The Age of Exploration

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The Age of Exploration

• Chapter 18 Section One

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Why did the Age of Exploration begin?

• European countries had a more difficult time
  getting spices and silks from Asia since the
  Mongols lost control of the Silk Road.
• New Technology- Europeans adopted the astrolabe
  from the Arabs. This device helped find
  latitudes. Also the Chinese invented a compass
  which helped navigators find magnetic north.
  Finally, triangular sails allowed ships to travel
  in a zigzag path.
• Kings and Queens made money by taxing trade and
  therefore could afford expensive explorations.

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The Role of Maps

• By the 1400s most Europeans knew that the world
  was round, however there were no maps that
  expanded beyond the Mediterranean Sea.
• In 1406, the Europeans discovered a book
  Geography that contained hand drawn maps of the
  World by a Greek educated Egyptian scholar named
  Ptolemy.

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Ptolemy

• This book was mass produced during the
  Renaissance and was a strong influence on
  mapmakers during this time period.
• Ptolemy basic system of latitude and longitude
  are still used today.
• However, Ptolemy also believed that Earth was the
  center of the universe..hmmm.

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The Age of Exploration

• 1400s
• Four Strong Kingdoms- England, France, Spain, and
  Portugal
• Goal was to find a sea trade route to Asia.but
  what else would they discover?

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Portugal

• Since England and France were fighting the
  Hundred Years War and Spain was fighting the
  Muslims this gave Portugal the early jump in the
  area of exploration.
• Examine the map on page 662- Locate Portugal,
  can you make an educated guess as to what
  territories the Portuguese explorers would
  discover?

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Portuguese Explorers

• Henry the Navigator- Prince of Portugal. He set
  up a research center for shipbuilders, sailors,
  and cartographers to help him explore the world.
• Bartholomeu Dias- first to reach the southern tip
  of Africa, he named it the Cape of Good Hope.

• Vasco da Gama- Rounded the tip of Africa, across
  the Indian Ocean and landed on Indias coast- The
  water route to East Asia was discovered.
• Da Gama made several return trips to East Asia
  and settled several colonies in East Africa.

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Valuable Resource

• Portuguese discovered sugarcane on Africas coast
  line.
• Sugar was valuable to Europe, the Portuguese
  began bringing enslaved Africans to the islands,
  beginning the system of slave labor and slave
  trade.

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Spanish Explorers

• Christopher Columbus- Italian Explorer
• His plan was to reach the West Indies by going
  across the Atlantic Ocean.
• In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain
  sponsored his expensive voyage since they had
  finally driven the Muslims from Spain.
• Columbus landed in San Salvador an island near
  Cuba. However, he believed he was in Asia. He
  returned to the island three times, never
  realizing he was in the Americas.

• Ferdinand Magellan-
• 1st circumnavigation of the globe.
• Followed Columbuss route. He sailed around the
  Americas and discovered the Strait of Magellan.
• The Strait was stormy, when he arrived at the
  vast calm sea, he named it the Pacific Ocean
  because it was peaceful.
• Magellan did not survive his voyage because he
  was killed by the local people of the
  Philippines, however his crew completed the
  voyage.

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Spanish Explorers

• After the voyage of Columbus- Spain wanted to
  build a vast empire in the Americas.
• They enslaved Native Americas and forced them to
  grow sugarcane.
• Spanish nobles set out to the Americas with the
  hope of becoming rich, they were known as
  conquistadors. Two examples are
• Hernan Cortes- conquered the Aztecs
• Francisco Pizarro- conquered the Incas

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English and French Explorers

• English Explorers
• John Cabot-
• He wanted to find a northern route to Asia.
• Instead he found the southern coast of modern day
  Canada.
• On his 2nd trip he disappeared.

• French Explorers
• Jacques Cartier- 1st to explore the St. Lawrence
  River.
• Giovanni da Verrazano- mapped from North Carolina
  to Newfoundland, but never found a trade route to
  Asia.

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Mercantilism

• Definition- the idea that a country gains power
  by building up its supply of gold and silver.
• A country can achieve this if the export (sell to
  other countries) more than they import (buy goods
  from other countries)
• The idea of mercantilism leads to colonization.

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Colonization

• Definition- a settlement of people living in a
  new territory controlled by their home country.
• They are required to produce goods that their
  country does not have at home, so a their country
  does not have to import these items.
• Colonization would end if the subject people
  either become fully self-governing or become
  assimilated into the political structure of the
  colonial power on equal terms.

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Homework

• Search COLONIALISM on the www.historychannel.com
• Then summarize its meaning in your own words in
  1-2 paragraphs. Be ready to discuss on Block Day!

• Complete the Fads Worksheet for Block Day.