1. Foundations of European Exploration
Today’s LEQ: What encouraged European exploration during the 1400s and 1500s?
Foundations of European Exploration

2. Age of Exploration
Between 1400 & 1700, a new world opened up for Europe
Voyages to new lands led to colonization, wealth, power, & the diffusion of goods & ideas

3. Why Explore?
The Three G’s:
Gold
Glory
God

4. The First G: Gold
Gold = hot item explorers were looking for but it’s really wealth they were after
Europeans also desired spices
Other natural resources would come to be sold for profit as well
timber, sugar, tobacco, ivory, etc.

5. The First G: Gold
This competition was enhanced by the idea of mercantilism – a nation’s strength depends on its wealth
More money = better military
Fixed amount of wealth

6. The Second G: Glory
The Renaissance fostered humanism – explorers hoped a great discovery would bring honor to their names; kings wanted glory for their country
Printing press made this possible
The Triumph of Fame, a Flemish tapestry from 1502.

7. The Third G: God
After the Reformation, competition springs up among Christian sects
Colonization & missionary work became a race to convert native peoples to a particular brand of Christianity

8. Advances in Technology
Advances in technology made the Age of Exploration possible
Navigational technology like the compass and astrolabe allowed sailors to plot courses even when out of sight of land
The caravel was a light, fast sailing ship that was easily maneuverable and could be armed

9. How did these explorations begin?
1st to encourage new explorations was Prince Henry of Portugal, known as “Prince Henry the Navigator”
Started an institute for seafaring and exploring
Combined ship technology learned from Islam with new European innovations

10. Explorers Chart
Using pages in your textbook, map the voyages of Portugal (purple) and Spain (blue)
On the back of your map, list each explorer and explain the significance of their voyages