for religous freedom.

St. Augustine

Dec 3, 1565

Spanish officials thought that the French Fort was a threat.In 1565 Spain sent troops under Pedro Menendez de Aviles to Florida.Menendez built a fort at St. Augustine.While Ribault prepared to attack.A storm then recked his fleet But Menendez lost no time in dealing with the unlucky French.He then captured Fort Caroline and killed most of the French defenders.Menendez then built forts throughout Florida for Spains strength.

More Spanish Expeditions

Oct 28, 1566

The Spanish then looked northward, after they had Florida.An expedition was formed to go to Chesapeake Bay from the West Indies to set up a Catholic misson.Mission:a settlement designed to convert people to a certain religion.Winds had kept the expedition from reaching Chesapeake Bay.Instead the entered the Outer Banks and sailed to Albemarble Sound.They then landed at the tip of the Currituck Inlet.When an expedition led by Pedro de Coronas marked their land by placing wood on the shore.

More Spanish Expeditions

Oct 29, 1566

They then went went back to the West Indies.After the Spanish's victory at Fort Caroline their officials organized an expedition to explore the interior counrty north of Florida.late in 1566 Juan pardo and Hernando Boyano led a small group of men to the South Carolina coast.They then pushed north and west on nearly the same route de Soto took.They then entered the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountians, where they built a fort.They then built forts in the interior of the North Carolina Mountians

More Spanish Expeditions

Oct 30, 1566

Later, Pardo and Boyano returned to the Gulf of Mexico, along the way they explored other lands.