1. Age of Exploration

2. Crusades Led to More Trade!!
After the Crusades many Europeans brought back new spices and gold to Europe.
Many traders were willing to risk their lives to travel by land on trade routes to bring back spices, gold, and many other luxury items.

3. Crusades Led to More Trade!!
Trade goods were very expensive when they reached Europe because so many merchants and traders were involved in getting goods to Europe.
Cities like Venice, Italy, developed a Monopoly on trade because of their location on the Mediterranean Sea.
Monopoly = When someone has complete control over trade or a certain type of business.

4. New Advances in Technology Leads to More Trade!!!
Europeans did not know a lot about the world outside of Europe for a long time
The Crusades, which led to an increase in trade, and the travels of Marco Polo, made Europeans grow more interested in Exploration!!!

5. New Advances in Technology Leads to More Trade!!!
By the 1300’s some sailors who created maps began creating coastal charts
These charts showed the sailing course, the ports, and where ships would anchor.

6. Sun, Moon, Stars
On the open sea explorers only had the sun, moon and stars to rely on – there was no G.P.S or MapQuest!!!
Imagine being on a ship, and as far as the eye can see you are surrounded by nothing but water, would you be able to use the stars to figure out which way to go?

7. Bad Weather
Sailors had to deal with unpredictable, and terrible weather conditions, like winds, storms, and huge waves, that could throw them off course.

8. New Tools
Sailors had navigational tools like the compass, and the astrolabe, that could help guide sailors on their course
Astrolabe = instrument used to make astronomical measurements using the stars to find latitude

9. The Caravel
A Prince interested in exploration had ship builders create a new type of ship that would make sailing the seas easier.
The caravel was designed to be faster, and easier to maneuver or turn.
This vessel, or ship, was large enough to hold supplies for a crew of 20 and still had room to bring back anything the explorers found in other lands.

10. Why Did Everyone Want to Go Exploring?
The 1st and most important reason for going exploring was the desire to get RICH from trading spices and Gold!!!

11. Why Did Everyone Want to Go Exploring?
2nd Reason: Rich Europeans wanted spices, silks, and other luxury goods that came from far off lands like India, and China.
This led Explorers to try and find quick overseas routes to these countries.

12. Why Did Everyone Want to Go Exploring?
3rd Reason: Kings and Queens wanted more land.
Explorers would often ask for money to go on expeditions to find new land.
The explorers wanted to get rich and famous, while the King and Queen got to claim new land and set up Colonies.
Colonies = Settlements owned by a country, but in a different land.

13. Why Did Everyone Want to Go Exploring?
4th Reason: The Crusades left Europeans feeling like it was their duty to bring Christianity to non-believers in other parts of the world.

14. Why Did Everyone Want to Go Exploring?
Spain and Portugal had long been fighting Muslims. They felt if they converted other lands to Christianity, they would have more allies to fight against Muslims.
Jesuit priests often accompanied explorers like Cortez on their voyages.