1. Why Go West? Have you ever thought of a different way to approach something?

2. Spice Trade Even though the Silk Road and spice trail had been used for thousands of years, Europe had been cut off during the dark ages Marco Polo and His father and Uncle travelled to China, stayed with emperor Kublai Khan for three years Returned by sea by India, brought, spices, noodles, black powder and stories of wonders Europe craved the spices

3. Mapping the Coast Henry the Navigator of Portugal began to seek an alternate route, not through Muslim held lands Sent new ship called a Caravel out to map coast of Africa 50 -100 miles at a time Eventually reached the gold coast and opened trade routes

4. To Asia Portugal in a race with neighbor Spain to reach Asia by sea Vasco de Gama was 1 st European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope of Africa to India, insulted India’s people with cheap gifts, 5 yrs after Columbus Ferdinand Magellan sailed 20 yrs after Columbus and is credited with being 1 st to circumnavigate globe even though he was killed in Indonesia