16th century in North American history 16th century in North American history The historical record in North America begins in the second half of the 16th century, with ongoing European exploration. Giovanni da Verrazzano explored the East Coast of North America from Florida to presumably Newfoundland in 1524. Jacques Cartier made a series of voyages on behalf of the French crown in 1534 and explored the St. Lawrence River. André Thevet's "The new found worlde, or Antarctike" is an English translation of Thevet's "Les singularitez de la France antarctique", first published in 1558. André Thevet was a Franciscan friar who accompanied Villegagnon in 1555 when he
European hand fans in the 18th century European hand fans in the 18th century Hand fans first arrived in Europe in the 15th century from Asia and became popular in the 16th century. Several fan styles were common and a plethora of materials were used to create them. Subject matter varied greatly, from Biblical scenes to landscapes. Hand fans serve as a cooling mechanism, social instrument, and fashion accessory. Fans were used throughout history, and can be traced back as long as five thousand years ago. They developed in ancient Egypt, India, and China where they were used for ceremonies and practical purposes. In the 12th century,