1. What Viking adventurer set out to find a new land west of Greenland? What did he call this area? 2. What prompted early explorers to risk their lives exploring uncharted seas? 3. What nation financed Columbus's attempt to sail west to reach the Orient? 4. Name the Italian explorer who offered proof that Columbus had discovered a "new world" and not a new route to the Ori- ent. How was he honored for proving this? What religious motivations backed European exploration?
Respuestas a la pregunta
Respuesta:
1. Norse explorer Leif Erikson set out to find new land west of Greenland around 990-1050 AD. He called the area "Vinland", interpreted as costal North America.
2. In the case of Leif Erikson, the Saga of Erik the Red states that while attempting to sail to Norway from Greenland, he was blown off course, leading to his discovery of North America.
In the case of Christopher Columbus, it was the desire to find a new and cheaper route to Asia, in order to import spices, due to the Ottoman Empire's blockade of trade routes coming from the Middle East.
3. Christopher Columbus' expedition to America was financed by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, in particular, by Queen Isabella I.
4. It was Amerigo Vespucci in 1501 who first stated that the new lands discovered by the Europeans weren't Asia, but in fact a "New World".
He was honored by Martin Waldseemüller, a cartographer who dubbed the New World as "America" in honor of Vespucci.
Religion played a big role in the early years of colonization, as the Europeans, and in particular the Spanish, wished to evangelize the pagan Natives, and bring Christianity to the New World. This was done under their "Encomienda" system.