2.  The Age of Exploration refers that time from the 1400s-1600s when many explorers took great risks to sail the seas and explore unknown lands. What things would have motivated them to do this? Try to list 3-5 ideas.

3. A new age of European exploration, discovery, expansion, and settlement began in the 1400s. What was going on at that time???  Renaissance  Population Increase  Centralization of Power (State-building)  New technology

4.  GOD  Desire to spread Christianity to the “uncivilized.”  GOLD  Find gold, spices, and other riches.  GLORY  To become famous; associated with Renaissance spirit of curiosity

5.  First explorers – looking for a new trade route to Asia.  Land – too long and too dangerous  Arabs and Italians were the middlemen between Europe and East Asia.  Merchants wanted to bypass them and find a direct route.  How? Go around tip of Africa.

6.  Extremely valuable  Were used to preserve and flavor food, in medicine, and in perfume.  Where? Moluccas – island chain in present-day Indonesia. “Spice Islands”  How? New technology and improved knowledge (prior to 1400s, ships could not sail against wind)  Caravel, astrolabe, magnetic compass, better maps, better knowledge of wind patterns.

8.  Portugal led the way in the Age of Exploration.  Location – already traded along coast of Africa  Traded gold, ivory, slaves  Prince Henry – founded a school for navigators in 1419.  Bartolomeu Dias – 1488 – first person to round the southern tip of Africa – Cape of Good Hope  Vasco da Gama – 1498 – first person to reach India by this route  Very profitable…several thousand % (ginger, cinnamon)

9.  Portugal’s success in Asia made other countries jealous, especially Spain.  Christopher Columbus  Rejected by Portugal, sponsored by Ferdinand and Isabella  His idea: sail west across the Atlantic to reach Asia  Thought it would only take a few weeks  Underestimated the circumference of the Earth  Didn’t know the Americas existed  Left Spain in August 1492; reached land on Oct 12.

10.  Believed he had reached the East Indies.  “Indians”  Was really in the Bahamas.  Made 3 return visits; claimed land for Spain; exploitation of natives; empire building  Why America? Amerigo Vespucci  Columbus died in 1506, still believing he had reached Asia.  Line of Demarcation/Treaty of Tordesillas

11.  Was Portuguese but sailed for Spain  Left Spain on Sept 20, 1519  5 ships; 277 men  1 ship was lost along the coast of S America  1 ship (most supplies) mutinied  Strait of Magellan – Pacific Ocean  Ate rats, maggots, and sawdust to survive  Scurvy was common (rotted gums, gangrene)  3 ships made it to the Philippines.  3 G’s accomplished.

12.  Spread Christianity to natives after performing a faith healing on the king’s brother  Set up trade with the king  Trade route west to Asia  Magellan was killed in battle here.  Only 1 ship (Victoria) makes it back to Spain in 1522 with 18 men.