Juan de Oñate Expedition to the Great Plains

Francisco Vásquez de Coronado had explored large areas of what would become America’s Southwest in 1540 – 1542. Spain had never followed up on this great expedition. King Phillip II of Spain decided to end this neglect by charging explorer Juan de Oñate with the mission of exploring this region on September 21, 1595. Continue reading Juan de Oñate Expedition to the Great Plains

Events Leading to Columbus’ First Voyage

In 1469 Spain was still a disunited nation. The Kingdom of Castile was the largest kingdom and occupied the region between Portugal and the Kingdom of Aragon. The Atlantic Ocean lay to the north and the Muslim region of Grenada lay to the south. The Kingdom of Aragon bordered Castile to the west and France to the northeast. The Pyrenees Mountains formed the Aragon/France boundary. The Mediterranean Sea lay to the southeast. Continue reading Events Leading to Columbus’ First Voyage

Podcast – The Age of Discovery – Exploring the New World

Prince Henry the Navigator, Christopher Columbus and the Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery took place from the 15th through the 17th Century and featured a vast expansion of the European’s knowledge of the world. Two men played a crucial role in that era, Prince Henry the Navigator and Christopher Columbus. This episode discusses those two men, which form the opening chapters of the author’s book, The New World Discoverers. Learn about the explorers that led the exodus of settlers that flooded into the New World. Continue reading Podcast – The Age of Discovery – Exploring the New World