Intro: Age of Exploration Mr. Gouge’s Social Studies Class

Barriers to European Exploration Some believed the world was flat Religious customs conflicted with some scientific methods The Crusades further divided many cultures The average person was afraid of the unknown open seas Lack of technology and experience sailing distances Dangers of the Silk Road Rise of the Ottoman Empire Dangers of travel through sub-Saharan Africa

New Technology Emerges Caravels: A small but sturdy and fast sailing ship used by the Portuguese to travel great distances and hold large amounts of supplies Compass: A magnetized instrument that shows true north direction regardless of your location on Earth Astrolabe: An instrument used to tell the altitude of objects based on celestial bodies (IE: using the moon and stars to gauge how far/high objects are) Cartography: The science of making accurate maps Sextant: An instrument that measures angles and distance based on the horizon and celestial bodies

Catalysts for European Exploration Europe is running out of many natural resources Discovery of accurate Viking maps Success of Portugal’s Prince Henry Explorations Technology is advancing Desire for money Trade with Asia via new routes

Unexpected Outcomes of Exploration Many nations were competing for the same new lands Continued wars in Europe limited resources for exploration Differences in language/culture barred any collaboration New diseases that Europeans had never built immunities against Exploration led to new peoples that Europe intended to control and convert