European Exploration

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European Exploration

• During the Great Convergence era (1400s-1600s)
  when Europeans set out to explore the world, and,
  as a result discovered other peoples and
  cultures (such as the Native Americans)

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Why did Europeans want to explore?

• Two reasons motivated Europeans to explore.
• Reason 1 Religion
• Christian Europeans believed that it would please
  God if they converted non-Christians to their
  faith.

3
Why did the Europeans want to explore?

• Reason 2 Trade
• In order to meet the needs of people living in
  Europe at that time.

• Europeans wanted metals for coins, weapons and
  tools and the European supply of metals was
  running low.
• Europeans wanted spices to flavor and preserve
  their food (there are no refrigerators at this
  time!).
• Wealthy Europeans desired silks for fine clothing.

4
Why did the Europeans need a water route?

• In the 1300s, Europeans were trading partners
  with Asians especially for spices and silks.
• This trade occurred over land through the Middle
  East along trade routes known as the Silk Road.

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Why did the Europeans need a water route?

• By the 1400s, Europeans desired to find water
  routes to Asia so that they did not have to
  conduct trade through the Middle East.
• It was considered dangerous to trade on land
  through the Middle East due to religious wars
  between Muslims and Christians. (These wars were
  called the Crusades.)

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Technology plays a role in the Age of Exploration

• Advances in technology also enabled the Europeans
  to begin to explore the world via water
• The Europeans borrowed many ideas from Muslims
  and Asians

• Technology 1 magnetic compass (from the
  Chinese) helped to determine direction

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Technology plays a role in the Age of Exploration

• Technology 2 astrolabe
• (rediscovered from the Ancient Greeks by the
  Muslims)
• The astrolabe enabled sailors to chart their
  ships location by using the stars

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Technology plays a role in the Age of Exploration

• Technology 3 caravels
• The caravel was new ship. It was lighter,
  faster, and easier to steer. It also had
  triangular sails which allowed the ship to sail
  against the wind.

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Turn to the next page in your notebook

• Title this page Christopher Columbus
• Divide your paper in half with a horizontal line
• On the top half of the page, create a brainstorm
  web with background knowledge about Christopher
  Columbus

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On the bottom half of your brainstorming page

• Columbuss mission was to sail west to Asia he
  was bring back items of value and to claim any
  lands he explored for Spain
• In August 1492, Columbus set sail with 3 ships
  (Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria), 90 sailors, and a
  years worth of supplies

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Columbus continued

• On October 12, 1492 Columbuss ships landed on an
  island in the Bahamas
• Columbus claimed the island and named it San
  Salvador (Holy Savior)

• Believing he had reached islands near India,
  Columbus pronounced the native peoples Indians.
• Really, the natives were the Taino.

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Turn to the next page in your notebook

• Create a T-chart-- on the left write
  Observations, on the right write Inferences
• Observations are things that can be touched on
  the screen
• Inferences are ideas about what the picture means
  based on your observations

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Encounter by Jane Yolen

• Title the next page in your notebook Encounter
  by Jane Yolen
• Make a prediction about the story based on the
  cover art work. What will the story be about?
  Who will be involved? Who are the people on the
  cover?
• What do the Taino give to the Spanish?
• What do the Spanish give to the Taino?
• Bulleted summary of story.