Columbus coasted among the West Indies until January, 1493, exploring the region, studying the natives, and searching for gold and spices. On his return to

After the painting by John Vanderlyn in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington COLUMBUS CLAIMING POSSESSION BY PLANTING THE FLAG OF SPAIN ON THE ISLAND OF SAN SALVADOR

Spain he was received by Ferdinand and Isabella with every mark of favor. There was no sign as yet of the neglect and unjust treatment which Spain was later to bestow upon her greatest benefactor.

II. Effects of the Discovery in Europe; The Naming of the New World. Spain and Portugal were the first to be aroused by the news of Columbus's discovery. Portugal, deeply disappointed at having let slip the golden opportunity, pushed her explorations around Africa, and had the satisfaction of seeing her own sailor, da Gama, reach India before any other European navigator (1498).

Cabral, another Portuguese, discovered Brazil (1500), and Portugal sent Amerigo Vespucci (Latin, Americus Vespucius) to make further explorations (1501). He

followed the coast of South America till Antarctic ice drove him back. It was supposed that he had discovered a new and different continent from that seen by Columbus, which was still believed to be a part of Asia, and the geographers named it America, after its explorer. As time passed, but without any intention of taking honor from Columbus, this name was also applied to the northern continent.

AMERIGO VESPUCCI

From the original fresco by

Domenico Corradi Ghirlandaio in the church of the Ognissanti, Florence. Repro

duced through the courtesy

of

Spain, in the meantime, had hurried a messenger to Rome to tell Pope Alexander VI. the story of Columbus' wonderful discovery, and to ask for his blessing on the work and for his authority to hold the new lands. This author

ity was granted, and the Pope, drawing a meridian one hundred leagues west of the Azores, decreed that all new lands west of this Spain and those east to Portugal. 12. Later Voyages of Columbus. Spain, however, had not waited for the Pope's answer, but had hurried Columbus off, with a splendidly equipped expedition, to make a settlement. How different from the first expedition! Then the sailors of Palos refused to go; now fifteen hundred persons overcrowded the vessels. Then the crew was made up in part of criminals; now, of Spanish grandees. Then there were only three small vessels; now there was a large and strong fleet of ships. Then all Spain looked on the voyage as leading to certain destruction; now, with joy as leading to vast riches and fame. But although on this voyage Columbus discovered Jamaica and Porto Rico, the expedition failed

to accomplish the dazzling results which Spain had so eagerly expected.

Again in 1498, on a third voyage, Columbus saw South America and the mouth of the Orinoco, but still thought the country was only a part of India. His fourth and final voyage was begun in 1502, from which he returned, old, disappointed, and despised because he had not found the hoped-for riches. He died before he could know that he had discovered a new world.

13. England Sends Out the Cabots (1497-1498). Even the miserly King of England, Henry VII., was so stirred by the news from Spain that he decided that England, too, should try to find new routes to the Indies. Accordingly, in 1497, John Cabot, a native of Columbus' own town, but resident in England, sailed away from the port of Bristol to the coast of North America.

The next year John Cabot's son, Sebastian, continued his explorations, and probably visited the coast of what is now the United States. On these voyages England rested her claim to North America, but as neither gold nor a passage to India had been found, the work of the Cabots was not at once followed up.

WHERE EUROPE PLANTED INSTITUTIONS

THE FOUNDATION OF CLAIMS TO TERRITORY

14. How European Institutions Differed. It was of the greatest importance to this country and to the world which of the nations of Europe settled in North America, and which one occupied the largest and best part of the continent, because these nations differed much in their ideas about government, religion, and social life.

Spain and France had kings who ruled with almost absolute power over their people, and who did not allow them to take much part in the government or to think much for themselves.

England, too, had a king, but her people for centuries had elected a body of men called the Parliament which helped to make the laws. Moreover, English towns and cities had the right to manage their own affairs. Holland also had an assembly of lawmakers and some selfgovernment in her towns and cities.

In France and Spain people were sharply divided into classes. All the men of one class were expected to follow the occupations of their fathers, and could not easily rise to higher positions. In England and Holland there were also classes, but men did not find it so hard to rise. So, while Spain at first had the advantage in the contest for the possession of North America, because of the work of Columbus, it is not surprising that she was soon outstripped by nations whose people had more freedom.

15. What a Nation Had to Do to Make Its Claims Good. In their struggle for American territory European nations were not troubled by the fact that the new lands were already occupied by natives, for it was a rule among them that Christian nations had the right to conquer and possess any country occupied by heathen tribes.

But to hold such lands against the claims of other Christian nations, two things were necessary- the nation making the claim must have been not only the first to discover the country, but must have settled it within a reasonable time. This was called the "law of nations" in regard to newly found lands, but there was no one to enforce the law except the nations themselves. Hence they violated it whenever they dared, thus sometimes causing war.

16. Foundation of Spanish Claims. By right of discovery and settlement, Spain was entitled to most of the West Indies, and had taken the first steps toward possessing parts of South America. (See § 11.) 1513 Ponce de Leon discovered and named Florida, and

In

Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Darien and planted the flag of Spain in the waters of the Pacific.

The year 1519 was a most celebrated one in the history of Spain, for then the famous Cortes began his conquest of Mexico (1519-1521), by far the richest and most advanced country of North America, and Magellan started from Spain to sail around the world by the way of South America, the East Indies, and the Cape of Good Hope (15191522). This voyage proved two things: (1) that the earth is round and can be circumnavigated; (2) that the new lands already discovered are not only not a part of Asia, but/ stand across the pathway to that country. The La

drones and the

Philippine Islands

were added to Spain's claim.

FERDINAND MAGELLAN

From the portrait designed and engraved by
Ferdinand Selma in 1788

A little later Narvaez, following in the footsteps of De Leon, carried a colony to Florida, but the expedition ended in failure.

17. Expeditions of De Soto and Coronado. In 1539 Ferdinand de Soto, with a very large expedition, once more invaded Florida. He traveled many weary miles through forest and swamp, and sought in vain for rich cities which Spanish imagination had painted in more golden colors than the cities conquered by Cortes. He