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The European Age of Discovery

In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:

Motives for the European Age of Exploration

The Significance of the Compass and Moveable Rudder

Ferdinand Magellan

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The Crusadesgreatly

increasedEuropeaninterest in

goods fromthe East.

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The Crusades greatly stimulated European interest in East Asian

goods like spices, perfume, and silk.

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Improvements in Technology

• Better navigation skills and instruments allowed Europeans to sail farther than ever before.

• The compass and the moveable rudder greatly benefited navigators.

• Navigators could sail away from the shore and find their way to land again.

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The Chinese invented the compass.The compass allowed navigators

to travel far.

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A rudder is a device used to steera ship.

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Spreading the Gospel

• European rulers wanted to spread the Christian religion.

• European missionaries traveled to foreign lands to convert individuals and nations to Christianity.

• The spreading of the Christian religion was another motive or reason for the European Age of Exploration.

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European rulerscorrectly

believed thattrade with Asia

would bringthem vast

wealth.

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Explorers

• With better navigational instruments and a desire for wealth and conversion, European rulers funded exploration.

• From Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal to the King and Queen of Spain, explorers were given ships and crews to journey the vast seas.

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ChristopherColumbus

believed thatby traveling

West, he wouldarrive in the East.

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Columbus never arrived in Asia buthe did land in the Americas.

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Ferdinand Magellan’s crew was thefirst crew to circumnavigate the world.

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Magellan’s journey opened the worldto European navigators.

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Questions for Reflection:

• List three motives for the European Age of Exploration.

• List two inventions which revolutionized navigation.

• Who was Christopher Columbus and what was the significance of his travels?

• Who was Ferdinand Magellan and how did his journey affect future navigators?