What was the Northwest Passage believed to be?

What was the Northwest Passage believed to be?

Northwest Passage, historical sea passage of the North American continent. It represents centuries of effort to find a route westward from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the Arctic Archipelago of what became Canada.

What did nations want from the Northwest Passage?

The Northwest Passage is a sea corridor connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Canada's Arctic Archipelago islands and along the northern-most coast of North America. Europeans searched for 300 years to find a viable sea trade-route to Asia.

Where did the explorers think the Northwest Passage was?

Explorers believed that the Northwest Passage was generally located to the north of or in the northern parts of North America, yet the passage proved…

What was the Northwest Passage quizlet?

What was the Northwest Passage? It was a way to get from Europe to Asia, traveling through or around North America to the northwest.

Why was the Northwest Passage so important?

The Northwest Passage represented a new route to the established trading nations of Asia. England called the hypothetical northern route the "Northwest Passage." The desire to establish such a route motivated much of the European exploration of both coasts of North America, also known as the New World.

Why did French settlers search for a Northwest Passage?

The English and the French were hopeful that they could find a “Northwest Passage,” a water route that would lead them through North America to the Pacific Ocean. Then they could sail to the Spice Islands and grow wealthy.

Why did many Europeans want to find the Northwest Passage?

The English and the French were hopeful that they could find a “Northwest Passage ” a water route that would lead them through North America to the Pacific Ocean. Then they could sail to the Spice Islands and grow wealthy.

Why is the Northwest Passage so important?

The Northwest Passage (NWP) is a shipping route that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and makes shipping shorter and cheaper for companies travelling from Asia to North America.

Why were the many searches for a Northwest Passage significant?

Why were the many searches for a Northwest Passage significant? They raised European interest in North America. For which country did Jacques Cartier claim land during his two trips to Canada in 1534 and 1535?

Why do you think a Northwest Passage was so difficult to find?

In the past the Northwest Passage has been virtually impassable because it was covered by thick year-round sea ice. However in recent years climate change is allowing commercial traffic to pass through the Arctic via this once-impossible route.

What countries were in search of the Northwest Passage?

Francisco de Ulloa. The Spanish referred to The Northwest Passage as the "Straight of Anián." In 1539, Spanish explorer Francisco de Ulloa, funded by Hernán Cortés, set sail from Acapulco, Mexico, in search of a Pacific route to the Northwest Passage.

What was the Northwest Passage and why were the English looking for it?

In 1609, the merchants of the Dutch East India Company hired English explorer Henry Hudson to find the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Hudson navigated along the North American coast looking for a more southern, ice-free route across the North American continent to the Pacific Ocean.

What impact did the search for the Northwest Passage have on exploration and colonization?

The Legacy The Northwest Passage is important because those European explorers explored all the lands of North America. They sailed down the St. Lawrence River, through the Great Lakes, down the Mississippi. They established trading posts with Native Americans and they scouted and mapped the terrain.

Who explored the Northwest Passage?

John Cabot, a Venetian navigator living in England, became the first European to explore the Northwest Passage in 1497. He sailed from Bristol, England, in May with a small crew of 18 men and made landfall somewhere in the Canadian Maritime islands the following month.

What did the Europeans hope to gain from the Northwest Passage?

The English and the French were hopeful that they could find a “Northwest Passage ” a water route that would lead them through North America to the Pacific Ocean. Then they could sail to the Spice Islands and grow wealthy.

What were these explorers looking for?

Along with the idea of looking for new trade routes, they also hoped to find new sources of gold, silver, and other valuables. Additionally, Europeans saw exploration as a way to bring Christianity to other cultures that lived in other lands.

Why does Canada want the Northwest Passage?

The passage gives the country who owns it, a new trade route which could save up to 7000 km of distance (this would reduce travel time by up to 20 days) as well as bringing huge economical benefits in terms of transportation and trade relationships to the country that owns it.

Who was looking for the Northwest Passage?

In 1609, the merchants of the Dutch East India Company hired English explorer Henry Hudson to find the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Hudson navigated along the North American coast looking for a more southern, ice-free route across the North American continent to the Pacific Ocean.

Why did Britain want the Northwest Passage?

The English and the French were hopeful that they could find a “Northwest Passage,” a water route that would lead them through North America to the Pacific Ocean. Then they could sail to the Spice Islands and grow wealthy. An early English explorer was John Cabot.

What was the impact of the Northwest Passage?

By opening the Northwest Passage to free trade, Canada could increase its standing with other world powers. Allowing them free trade through Canada's waters would improve their relationship with Canada, as well as increase the potential for Canada to benefit from cheaper trade.

Why did John Franklin want the Northwest Passage?

In 1845, two decades after his last mission to the Arctic, Sir John Franklin set out in search of the illusive Northwest Passage which, it was hoped, might provide a lucrative shortcut for trade ships between the Pacific and the Atlantic. He was never to return.

What did Europeans learn from their search for a Northwest Passage?

Q: What did the Europeans learn from their search for a Northwest Passage? A: North America was a land rich in resources; there was no water route through South, Central, or North America. Q: Why were Europeans willing to pay for expensive voyages to find the Northwest Passage?

Who were the explorers of the Northwest Passage?

Roald Amundsen In 1850, Irish Arctic explorer Robert McClure and his crew set sail from England in search of Franklin's lost expedition. McClure confirmed the existence of the route when his crew became the first to traverse the Northwest Passage—by ship and over the ice on sled—in 1854.

Why did Europeans come to the Pacific Northwest?

When Russian voyages to Alaska in the 1720s and 1740s threatened the North Pacific coastline that Spain claimed, they motivated Spain to send expeditions to the Northwest Coast, as well as to establish missions, forts, and towns along the California coast.

What is the Northwest Passage and why is it important?

The Northwest Passage (NWP) is a shipping route that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and makes shipping shorter and cheaper for companies travelling from Asia to North America.

Why is the Northwest Passage important to Canada?

By opening the Northwest Passage to free trade, Canada could increase its standing with other world powers. Allowing them free trade through Canada's waters would improve their relationship with Canada, as well as increase the potential for Canada to benefit from cheaper trade.

What were European motives for exploration?

Historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration and colonization in the New World: God, gold, and glory.

Why did Spain explore the Pacific Northwest?

The expedition's objective was to evaluate the Russian penetration of Alaska, search for a Northwest Passage, and capture James Cook if they found him in Spanish waters. Spain had learned about Cook's 1778 explorations along the coast of the Pacific Northwest.

What were the 3 main reasons for exploration?

Overview. Historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration and colonization in the New World: God, gold, and glory.

What was the main reason for exploration?

Explorers saw the chance to earn fame and glory, as well as wealth. As new lands were discovered, nations wanted to claim the lands' riches for themselves. A final motive for exploration was the desire to spread Christianity beyond Europe. Both Protestant and Catholic nations were eager to make new converts.