The Search for Spices. Warm-Up Do you think Columbus “discovered” America? Why or why not?

The Search for Spices

Warm-Up

Do you think Columbus “discovered” America? Why or why not?

Europeans Explore the Seas

As Europe’s population grew, so did the demand for trade goods Most demanded items were SPICES:

clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper Used to preserve food, add flavor &

make medicine/perfume Chief source of Spices: Asia (Spice

Islands) European explorers wanted to gain

direct access to Asia

Improved Technologies

Astrolabe- Device used to measure the angles of the sun and stars above the horizon; determined latitude

Caravel- Ship that combined the square sails of the Europeans with triangular sails of Arabs; easier to sail across or into wind

Portugal’s Voyages to the East

Henry the Navigator gathered scientists, cartographers & other experts to send out ships

Bartholomeu Dias- Rounded the southern tip of Africa Cape of Good Hope- opened the way for a sea

route to Asia Vasco da Gama- Reached spice port in

India Journey took a heavy toll. Many sailors died of scurvy-disease caused by

lack of vitamin C

Columbus’ Voyages to the West

Columbus wanted to reach the Indies by sailing west across the Atlantic Did Columbus think the world was flat?

Greatly underestimated the size of the earth

Unaware that two continents stood in his path

Voyages of Columbus

“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue”

Ferdinand & Isabella of Spain financed his journey

Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria He believed he reached the Indies

Indians

Line of Demarcation

Spain & Portugal rushed to claim lands that Columbus explored

Line of Demarcation- divides the Non-European world into two zones Spain had exploration rights in any

lands west of line Portugal had rights east of line

Naming the New World

Italian sailor Amerigo Vespucci wrote reports about the “New world” Mapmaker labeled region America Islands Columbus explored became

known as West Indies

The Search Continues

Ferdinand Magellan- set out from Spain. Charted a passage that became known

as Strait of Magellan at tip of South America

His crew was first to circumnavigate-sail around- the world. (he died on the voyage)

Search for a Northwest Passage

English, Dutch & French searched for a northwest passage to Asia

John Cabot- found rich fishing grounds off Newfoundland; he claimed for England

Henry Hudson- Sailed for the Dutch, explored the Hudson River Hudson Bay