=The Leading Facts.= _1._ Columbus was born near the shores of the
Mediterranean and trained for the sea by study and by experience.
_2._ The people of Europe traded with the Far East, but the Turks
destroyed their trade routes. _3._ Columbus was drawn to Portugal
because of Prince Henry's great work. _4._ Columbus thought he
could reach the rich cities of the East by sailing west. _5._ After
many discouragements he won aid from Isabella and discovered the
Bahama Islands, Cuba, and Haiti. _6._ The king and queen of Spain
received Columbus with great ceremony. _7._ Columbus made three
more voyages, but was disappointed in not finding the rich cities
of India. _8._ Ponce de Leon sailed from Porto Rico to find a land
of which strange stories had been told of riches and of a fountain
of eternal youth. _9._ He reached Florida on Easter Sunday, 1513.
_10._ Eight years later he returned to found a settlement. _11._ He
was attacked by the Indians, wounded, and forced to return to Porto
Rico, where he died of his wounds. _12._ His is the distinction
of being the first white man to plant a settlement in the United
States after the discovery of America by Columbus. _13._ Cortés
marched against a rich city, afterward called Mexico, captured
the ruler, and fought great battles with the people. _14._ Cortés
captured the city and ruled it for several years. _15._ From this
time on Mexico gradually filled with Spanish settlers. _16._
Pizarro invaded Peru, the richest of all countries, and captured
and put to death the ruler. _17._ Pizarro was killed by his own
men. _18._ Coronado marched north from Mexico into Arizona and
New Mexico, but found no rich cities. _19._ He wandered into the
great prairies and the rocky country of Colorado but finally turned
back in disappointment. _20._ De Soto wandered over the country
east of the Rocky Mountains in search of rich cities, but found a
great river, the Mississippi, and later was buried in its waters.
_21._ Hence the Spaniards, eager for gold, went to Mexico and South
America rather than farther to the north. _22._ Columbus thought
the world was round, but Magellan proved it. _23._ Magellan sailed
around South America into the Pacific Ocean, and across this new
sea to the Philippine Islands, where he was killed. _24._ His ship
reached Spain--the first to sail around the world.
=Study Questions.= _1._ Make a list of articles which the caravans
(camels and horses) of the East brought to the Black Sea. _2._
What studies fitted Columbus for the sea? _3._ Why were there so
many sailors in Lisbon? _4._ How did Columbus get his idea of the
earth's shape? _5._ What did men in Portugal and Spain think of
this idea? _6._ Tell the story of Columbus in Spain. _7._ What is
the meaning of the vow taken by him? _8._ Make a picture in your
mind of the first voyage of Columbus. Read the poem "Columbus," by
Joaquin Miller. _9._ Shut your eyes and imagine you see Columbus
land and take possession of the country. _10._ Why was Columbus so
disappointed? _11._ How did the people of Palos act when Columbus
returned? _12._ Picture the reception of Columbus by the people,
and by the king and queen. _13._ Why was Columbus disappointed
in the second expedition? _14._ What did Columbus believe he had
accomplished? _15._ What had he failed to do that he hoped to do?
_16._ Why did Ponce de Leon go in search of the new land? _17._
What was the strange tradition about the country? _18._ What did
Ponce de Leon set out to do on his second trip? _19._ Did he
succeed? _20._ What is his distinction? _21._ Why did Cortés sink
his ships? _22._ How were Spaniards armed and how were Indians
armed? _23._ Describe the city of Mexico. _24._ Who began the war,
and what does that show about the Spaniards? _25._ How did Cortés
get more soldiers? _26._ How did the people and king receive Cortés
in Spain? _27._ How was he treated on his return to Mexico? _28._
What did Pizarro find in Peru? _29._ How did he treat the Inca?
_30._ What was Pizarro's fate? _31._ What was Coronado searching
for, and why were the Spaniards disappointed? _32._ What things
did the Spaniards see that they never before had seen? _33._ What
report did Coronado make? _34._ Why were De Soto's Indian guides
false? _35._ Show that De Soto was a brave man. _36._ How far north
did the Spaniards go both east and west of the Mississippi? _37._
Tell the story of De Soto's death and burial. _38._ What proof can
you give to show that the Spaniards were more cruel than necessary?
_39._ What part of the problem of Columbus did Magellan solve?
_40._ What was Magellan's preparation? _41._ Where is Patagonia,
and how could there be signs of spring late in August? _42._ What
did Magellan's voyage prove, and what remained of Columbus' plans
yet to be accomplished? _43._ Who accomplished this?
