The Age of Exploration 4 th grade Explorers By Tracy Sikes Mt.
Bethel Elementary Slide 2 4 th Grade Explorers 1.Christopher
Columbus 2.John Cabot 3.Juan Ponce de Leon 4.Vasco Nunez de Balboa
5.Jacques Cartier 6.Henry Hudson Slide 3 Trade with Asia begins
Marco Polo, from Italy, travels to China at age 17. The trip, began
in 1271, took 3 years. Stayed in China for 16 years. Worked for
Chinas ruler, Kublai Khan. Saw many new inventions: paper,
printing, gunpowder, as well as silk and spices. Returns to Italy
and writes a book. Not many believed his fantastic tales at first.
Christopher Columbus even had a copy of Polos book. Slide 4 The
Silk Road Not one road but several trade routes connecting China
and Europe. Merchants traveled to China to buy silk, spices, and
other goods. Traveled by caravan across the land. Wealthy Europeans
were willing to pay high prices. The Silk Road was dangerous:
thirst, hunger and attack by bandits. Slide 5 The Silk Road Slide 6
New Ideas in Europe Important changes took place in Europe in 1300s
and 1400s. Called the Renaissance or re-birth. A rebirth of
learning and knowledge. Changes in Technology: the printing press
Changes in Navigation: astrolabe, compass, & gunpowder. Slide 7
What happened to the Silk Road? Few Europeans made the trip of the
entire length of the Silk Road. Merchants were used along the way.
(a middle man) The Ottoman Empire, Turks, invaded and seized the
western end of the Silk Road. They did not allow the Europeans to
pass. Slide 8 A Sea Route to Asia The oceans of the world were a
mystery to most Europeans. Sailors were afraid of sailing off the
flat earth, of sea monsters, whirlpools, and of boiling waters.
Merchants believed that they would make more money if they found a
sea route to Asia. They wanted to make a profit. A sea route would
be longer than the Silk Road, but would be faster. Slide 9 Portugal
Leads the Way Portugal was the first to find a sea route. Sailed
around the southern tip of Africa. Prince Henry created a school of
navigation. Top secret! Brought in expert shipbuilders, mapmakers,
and sea captains. Invented the caravel, a small light ship with
triangular sails. Called Prince Henry The Navigator. Vasco da Gama
made it to India. Slide 10 Cristobal Colon Christopher Columbus,
from Italy. Did not want to go around Africa. Wanted to sail west.
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain paid for the trip.
Wanted gold and spices. Wanted to teach others their religion,
Roman Catholicism. Slide 11 Christopher Columbus 1492, sailed on 3
ships. Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria. Columbus had no maps to
help. Landed on the island, San Salvador. Thought he was in the
West Indies and named the natives, Indians. Also went to Cuba and
Hispaniola. Made 3 more voyages to the Caribbean Columbus took
corn, peanuts, potatoes, cacao, squash, and other plants back to
Europe. Slide 12 Giovanni Cabato John Cabot, an Italian explorer,
thought he could reach Asia by sailing across the Atlantic. The
King of England agreed to pay for his voyage in 1497. Cabot reached
present-day Canada. He found no people, no silk, or spices. He did
find a rich fishing area. European fishing boats began sailing to
these waters. Slide 13 Ponce de Leon Conquistadors from Spain
helped explore North America. Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztec
Empire in Mexico. Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca empire in
South America. Spain wanted gold. Spain wanted to share the
Catholic faith. Spain wanted land for colonies. The first
conquistador to reach what is now the United States was Juan Ponce
de Leon. Slide 14 La Florida De Leon was the first governor of
Puerto Rico. Went in search of new land, gold and a fountain that
would stop aging in 1513. The Fountain of Youth. Historians are not
sure but may have landed in Saint Augustine, Florida. Named Florida
after the Spanish word for Easter, Pascua de Florida. (feast of
flowers.) Made several voyages around Florida. Slide 15 Vasco Nunez
de Balboa Spanish explorer Sailed to present-day Panama in Central
America. In 1513, he crossed the mountains and jungles of Panama
and reached a large ocean. He called it the South Sea. Found gold
and pearls. Later would be called the Pacific Ocean. Slide 16 The
Northwest Passage Explorers now know that a new continent sits
between Europe and reaching Asia. Explorers continued their search
for a water passage through the North American continent. The sea
route became known as the Northwest Passage. Slide 17 France
Explores North America Jacques Cartier continued Frances search for
a water route to Asia. He sailed up the St. Lawrence River in
Canada in 1534. Claimed Canada for France. Samuel de Champlain
later founded Quebec. Many obstacles: cold, short growing season.
Fur trade became very important. Slide 18 Henry Hudson The Dutch
wanted to search for the Northwest passage as well. They hired
English captain, Henry Hudson in 1610. He sailed on the Hudson
River in present-day New York. The Dutch claimed the land. Later,
Hudson sailed for England in the Hudson Bay area of Canada. Slide
19 Vocabulary accomplishment conquistador cooperation empire
epidemic expedition explorer fur trading monarch navigation
obstacle Slide 20 So whats next? Colonizing North America!
