Analysis Guide

OBSERVE Who created this primary source? When was it created? Where does your eye go first?

REFLECT What was happening during this time period? What was the creator’s purpose in making this primary

source? What does the creator do to get his or her point across? What was this primary source’s audience?

QUESTION What do you see that you didn’t expect? What powerful words and ideas are expressed? What questions does it raise?

Waldseemueller Map - 1507

Reflection

Propose how U.S. history may have evolved differently if this map was not created.

All nations have laws to protect their antiquities. Why did the German government permit the Waldseemüller Map, World 1507 to come to the Library of Congress?

Video Clip

http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4060

Foundations of European Exploration

Today’s LEQ: What encouraged European exploration during the 1400s and 1500s?

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

Why Explore?

The Three G’s:GoldGloryGod

The First G: GoldGold = 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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Explorers Chart

Using pages 74-75 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

Economic Changes

During the 1500s, a new type of economic policy called mercantilism was developed A nation’s strength depended on its

wealth

Mercantilism

Wealth could be built in two ways: Extract gold and silver from mines at

home or in its colonies Create a favorable balance of trade -

sell more than you purchase from other countries▪ Subsidies▪ Tariffs▪ Colonization

Impact on Society

Towns and cities grew as business activity increased New class of wealthy merchants

emerged Most people remained poor

Rise of Capitalism

During the 1500s and 1600s, new economic system known as capitalism emerged Economic activity is operated by private

individuals or organizations Profit seeking

Wealthy merchants willing to invest in new business ventures

Rise of Capitalism Cont’d… Prices rise

Growing population = scarcity of goods Increase in European money supply

Joint-stock companies emerge Individual business ventures are too costly Investors pool their money together and buy

shares of companies If the company achieves a profit, shareholders

receive portion of profit depending on how many shares they own; If the company fails, investors only lose the money they invested

Map for Document Based Investigation

Create a Pitch!

Prepare a pitch to deliver to a financier whom you’re trying to convince to pay for your voyage.