UNIT 1 SECTION 3: THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

World HistoryChevalierFall 2011

Europeans Explore the Seas

During the Crusades, many luxury goods came from Asia to Europe

Mongol Empire united must of Asia in the 1200’s-1300’s-more goods flowed to Europe.

Europeans Explore the Seas

Black death, break-up of Mongol Empire disrupted trade, but by the 1400’s, more trade goods came to Europe, especially spices. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper Used as food preservative, flavor enhancer,

medicines and perfumes

Europeans Explore the Seas

Spice Islands(present day Indonesia)-main source of spices for Europeans

Motives For Exploration 1. Desire for wealth-Europeans wanted

direct access to the riches of Asia Portugal, then Spain, sought a sea route to Asia

that bypassed the Med. (no canal yet) 2. Religion-Many Christians wanted to

continue a crusade against Muslims, whished to spread their religion to other lands.

3.Curiosity and Adventure-The Renaissance spirit fired people’s desire to learn more about lands beyond Europe.

Motives For Exploration

Improved Technology 1. Cartographers (mapmakers)-created

more accurate maps and sea charts 2. Astrolabe-navigational tool used to

determine latitude at sea (video) 3. Caravel-large ship used by the

Portuguese-combines square (European) sails with triangular (Arab) sails, rudder and masts of Chinese ships-added weaponry (canon) (hybrid)

Astrolabe

Caravel

Portugal Sails Eastward By the 1400s, Portugal led the way in

exploration

Mapping the African Coast Henry the Navigator AKA Prince Henry of

Portugal- Gathered scientists, cartographers and other

experts He trained captains and crews for long

voyages Sent ships to explore the west coast of Africa

Wanted to establish a profitable trading empire in Asia

Wanted to spread Christianity across the continent

Prince Henry of Portugal

Portugal Sails Eastward 1488-Bartholomeu Dias rounded the

Cape of Good Hope (southern tip of Africa)

Opened the way for a sea route to Asia Goes to Cape of Good Hope, stops and comes

back His expedition opened up another way to Asia.

Traders could now bypass the overland route, which was dangerous and full of middlemen.

Bartholomeu Dias Voyage

Portugal Sails Eastward On to India Vasco da Gama- 1497-sailed Cape of

Good Hope, reached India in 10 months Disastrous voyage home-many sailors died of

thirst, hunger, and scurvy (disease caused by lack of vitamin C)

Limey He brought back spices from India, returned in

1502-Portuguese seized key ports around the Indian Ocean, created a vast trading empire

Dominant for about 100 years

Vasco Da Gama

Columbus Sails to the West

Christopher Columbus-navigator from Genoa, Italy-planned to sail west, hoped to find a shortcut

Portugal wouldn’t fund his voyage, but he persuaded Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain to finance his trip-they were seeking new sources of wealth and eager to spread Christianity Riches, glory and fame were promised

Columbus Sails to the West

Aug. 3, 1492-began voyage heading west across the Atlantic with 3 ships: The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria-spotted land on Oct. 12 (Bahamas)-called the natives Indians because he thought he was in the Indies(islands of SE Asia)-after returning to Spain and making 3 more voyages, he remained convinced he had reached Asia (many began to realize…)

Columbus’ Journey

Columbus Route

Prototype of Columbus’s Ships

Replicas

Line of Demarcation Portugal and Spain-Both laid claims to

lands explored by Columbus-to keep the peace, Pope Alexander VI set a Line of Demarcation dividing the non European world into two zones: Trading/exploring rights west of the line: Spain East of the line: Portugal Recognized by both countries in the Treaty of

Tordesillas (1494)

Line of Demarcation

Naming the New World 1507- A German cartographer, reading

reports written by Italian Amerigo Vespucci, labeled the new region America-islands explored by Columbus in the Caribbean were called the West Indies.

1507-Universalis Cosmographia

The Search Continues Vasco Nunez de Balboa- Spain- Crossed isthmus of Panama; came to a

huge body of water, called it the South Sea

Juan Ponce de Leon-Spain- Was searching for the legendary fountain

of youth, discovered Florida

Nunez De Balboa’s Route

Magellan Ferdinand Magellan-Spain- 1519-his 5 ships sailed around South

America-put down at least two mutinies- Will take a different route in dealing with them

Faced brutal storms around the tip of South America- becomes known as the Strait of Magellan- entered Balboa’s south Sea; renamed it the Pacific (peaceful) ocean.

Ferdinand Magellan

Circumnavigating the Globe

Most of Magellans’s crew wanted to return home, but he wanted to push on to the Spice Islands- Took 4 months to cross the Pacific Reach Philippines in 1521 Magellan killed in local conflict with natives One ship and 18 sailors make it back to Spain

on Sep. 8, 1522 Trip took 3 years First crew to circumnavigate the globe

Magellan’s Route

Searching for a Northwest Passage

English, Dutch, and French searched the coast of North America for a Northwest Passage to Asia (Spain never did) Passage never found but exploration led to

new claims in the New World:

Northwest Passage 1.John Cabot-Italian who sailed for

England Found rich fishing grounds off

Newfoundland(Canada), claimed it for England 1497; claimed Newfoundland for England

Cabot’s Route

Exploring the North 2. Jacques Cartier(France)- explored the

St. Lawrence river 3. Henry Hudson-(sailing for the Dutch)-

explored the Hudson River and Hudson Bay

Hudson’s Route

Hudson’s Voyage