Age of Exploration

Prince Henry the Navigator 1394-1460

Born in Portugal Founded school of

navigation and mapmaking, shipbuilding

Caravel faster, lighter ship

Organized expeditions to explore Africa

Believed Asia could be reached by sailing around Africa

Actually never sailed!

Christopher Columbus

1451-1506 Born in Italy Sailed for Spain Believed shortest route

to Asia(India) could be reached by sailing west across the Atlantic

Landed in the Bahamas, believing he had arrived in India

Discovered a continent unknown to Europeans -

“New World”

John Cabot 1450-1499

Born in Italy Sailed for England Sailed west and found

modern day Canada “Newfoundland” explored

the Canadian coastline and named many of its islands and capes

Searched for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia (a seaway to Asia)

Britain's claim to Canada

Vasco de Gama

1460-1524 Born in Portugal Sailed for Portugal Set up trading ports along

the coast of Africa, increased trade

Was the first to discover a sea route to Asia by reaching India

His success made the spices and riches of Asia available to Europe

Ferdinand Magellan

1480-1521 Born in Portugal Sailed for Portugal, then

Spain Looking for a shortcut to

Asia His crew was the first to

circumnavigate the world-he died on the voyage.

Proved the earth was round

Named the Pacific Ocean

Bartolomieu Dias

1457-1500 Portuguese navigator

explored Africa’s coast Led the first European

expedition to sail around Africa's Cape of Good Hope

Opened up lucrative trading routes from Europe to Asia

Sailed near South America on the way to Africa

Among the first Europeans to see Brazil

Bartolomieu Dias’s Voyages

The Age of Exploration marked the beginning of

Portuguese imperial power and wealth. At the start of the fifteenth century Portugal had an economy dependent on maritime trade with Northern Europe. Although Portugal lacked the wealth of its contemporaries, it would lead the European community in the exploration of sea routes to the African continent, the Atlantic Islands, and to Asia and South America over the course of the sixteenth century. (1400-1500’s)

Portugal was responsible for starting the slave trade in Africa

Portuguese Empire

Several factors contributed to Portugal becoming the pre-eminent European pioneer in maritime exploration.

The first was its geographical position along the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, which allowed for the natural development of a seafaring tradition.

The second was the evolution of a complex maritime economy in which the port cities of Lisbon and Oporto became the commercial centers of the country. The merchant community used these port cities as their base of operations from which they financed the majority of the various exploration and trading ventures.

The third was a stable monarchy that encouraged trading and exploration.

Portugal had outposts in Africa, India, South Pacific Islands and Japan