WHY DID THIS ALL START? BEGINNING OF EXPLORATION

W H Y D I D T H I S A L L S TA RT ?

BEGINNING OF EXPLORATION

THINK BACK…

• Which topic that we talked about earlier this year spurred an interest in curiosity?

THE BEGINNINGS

• 1100s – Crusades • Christians and Muslims• Europeans came in contact with Asian countries• Battled for Holy Lands• Spices, silks, etc.

MARCO POLO

• 1275• Explored China – Kublai Khan• Wrote about what he saw• Many didn’t believe him at first• Which invention allowed people to read Marco

Polo’s journal entries in the 1400s?

DESIRE FOR WEALTH!

• Hoped to benefit from trade of spices and other luxuries from Asia• After Crusades – Demand for nutmeg, ginger,

cinnamon, and pepper• Demand for these goods greater than supply –

what do you think that meant for these prices?

ARABS AND ITALIANS

• Controlled trade of goods from East to West• Arabs sold Asian goods to Italian merchants, who

controlled trade routes of Mediterranean region • What type of price do you think Italian merchants

sold these goods at?

ITALIAN MERCHANTS

• Sold these goods at extremely high prices!• To avoid these Italian merchants…..

• NEEDED TO FIND A SEA ROUTE DIRECTLY TO ASIA!!!• European merchants and monarchs of England,

Portugal, Spain, and France desired this• Make sure you know these 4 countries – they will

lead the way for exploration

DESIRE TO SPREAD CHRISTIANITY!

• Crusades = hostility between Muslims and Christians• European nations believed they had to keep

fighting Muslims and convert non-Christians throughout the world

WANT TO ADD TO THEIR EMPIRES!

• These countries wanted to expand the boundaries of their empires as well• More land = more powerful

MOTTO OF THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

GOD, GLORY, GOLD!!!!

ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY

• 1200 – Couldn’t sail against the wind• Now they could!• Borrowed ship design model from the Muslims

they encountered in Crusades• Caravel – Ship with Triangular lanteen sails that

could sail against the wind • Under-deck made room for items to be traded

CARAVEL

OTHER NAVIGATIONAL TECHNIQUES

• Compass• N, S, E, W• Actually invented by Chinese

• Astrolabe• Could determine location on sea• Brass circle with adjusted rings marked off in degrees. Using

the stars, could tell how north or south of Equator he was.• Muslims had perfected this device

• Improved Maps• Sextant• Measured angular distances• Could measure altitude

SEXTANT

WHAT IS AN ASTROLABE?

• https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_demos_the_13th_century_astrolabe?language=en

IN CASE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN A COMPASS BEFORE…

PRINCE HENRY OF PORTUGAL

• Most enthusiastic supporter of exploration• Began dreaming of exploration in 1415 when he

conquered Muslim city of Ceuta in North Africa• Found cinnamon, cloves, and other SPICES• Also wanted to spread Christian faith

HENRY CONTINUED

• Founded navigation school• Mapmakers, instrument makers, shipbuilders, sea

captains & scientists went to perfect their trade.• Began creeping down west coast of Africa• Died in 1460 – but Portuguese had established

trading posts along shores of Africa• Traded GOLD and IVORY• Eventually traded for African slaves

EXPLORATION BEGINS

• Portuguese believed they would have to sail around the southern tip of Africa to reach Asia by sea!• First Portuguese explorer – Bartolomeu Dias

DIAS

• 1487• Encountered huge storm• Ships had been blown around tip of Africa to other

side• Explored southeast coast of Africa and then

continued sailing to India• Running low on supplies and exhausted so they

turned around

DIAS AND MAP

SO…WHY DID EUROPEANS EXPLORE?

• Compose a List

WHY DID EUROPEANS EXPLORE?

• Get to Asia for trade• Curiosity about other lands (Renaissance ideas)• Reformation – missionaries• Monarchs seeking new source of revenue• Technological Advances• Fame and Fortune