European Historical Context of the Age of Great Exploration

1
Europeans in Americas Unit Goals
1. To understand the reasons Europeans explored
beyond their borders 2. To understand the
differences among the early settlements of
various European countries 3. To understand
which factors led to the colonies different
development

2
European Historical Background for the Age of
Great Exploration
3
The Middle Ages (500-1300)

• Inward-looking period/ little travel
• Feudalism system of rule by strong nobles
  (lords) who owed loyalty to King/Queen
• Roman Catholic Church had great influence

4
(No Transcript)
5
Life on the Manor

• Lords owned the manor. Loyal to king
• Serfs (peasants) worked the land
• were not free to leave manor
• Manor living was self-contained everything
  needed was produced there

6
The Crusades (1095-1300)

• Holy Wars fought by Europeans to gain control
  of Holy Land (Jerusalem) from Turkish Muslims.
• Europeans were unsuccessful

7
Crusade
8
Effects of the Crusades

• Thousands of Christians from all over Europe
  joined them
• First time large numbers traveled beyond their
  villages/towns
• Learned of new foods/spices and trade goods

9
The Renaissance (late 1300s-1600)

• Time of curiosity, learning, and rebirth
• Scientific and technological developments
• Printing press invented by Gutenberg in Germany
  (1440s)
• Explorers set out to find sea route to Asia

10
Gutenbergs Printing Press
11
Caravel
12
Magnetic Compass
13
Astrolabe
14
Reflection Question

• Why did European rulers look for a sea route to
  Asia?

15
(No Transcript)