Europeans Search for New Trade Routes

1
Europeans Search for New Trade Routes

• In this lesson, students will be able to define
  the following terms
• Reasons for European Exploration of New Trade
  Routes
• Prince Henry the Navigator
• Bartholomeu Dias

2
During the 1300s and 1400s, Arab merchants
carried goods from Asia to the eastern end of the
Mediterranean Sea.
3
Trade With Asia

• During the 1300s and 1400s, Arab merchants
  carried goods from Asia to the eastern end of the
  Mediterranean Sea.
• Once Asian goods were brought to the
  Mediterranean, Italian city-states controlled the
  distribution of these goods.
• However, other European countries wanted to
  profit from this trade.

4
Other European countries wanted to profit
from trade with Asia. They began to search for
new trade routes.
5
Prince Henry the Navigator

• Prince Henry the Navigator helped the Portuguese
  with their search.
• He established a school for geographers,
  astronomers, and mapmakers.
• The Portuguese searched for new trade routes with
  Asia.

6
Prince Henry the Navigator was determined to
help Portuguese explorers discover new trade
routes.
7
Bartholomeu Dias

• In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias sailed around
  (circumnavigated) the southern tip of Africa.
• Dias named the southern tip of Africa, the Cape
  of Storms. However, the king of Portugal renamed
  it the Cape of Good Hope.
• The King did not want to frighten future
  explorers.

8
Dias was the first European explorer to
circumnavigate Africa.
9
Shifting Trade Routes

• As Europeans discovered that it was possible to
  circumnavigate Africa, they began to search for
  new trade routes.
• New trade routes would weaken the Italian
  city-states control of trade with Asia.
• New trade routes could greatly increase a
  nations revenue.

10
Once Dias proved that the circumnavigation of
Africa was possible, others followed.
11
Vasco da Gama found an all-water to Asia in 1498.
12
New trade routes shifted trade from the Silk Road
to the oceans and seas.
13
European ships began exploring the seas and
oceans in search of new trade routes.
14
Questions for Reflection

• What was the Silk Road and how did the Italian
  city-states benefit from trade with Asia?
• Why did European nations begin to search for new
  trade routes?
• Who was Prince Henry the Navigator and how did he
  help explorers?
• Who was Bartholomeu Dias and what did he prove?