1. Unit 1: Welcome to the New World
Topic 1: Exploration – The Amazing Race
Topic 2: Colonization – Word to Your Mutha’ Country
Topic 3: Pre-Independence - You Gotta Fight For Your Right!

2. What does it mean to explore?
ex·plo·ra·tion
Noun
1. an act or instance of exploring or investigating; examination.
2. the investigation of unknown regions.

3. Where do we see exploration today?
List as many reasons as you can think of:

4. Where do we see exploration today?
Technological Advances
Science
Medicine
Energy
Ocean Floor
Space
Talk about the Space Race after video – why was US and USSR rushing to get to space? Then you will be able to draw similarities as to why Europe was rushing to get to New World

5. Why don’t we see more exploration of land in the 21st Century?

6. Why don’t we see more exploration of land in the 21st Century?
Most of the globe is already “owned” and discovered.
The land that is “available” does not have ample natural resources to allow for permanent settlements.

7. The Age of Discovery
As the Middle Ages came to a close, the Age of Discovery began. What do you think sparked the great era of discovery and exploration? List at least three reasons or events…

8. Reasons for Exploration
Western Europeans were introduced to many new items during the Crusades and Marco Polo’s travels to China. (Spices, precious metals, silk, etc.)
Turks captured Constantinople in 1453 – blocked land trade to Far East.
Genoa and Venice became international trade centers and dominated the trading market.
Spanish and Portuguese wanted to establish routes to the Middle East.
Renaissance era – intellectual awaking of Europe
New technologies emerged allowing explorers to sail far from shoreline. (magnetic compass, astrolabe, hydrographic charts)
New financing with European governments allowed for voyages of exploration. Most important!

9. Who were the first major explorers of the New World?
Why did they come here?

10. We know Native Americans occupied the New World first
We know Native Americans occupied the New World first. However, Explorers from other countries happened upon it and this began the Amazing Race to rule North America.
Why did they explore?

11. Explorers Set Sail To… Find a sea route to the spices of Asia
Find gold, silver, and precious stones to bring back to their mother country
Mother country = country of origin
Expand their knowledge of the world
Control a larger empire
Expand Christianity
Find animal furs

12. Find a sea route to the spices of Asia
In the years of exploration (1400’s – 1600’s) there was no refrigeration. To prevent food from spoiling people relied on salt to preserve it. They then used other spices to cover up the salty taste.
Most spices did not grow in Europe to those countries set out to find them in Asia.

13. Find gold, silver, and precious stones
Europeans sought gold & silver to pay for their expensive wars.
These precious stones were mostly found in Asia.

14. Expand their knowledge of the world
While many people during this time period thought the world was flat, Europeans believed otherwise and set out to explore the ROUND world hoping to broaden their horizons.

15. Control a larger empire
Most European countries were in a race to control as much land as possible.
They wanted all the natural resources from the land and then use the people that already lived there as slaves to do the work.

16. Expand Christianity
Believed it was their duty to spread the word of their religion.

17. Find animal furs
Animal furs were big business in Europe but mostly found in the New World….hence exploration there.

18. Review Activity
Go back to each of the 6 reasons countries explored the New World and create a visual that represents each idea.
This visual will help you remember this reason as we study for the final assessment.