Age of Exploration

Why did exploration take place? 1. The Crusades 1100-1300, Christians and Muslims fought holy wars for control of the Holy Land. Large numbers of Europeans traveled to the Middle East. Increase in trade with Arabs led to increased knowledge. Europeans learned about new instruments like the Magnetic Compass that made it easier to sail across large bodies of water.

Why did exploration take place? 2. Invention of the Printing Press With the Printing Press, large numbers of books could be printed at low cost. Books became more available, more people began to read. People learned more about the world around them.

Why did exploration take place. 3 Why did exploration take place? 3. European monarchs try to increase power and wealth Rulers of England, France, Portugal, and Spain looked for ways to increase their wealth. Wanted to trade with Asia, but Arab and Italian merchants controlled trade routes across the Mediterranean Sea, so they looked for a different route to Asia.

Why did exploration take place? 4. Wanted a shorter route to Asia to get spices Why spices? Preserve food Improve flavor (cinnamon, pepper, cloves) *Merchants knew they could make more profit if they traded directly with Asia.

Why did exploration take place? Gold, God, & Glory Some explorers desired fame and riches Others- mostly Catholic- wanted to spread their religion Decrease the influence of Muslims – Spread their culture through trade…Who brought the spices to Europe first?

Who were the Portugese leaders in exploration? Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) Paid for many explorations into Western Africa Believed path around Africa would be shortcut to Asia Founded a School of Navigation in 1450 which taught new methods of traveling across seas by using knowledge of ocean winds and currents

Who were some other Portugese leaders? Bartholomew Dias (1450 –1500) Rounded the southern tip of Africa in 1488 Named it the Cape of Good Hope Vasco de Gama (1469-1524) Reached the coast of India Took 317 days and 13,500 miles First European to discover a sea route to Asia

Who were the Spanish leaders in exploration? Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Italian who sailed for Spain Believed the shortest way to Asia was to sail directly west –tried in 1492 One of first Europeans to discover the Americas –The Bahamas Was responsible for beginning European exploration to the New World Voyages led to the eventual establishment of colonies in the New World

Christopher Columbus’ First Journey

Who was another other Spanish explorer? Ferdinand Magellan (1480 -1521) His crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe which proved the Earth was round. It took 3 years to return to Spain He was killed before they got home –died in the Philippines. Circumnavigate-To sail completely around

Ferdinand Magellan’s Trip Around the World

Who were some other famous explorers? Amerigo Vespucci From Italy Explored South America Marco Polo Traveled the Silk Road to China Jacques Cartier From France Explored the St. Lawrence Seaway Leif Erickson From Norway Explored Newfoundland, in Canada Pedro Cabral From Portugal Discovered the first sea route to Brazil Hernando Cortes •From Spain •Explored Latin America Ponce de Leon •Searched for the Fountain of Youth in Florida Francisco Pizarro Hernando Desoto •Discovered the Mississippi River Vasco de Balboa •Spain •Crossed the Isthmus of Panama •1st to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World

What countries held the major colonial empires? Portugese Empire

What countries held the major colonial empires? Spanish Empire

What countries held the major colonial empires? British Empire

What countries held the major colonial empires? French Empire

What were the effects of exploration? 1. Imperialism- One country controls the government or economy of another country in order to form an empire. Indigenous populations were forced to change their cultural traditions to those of the conquering country. Indigenous –born and living in a place, rather than coming from somewhere else Religious Conversion European monarchs were Christians Sent missionaries to convert indigenous people

What were the effects of exploration? 3. Spread of Disease Explorers spread disease to indigenous people because they didn’t have immunity (natural resistance to disease) Smallpox–only disease to be completely eradicated today Malaria–spread by mosquitoes Measles –can spread through fluids (nose/mouth) or airborne presents as a rash

What were the effects of exploration? 4. Slavery Increase in slave trade Purchased to work the land and replace many indigenous (native) people who had died from European diseases. Estimated 10-12 million Africans forced into slavery between 1500-1800.

What were the effects of exploration? 5. European countries became very competitive with one another. Each trying to become the MOST powerful Most land, most resources, most money, largest military