Age of Exploration Notes - Union Academy Charter School

EUROPE ENTERS THE MODERN AGE
Objective: Students
will analyze the
motives and
technology that
allowed the age of
exploration come to
pass.
THE AGE OF EXPLORATION
Age of
Exploration: a
period of
European
exploration
and discovery
that lasted
from about
1418 to 1620
TERMS TO KNOW
Route- A path, course or way of travel from one place to another.
Conquest- To capture or gain control by force, as the Spanish did in the New World, taking over the Native
American people.
Interdependence- a relationship between countries in which they rely on one another for resources,
goods, or services
Epidemic- A sudden and widespread outbreak of a disease within a specific population group or area
Impact- an effect or result
Colony- A country or area under the full or partial political control of a another country, typically a distant
one, and occupied by settlers from that country.
Mercantilism- An economic practice adopted by the European colonial powers (Portugal, Spain,
England, France, the Netherlands) to exploit their overseas possessions (colonies) so that the "mother country"
could become more wealthy. They do this by taking the resources and riches in the country, setting up
plantations and then trading with these colonies.
Imperialism- A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, socially,
and economically.
Missionary- someone who attempts to convert others to a certain religion; the Spanish wanted to
convert the Natives to Catholicism.
TERMS TO KNOW
http://quizlet.com/_tvge3
Racism- prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on
the belief that one's own race is superior.
Ethnocentric- Belief or idea that one's cultural or ethnic group is superior to others.
Encomienda- A grant by the Spanish Government to a Spanish colonist in America giving the right to demand
tribute and forced labor from the Indian inhabitants of an area
Columbian Exchange- The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the
Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.
Treaty of Tordesillas- 1494 agreement between Catholic Portugal and Catholic Spain to agree to
split the newly conquered lands in the New World (Central & South America). Portugal got Brazil the rest went to
Spain.
PEOPLE
Prince Henry the Navigator- (1394-1460) Prince of Portugal who established an observatory and school of
navigation and directed voyages that spurred the Age of Exploration..
Barthololmeu Dias- Portuguese explorer who in 1488 was the first European to get round the Cape of Good Hope.
He did not make it to Asia but helped est. a sea route to Asia.
Vasco DaGama- Portuguese explorer. In 1497-1498 he led the first naval expedition from Europe to sail to India,
opening an important commercial sea route.
Christopher Columbus- 1492 - Italian hired by Spain (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) tried to find a route to
Indies by traveling west, but discovered the "New World".
Ferdinand Magellan- Portuguese mariner in the service of Spain, set sail in pursuit of Columbus's goal of
reaching the Spice Islands by sailing westward; was the first to circumnavigate the world. 1519-1522
Sir Francis Drake-English explorer/pirate who was the 2nd person and 1st Englishman to circumnavigated the
globe from 1577 to 1580 and was sent by Queen Elizabeth I to raid Spanish ships/settlements for gold. Helped
defeat the Spanish Armada.
Henry Hudson-An English explorer who explored for the Dutch. In 1609,He claimed the Hudson River around
present day New York and called it New Netherland. He also had the Hudson Bay named for him
Hernando Cortez-1519-1521Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico for Spain.
This was the first step in creating a Spanish Colony.
Francisco Pizzaro -Spanish conquistador who crushed the Inca civilization in Peru; took gold, silver and enslaved
the Incas in 1532. Helped create Spanish colony.
Jacques Cartier -1535, French explorer sailed up to St. Lawrence river hoping it would lead to the Pacific Ocean in
order to reach Asia. Establishes Frances's claim on Canada.
At the same time that Europe was swept up in the Renaissance,
Scientific Revolution and the Reformation, other major changes
were taking place in the world. These changes originated in
Europe, but soon involved other continents. The changes began
with a series of voyages during the 1400s, 1500s, and early
1600s when European explorers ventured into the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans.
With today’s global positioning satellites, Internet maps, cell
phones, and superfast travel, it is hard to imagine exactly how it
might have felt to embark on a voyage across an unknown
ocean.
Think/Pair/Share: Would you be willing to undertake such a
voyage? Only those most adventurous, most daring, and most
confident in their abilities to sail in any weather, manage any
crew, and meet any circumstance dared do so; for not having
those qualities meant certain death.
European explorers changed the world in many dramatic ways.
Because of them, cultures divided by 3,000 miles or more of
water began interacting. European countries claimed large
parts of the world. As nations competed for territory, Europe
had an enormous impact on people living in distant lands.