=Suggested Readings.= COLUMBUS: Hart, _Colonial Children_, 4-6;
Pratt, _Exploration and Discovery_, 17-32; Wright, _Children's
Stories in American History_, 38-60; Higginson, _American
Explorers_, 19-52; Glascock, _Stories of Columbia_, 10-35; McMurry,
_Pioneers on Land and Sea_, 122-160; Brooks, _The True Story of
Christopher Columbus_, 1-103, 112-172.
PONCE DE LEON: Pratt, _Explorations and Discoveries_, 17-23.
CORTÉS: McMurry, _Pioneers on Land and Sea_, 186-225; Hale,
_Stories of Adventure_, 101-126; Ober, _Hernando Cortés_, 24-80,
82-291.
PIZARRO: Hart, _Colonial Children_, 12-16: Towle, _Pizarro_,
27-327.
CORONADO: Griffis, _Romance of Discovery_, 168-182; Hale, _Stories
of Adventure_, 136-140.
DE SOTO: Hart, _Colonial Children_, 16-19; Higginson, _American
Explorers_, 121-140.
MAGELLAN: McMurry, _Pioneers on Land and Sea_, 186-225;
Butterworth, _Story of Magellan_, 52-143; Ober, _Ferdinand
Magellan_, 108-244.
THE MEN WHO MADE AMERICA KNOWN TO ENGLAND AND WHO CHECKED THE PROGRESS
OF SPAIN
JOHN CABOT ALSO SEARCHES FOR A SHORTER ROUTE TO INDIA AND FINDS THE
MAINLAND OF NORTH AMERICA
[Illustration: CABOT TAKING POSSESSION OF NORTH AMERICA FOR THE KING OF
ENGLAND
_On the spot where he landed Cabot planted a large cross and beside it
flags of England and of St. Mark_]
[Sidenote: =The effect in England of Columbus' discovery=]
=22. Cabot's Voyages.= When the news of Columbus' great discovery
reached England, the king was sorry, no doubt, that he had not helped
him. The story is that Columbus had gone to Henry VII, King of England,
for aid to make his voyage. But England had a brave sailor of her own,
John Cabot, an Italian, born in Columbus' own town of Genoa, who also
had learned his lessons in voyages on the Mediterranean. Cabot had gone
to live in the old town of Venice. Afterward he made England his home
and lived in the old seaport town of Bristol, the home of many English
sailors.
He, too, believed the world to be round, and that India could be
reached by sailing westward. King Henry VII gave Cabot permission to
try, providing he would give the king one fifth of all the gold and
silver which everybody believed he would find in India.
[Illustration: JOHN CABOT AND HIS SON SEBASTIAN
_From the statue modeled by John Cassidy, Manchester, England_]
[Sidenote: =What John Cabot discovered=]
Accordingly, John Cabot, and it may be his son, Sebastian, set out on
a voyage in May, 1497. After many weeks, Cabot discovered land, now
supposed to be either a part of Labrador or of Cape Breton Island. He
landed and planted the flag of England, and by its side set up that of
Venice, which had been his early home.
Later, he probably saw parts of Newfoundland, but nowhere did he see
a single inhabitant. He did, however, find signs that the country was
inhabited, but he found no proof of rich cities or of gold and silver.
In the seas all around Cabot saw such vast swarms of fish that he told
the people of England they would not need to go any more to cold and
snowy Iceland to catch fish.
[Sidenote: =The king and people pay honor to Cabot=]
How John Cabot was treated by the king and people of England when he
came back is seen in an old letter written from England by a citizen
of Venice to his friends at home. "The king has promised that in the
spring our countryman shall have ten ships, armed to his order. The
king has also given him money wherewith to amuse himself till then, and
he is now at Bristol with his wife, who is also a Venetian, and with
his sons. His name is John Cabot, and he is called the great admiral.
Vast honor is paid to him; he dresses in silk, and the English run
after him like mad people, so that he can enlist as many of them as
he pleases, and a number of our own rogues besides. The discoverer of
these places planted on his new-found land a large cross, with one flag
of England and another of St. Mark, by reason of his being a Venetian."
[Illustration: THE FINDING OF AMERICA
_The first voyages of Columbus, the discoverer of the New World, and of
Cabot, the first man to reach the mainland of North America_]
[Sidenote: =Cabot's second voyage=]
Again, in May, 1498, John Cabot started for India by sailing toward
the northwest. This time the fleet was larger, and filled with eager
English sailors. But Cabot could not find a way to India, so he altered
his course and coasted southward as far as the region now called North
Carolina.
Now because of these two voyages of Cabot, England later claimed a
large part of North America, for he had really seen the mainland of
America before Columbus. Spain also claimed the same region, but we
have seen how Mexico and Peru drew Spaniards to those countries.
