Do Now: If it were possible, would you want to explore a distant galaxy? Why or why not?

Aim: How successful was the Age of Exploration?

I What was the Age of Exploration?

A)From the 15 - 17th centuries, Western Europe increased its exploration of the world. B)This was due to

1. The Renaissance and Scientific Revolution increasing Europeans curiosity about the world

2. The Ottoman Turks blocked access to the Silk Road. Europeans needed to find an alternative route to the East for trade.

3. Newly formed European nation states competed for colonies overseas. This led to the new economic system of mercantilism.

Mercantilism is an economic system where the parent nation exploits the

resources of its colonies.

III Improved TechnologyPortolan Maps Magnetic

CompassCaravel Ships Astrolabe

Lines on portolan maps radiated out from compass points. Showed navigators how to get to key ports.

The magnetic compass was an improvement on the Chinese compass. Used an iron needle that aligns with the Earth’s north-south magnetic poles.

Caravel ships were built by the Portuguese and Spanish. Unlike medieval ships, they could go against the wind, and long distances.

Astrolabes were used since ancient times. Navigators looked through it at the sun or a star and determined its angle using the degrees marked on the instrument. Helped them determine the ship’s latitude and local time.

Caravel Ships

V Portugal’s 1st ExplorersA) Portuguese and Spanish explorers made the first European

voyages into unknown waters during the Age of Exploration.

Portugal and Spain’s 1st Explorers Continued…Henry “The Navigator”

(1394 – 1460)Bartolomeu Dias(1451 – 1500)

Vasco de Gama(1460 – 1524)

1. Created a naval school to make better maps & ships, and train for long voyages2. Claimed the Azores islands off Western Africa3. Began exploring West Coast of Africa & establishing colonies.

In 1488 he sailed around the Cape of Good Hope (the southern tip of Africa). Due to the intense wind he turned back.

In 1497 he sailed east from Europe, around Africa, then went on to India.

Excerpt from Vasco de Gama’s JournalOn the following day (November

10) fourteen or fifteen natives came to where our ship lay. The

captain-major landed and showed them a variety of

merchandise, with the view of finding out whether such things

were to be found in their country. This merchandise included

cinnamon, cloves, seed-pearls, gold, and many other things, but it was evident that they had no

knowledge whatever of such articles, and they were

consequently given round bells and tin rings.

Portugal and Spain’s 1st Explorers Continued…

Christopher Columbus(1451 – 1506)

1. Born in Genoa, Italy2. With financing from Spain, he sailed 3 ships west, looking for India. *He knew the earth was round.3. He landed in the Bahamas, but thought he was in India.4. Columbus opened up exploration and trade to the “New World”.

Ferdinand Magellan(1480 – 1521)

1. From Portugal. His goal was to circumnavigate (sail around) the world.2. He set sail August 10, 1519 with 5 ships and 251 men.3. In 1521 Magellan was killed in the Philippines.4. In 1522 one ship returned with 18 survivors.

VI Consequences of the Age of ExplorationWhich are positive? Which are negative? Any “gray area”?

Europeans “discovered” the Americas Europeans had access to new resources such as tobacco, chocolate,

and potatoes Europeans began the slave trade, taking slaves from Africa and

Native populations Europeans tried to replace Native culture and religion with

Christianity European sailors died from syphilis and scurvy.

Would America exist without the Age of Exploration?

Syphilis and Scurvy; Diseases You Do Not Want to Have

Syphilis is a deadly STD that was spread by Natives of the New World to European explorers.

Scurvy is a disease due to a lack of vitamin C. Sailors prevented it by eating limes or lemons.

Key VocabularyAge of ExplorationPortolan MapMagnetic CompassAstrolabeCaravel ShipMercantilismOttoman TurksKing Henry the

NavigatorBartolomeu Dias

Vasco de GamaChristopher ColumbusFerdinand MagellanScurvySyphilis

Summary Questions

1. List 2 reasons why Western Europeans wanted to find alternative routes to India and East Asia.

2. List 2 new technologies that allowed the Portuguese to begin exploring Africa and India.

3. List 2 Portuguese or Spanish explorers. Where did they go and why?

4. Were the consequences of the Age of Exploration more positive or negative? Explain.