NO SETTLEMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY.--From the first voyage of Columbus to the expeditions of De Soto, Coronado, and Cartier, fifty years had passed. The coast of the new continent had been roughly explored as far north as Labrador on the east and California on the west. The Spaniards in quest of gold and silver mines had conquered and colonized the West Indies, Mexico, and parts of South America. Yet not a settlement had been made in our country. Many rivers and bays had been discovered; two great expeditions had gone into the interior; but there were no colonies on the mainland of what is now the United States. SUMMARY 1. The voyage of Columbus led to many other voyages, prompted chiefly by a hope of finding gold. They resulted in the exploration of the coast of America, and may be grouped according to the parts explored, as follows:-- 2. The Atlantic coast of North America was explored (1497-1535) by Cabot (for England)--from Newfoundland to South Carolina. Ponce de Leon (for Spain)--peninsula of Florida. Verrazano (for France)--from North Carolina to Newfoundland. Cartier (for France)--Gulf of St. Lawrence. 3. The Gulf and Caribbean coasts of North America were explored (1502- 1528) for Spain by Columbus--Central America. Ponce de Leon--west coast of Florida. Pineda--from Florida to Mexico. Narvaez expedition--from Florida to Texas. 4. The Atlantic coast of South America was explored (1498-1520) by Columbus--mouth of the Orinoco. Other explorers for Spain--whole northern coast. Cabral (for Portugal)--part of eastern coast. Vespucius (for Portugal)--eastern coast nearly to the Plata River. Magellan (for Spain)-- to the Strait of Magellan. 5. The Pacific coast of America was explored (1513-1542) for Spain by Balboa--part of Panama. Magellan--part of the southwest coast. Pizarro (note, p. 23)--from Panama to Peru. Cabrillo (note, p. 28)--from Mexico up the coast of California. 6. The Spaniards early established colonies in the West Indies, South America, and Mexico; but fifty years after Columbus's discovery there was no settlement of Europeans in the mainland part of the United States. Several Spanish expeditions, however, had explored (1534-1542) large parts of the interior:--Cabeza de Vaca and his companions walked from Texas to western Mexico, Coronado wandered from Mexico to Kansas. De Soto wandered from Florida beyond the Mississippi River. FOOTNOTES [1] This discovery made a great stir in Bristol, the port from which Cabot sailed. A letter written at the time states, "Honors are heaped upon Cabot. He is called Grand Admiral, he is dressed in silk, and the English run after him like madmen." The king gave him £10 and a pension of £20 a year. A pound sterling in those days was in purchasing power quite the equal of fifty dollars in our time.