[Sidenote: =Why England was slow in settling America=]
If England had been quick to act and had made settlements where Cabot
explored, she would have had little trouble in getting a hold in North
America. But she did not do so. Henry VII was old and stingy. Cabot had
twice failed to find India with its treasures of gold and silver, so
little attention was given to the new lands.
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, THE ENGLISH "DRAGON," WHO SAILED THE SPANISH MAIN
AND WHO "SINGED THE KING OF SPAIN'S BEARD"
=23. The Quarrel between Spain and England.= After John Cabot failed to
find a new way to India, King Henry did nothing more to help English
discovery. His son, Henry VIII, got into a great quarrel with the
King of Spain. He was too busy with this quarrel to think much about
America. But during this very time, Cortés and Pizarro were doing their
wonderful deeds. Spain grew bold, seized English seamen, threw them
into dungeons, and even burned them at the stake. Englishmen robbed
Spanish ships and killed Spanish sailors in revenge.
[Sidenote: =Their sailors take up the quarrel=]
[Sidenote: =Why Drake hated the Spaniards=]
=24. Sir Francis Drake.= A most daring English seaman was Sir Francis
Drake. From boyhood days he had been a sailor. His cousin, Captain
Hawkins, gave him command of a ship against Mexico, but the Spaniards
fell upon it, killed many of the sailors, and took all they had. Drake
came back ruined, and eager to take revenge. Besides, he hated the
Spaniards because he thought they were plotting to kill Elizabeth, the
Queen of England.
In 1573 Drake returned to England with his ship loaded with gold and
precious stones, captured from the Spaniards on the Isthmus of Panama.
[Sidenote: =Begins his most famous voyage=]
=25. Drake's Voyage around the World.= After four years Drake, with
four small but fast vessels, sailed direct for the Strait of Magellan.
He was determined to sail the Pacific, which he had seen while on the
Isthmus of Panama. In June his fleet entered the harbor of Patagonia
where Magellan had spent the winter more than fifty years before.
After destroying his smallest vessel, which was leaky, Drake sailed
to the entrance of the Strait. Here he changed the name of his ship
from the _Pelican_ to the _Golden Hind_, with ceremonies fitting the
occasion.
The fleet passed safely through the Strait, but as it sailed out into
the Pacific a terrible storm scattered the ships. One went down, and
one returned to England, believing that Drake's ship, the _Golden
Hind_, had been destroyed.
[Illustration: SIR FRANCIS DRAKE
_From the original portrait attributed to Sir Antonis van Moor, in the
possession of Viscount Dillon, at Ditchly Park, England_]
But Drake had a bold heart, good sailors, and a stout ship. After the
storm he sailed north to Valparaiso, where his men saw the first great
treasure ship. The Spanish sailors jumped overboard, and left four
hundred pounds of gold to Drake and his men. Week after week Drake
sailed northward until he reached Peru, the land conquered by Pizarro.
[Sidenote: =Capturing treasure ships on the Pacific coast=]
Another great treasure ship had just sailed for Panama. Away sped
the _Golden Hind_ in swift pursuit. For a thousand miles, day and
night, the chase went on. One evening, just at dark, the little ship
rushed upon the great vessel, and captured her. What a rich haul! More
than twenty tons of silver bars, thirteen chests of silver coin, one
hundredweight of gold, besides a great store of precious stones.
[Illustration: DRAKE'S CHAIR, OXFORD UNIVERSITY
_It was made from the timbers of the "Golden Hind"_]
[Sidenote: =The "Golden Hind" winters in California=]
The little ship continued northward. Hoping for a northeast passage
to the Atlantic, Drake sailed along the coast as far as what was
afterward known as the Oregon country. But the increasing cold and fog
and the strong northwest winds made him turn southward again. Sailing
close inshore, he found a small harbor, just north of the great bay
of San Francisco. Here his stout little ship came to anchor. The
natives believed that Drake and his men were gods, and begged them to
remain with them always. Drake named the country New Albion and took
possession in the name of the queen, Elizabeth. When he had refitted
his ship for the long voyage home, Drake set sail, to the great sorrow
of the natives.
[Sidenote: =Drake crosses the Pacific and Indian oceans=]
Week after week went by, until he saw the very islands where Magellan
had been. He made his way among the islands and across the Indian Ocean
until the Cape of Good Hope was rounded, and the _Golden Hind_ spread
her sails northward toward England.
[Sidenote: =Drake given a title by Queen Elizabeth=]
Drake reached home in 1580, the first Englishman to sail around the
world. The people, who had given him up as lost, shouted for joy when
they heard he was safe. Queen Elizabeth visited his ship in person, and
there gave him a title, so that now he was Sir Francis Drake. Years
after, a chair was made from the timbers of the famous _Golden Hind_
and presented to Oxford University, where it can now be seen.
[Illustration: QUEEN ELIZABETH MAKING DRAKE A NOBLEMAN
_After the drawing by Sir John Gilbert. It pictures the scene that took
place on board the "Golden Hind" at the close of the great voyage.
Queen Elizabeth visited Drake in his ship and conferred knighthood on
him for his great services to England_]
[Sidenote: =He goes to find the Gold Fleet=]
=26. Drake Again Goes to Fight the Spaniards.= Drake soon took command
of a fleet of twenty-five vessels and two thousand five hundred men,
all eager to fight the Spaniards (1585). He sailed boldly for the coast
of Spain, frightened the people, and then went in search of the Gold
Fleet, which was bringing shipload after shipload of treasure from
America to the King of Spain.
[Illustration: THE SPANISH ARMADA
_More than one hundred twenty-five vessels sailed from Lisbon to
conquer England, but only about fifty returned to the home port_]
[Sidenote: =In the West Indies=]
No sooner had Drake missed the fleet than he made direct for the West
Indies, where he spread terror among the islands. The Spaniards had
heard of Drake, the "Dragon." He attacked and destroyed three important
towns, and intended to seize Panama itself, but the yellow fever began
to cut down his men, so he sailed to Roanoke Island, and carried back
to England the starving and homesick colony which Raleigh had planted
there.
[Sidenote: =Singeing the King of Spain's beard=]
The Spanish king was angry. He resolved to crush England. More than
one hundred ships, manned by thousands of sailors, were to carry a
great army to the hated island. Drake heard about it, and quickly
gathered thirty fast ships manned by sailors as bold as himself. His
fleet sailed right into the harbor of Cadiz, past cannon and forts, and
burned so many Spanish ships that it took Spain another year to get
the great fleet ready. Drake declared that he had "singed the King of
Spain's beard."
[Sidenote: =Spain aims to crush England, but is badly defeated=]
=27. The Spanish Armada.= The King of Spain was bound to crush England
at one mighty blow. In 1588 the Spanish Armada, as the great fleet was
called, sailed for England. There were scores of war vessels manned
by more than seven thousand sailors, carrying nearly twenty thousand
soldiers. Almost every noble family in Spain sent one or more of its
sons to fight against England.
When this mighty fleet reached the English Channel, Drake and other sea
captains as daring as himself dashed at the Spanish ships, and by the
help of a great storm that came up, succeeded in destroying almost the
whole fleet. No such blow had ever before fallen upon the great and
powerful Spanish nation.
From that time on her power grew less and less, while England's power
on the sea grew greater and greater. Englishmen could now go to America
without much thought of danger from Spaniards.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH, THE FRIEND OF ELIZABETH, PLANTS A COLONY IN AMERICA
TO CHECK THE POWER OF SPAIN
[Sidenote: =Raleigh, student, soldier, seaman=]
=28. Sir Walter Raleigh.= Born (1552) near the sea, Raleigh fed his
young imagination with stories of the wild doings of English seamen. He
went to college at Oxford at the age of fourteen, and made a good name
as a student.
In a few years young Raleigh went to France to take part in the
religious wars of that unhappy country. At the time he returned home
all England was rejoicing over Drake's first shipload of gold. When
Queen Elizabeth sent an army to aid the people of Holland against the
Spaniards, young Raleigh was only too glad to go.
On his return from this war he went with his half-brother, Sir Humphrey
Gilbert, on two voyages to America, at the very same time Drake was
plundering the Spanish treasure ships in the Pacific Ocean. Afterward
Raleigh turned soldier again and, as captain, went to Ireland, where
Spain had sent soldiers to stir up rebellion. Thus, before he was
thirty years old, he had been a seaman and a soldier, and had been in
France, Holland, America, and Ireland.
[Illustration: THE BOYHOOD OF RALEIGH
_After the painting by Sir John E. Millais_]
[Sidenote: =Raleigh when thirty years old=]
At this time Raleigh was a fine-looking man, about six feet tall, with
dark hair and a handsome face. He had plenty of wit and good sense,
although he was fond, indeed, of fine clothes. He was just the very one
to catch the favor of Queen Elizabeth.
One day Elizabeth and her train of lords and ladies were going down the
roadway from the royal castle to the river. The people crowded both
sides of the road to see their beloved queen and her beautiful ladies
go by. Raleigh pressed his way to the front.
[Sidenote: =How he won the favor of the queen=]
As Elizabeth drew near, she hesitated about passing over a muddy place.
In a moment the feeling that every true gentleman has in the presence
of ladies told Raleigh what to do, and the queen suddenly saw his
beautiful red velvet cloak lying in the mud at her feet. She stepped
upon it, nodded to its gallant owner, and passed on. From this time
forward Raleigh was a great favorite at the court of Queen Elizabeth.
[Sidenote: =Raleigh's plan for checking the power of Spain=]
=29. Trying to Plant English Colonies.= In 1584 Raleigh caused a friend
to write a letter to the queen, explaining that English colonies
planted on the coast of North America would not only check the power
of Spain but would also increase the power of England. That very year
the queen gave him permission to plant colonies. Thus a better way of
opposing Spain was found than by robbing treasure ships and burning
towns.
[Illustration: SIR WALTER RALEIGH
_From the original portrait painted by Federigo Zuccaro_]
[Sidenote: =The Indians welcome the English=]
[Sidenote: =Why the land was named Virginia=]
Raleigh immediately sent a ship to explore. The captain landed on what
is now Roanoke Island. The Indians came with a fleet of forty canoes
to give them a friendly welcome. After a few days an Indian queen with
her maidens came to entertain the English. "We found the people most
gentle, loving, and faithful, void of all guile and treason," said
Captain Barlow. His glowing account of the land and people so pleased
Elizabeth that she named the country Virginia, in honor of her own
virgin life.
Raleigh next sent out a kinsman, Sir Richard Grenville, with a fleet of
seven vessels and one hundred settlers, under Ralph Lane as governor.
But the settlers were bent on finding gold and silver, instead of
making friends with the Indians.
[Sidenote: =Why the Indians became hostile=]
An Indian stole a silver cup from the English. Because of this theft
Lane and his men fell upon the Indian village, drove out men, women,
and children, burned their homes, and destroyed their crops. This was
not only cruel but also foolish, for the story of his cruelty spread to
other tribes, and after that wherever the English went they were always
in danger from the Indians.
[Sidenote: =Indian corn and the white potato taken to England=]
When Drake came along the next spring with his great fleet, the
settlers were only too glad to get back to England, and be once more
among friends. They took home from America the turkey and two food
plants, the white potato and Indian corn--worth more to the world than
all the gold and silver found in the mines of Mexico and Peru!
[Illustration: INDIAN CORN]
[Sidenote: =Raleigh tries again=]
Although Raleigh had already spent thousands of dollars, he would
not give up. He immediately sent out a second colony of one hundred
fifty settlers, a number of whom were women. John White was governor.
Roanoke was occupied once more, and there, shortly afterwards, was
born Virginia Dare, the first white child of English parents in North
America. Before a year went by, the governor had to go to England for
aid.
But Raleigh and all England had little time to think of America. The
Armada was coming, and every English ship and sailor was needed to
fight the Spaniards. Two years went by before Governor White reached
America with supplies. When he did reach there practically no trace of
the colony could be found. Not a settler was left to tell the tale.
[Illustration: A WILD TURKEY]
[Sidenote: =The "lost colony"=]
The only trace of Raleigh's "lost colony" was the word "Croatoan" cut
in large letters on a post. Croatoan was the name of an island near
by. White returned home, but Raleigh sent out an old seaman, Samuel
Mace, to search for the lost colony. It was all in vain. Many years
later news reached England that a tribe of Indians had a band of white
slaves, but the mystery of the lost colony never was cleared up.
[Illustration: POTATO PLANT AND TUBERS]
[Sidenote: =Raleigh's money gives out, but not his hope=]
Raleigh had now spent his great fortune. But he did not lose heart,
for he said that he would live to see Virginia a nation. He was right.
Before he died a great colony had been planted in Virginia, and a ship
loaded with the products of Virginia had sailed into London port and an
Indian "princess" had married a Virginian and had been received with
honor by the King and Queen of England.
=30. The Death of Raleigh.= But the great Elizabeth was dead, and an
unfriendly king, James I, was on the throne. He threw Raleigh into
prison, and kept him there thirteen years. The Spaniards urged the king
to put Raleigh to death. He had been a life-long enemy of Spain and
they knew they were not safe if he lived.
[Sidenote: =Raleigh bravely meets death=]
At last Spanish influence was too strong, and Sir Walter faced death on
the scaffold as bravely as he had faced the Spaniards in battle.
[Illustration: EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND]
Thus died a noble man who gave both his fortune and his life for the
purpose of planting an English colony in America.