The Americas, in turn, made important contributions to Europe
and the rest of the world. For example, from the Americas
came crops such as corn and potatoes, which grew well in
Europe. By increasing Europe’s food supply, these crops helped
create population growth.
THE CAUSES OF EUROPEAN
EXPLORATION
Two main reasons stand out. First, Europeans of this
time had several motives for exploring the world.
Second, advances in knowledge and technology helped
to make the Age of Exploration possible.
 For early explorers, one of the main motives for
exploration was the desire to find new trade routes to
Asia. Europeans were especially interested in spices
from Asia.
 Trade with the East, however, was difficult and very
expensive. Muslims and Italians controlled the flow of
goods. European monarchs and merchants wanted to
break the hold that Muslims and Italians had on trade .
WHY EXPLORE?
 Political 1 . Empire building European Countries wanted to build up their empires
over seas and create colonies in order to practice Mercantilism . 2. Nationalism Loyalty and devotion to one’s countr y, claiming land for your nation. 3. Rivalr y
Among Nations- European countries raced to the Americas to claim the most land
for their countr y so they would be the most power ful in the world.
 Economic 1 .Foreign Goods wanted spices, indigo, gold slaves etc. resources that
were available in other nations, especially in Asia. 2. Wealth- Find gold, practice
mercantilism .
 Religious Spread their Faith - Af ter the Reformation nations wanted to conver t
natives to their type of Christianity, to help build up their nations.
 Per sonal- 1 . Adventure some wanted to explore for the excitement 2. Curiosity
some wanted to know what else was out there 3. Fame some wanted to go down in
histor y as a hero
 Knowledge 1 . To Find a Route to Asia. 2. Create more accurate maps - each
explorer added to maps and corrected them as they sailed. 3. Better Equipment tools like the sextant, astrolabe and compass and better ships that could carr y
more supplies like the caravel made long ocean voyages possible.
What was a main motive for European exploration?
ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE AND
TECHNOLOGY
A number of advances during the Renaissance made it easier
for explorers to venture into the unknown. One key advance
was in cartography, or mapmaking.
Discoveries by explorers gave mapmakers new information with
which to work. In 1507, a German cartographer made the first
map that clearly showed North and South America as separate
from Asia. In turn, better maps made navigation easier.
World Map 1507
CARAVELS
 An improved ship design also helped explorers. By
the 1400s, Portuguese and Spanish shipbuilders
were making a new type of ship called a caravel .
 These ships were small, fast, and easy to maneuver.
Their special bottoms made it easier for explorers to
travel along coastlines where the water was not
deep.
 Caravels also used lateen sails, a triangular style
adapted from Muslim ships. These sails could be
positioned to take advantage of the wind no matter
which way it blew.
THE CARAVEL
Along with better ships, new navigational tools helped
sailors travel more safely on the open seas. Sailors used
compasses to find their bearing, or direction of travel. The
astrolabe helped sailors determine their distance north
or south from the equator.
Finally, improved weapons gave Europeans a huge
advantage over the people they met in their explorations.
Sailors could fire their cannons at targets near the shore
without leaving their ships. On land, the weapons of
native peoples often were no match for European guns,
armor, and horses.
An instrument whose __Magnetic________ metal needle aligns itself
with the magnetic fields of the earth. This causes one end of the
The
needle to point north. Mariners used this information to navigate the
___Compass__________
ship. The ____Chinese_____ are said to have invented the first
_____
compass over 2000 years ago.
Map
A representation of a region of the __earth_____ or heavens.
This tool was once used to determine the __Altitude_____________ of
the sun or other celestial bodies.
The _Astrolabe________
An early sixteenth-century instrument for measuring the altitude of a
heavenly body. It consists of a square shaft and a sliding cross-piece
set at right angles to the shaft. The shaft end is held at the
__observer’s_______ eye and the cross-piece positioned to line up with
the sun and the horizon. The cross-piece marks a point on the shaft
__Crosstaff____________
that is referred to in a table of __degrees___ and minutes.
_quadrant____________
An early instrument for_measuring_________ altitude of celestial
bodies, consisting of a 90° graduated arc with a movable __radiius__
for measuring angles.
_sextant__________
A ___Navigational_________ instrument which replaced the astrolabe
and was used for measuring the angle between the horizon and the
sun or a star in order to find out the latitude (of a ship)
The _Caravel
The Carvel was more maneuverable and could sail with or
_against_______ the wind. It could take on large _strong _________
waves. It’s _light_______, _____triangular_________________ sails
made it faster too!
Which of these is an advance in knowledge and technology
that led to European exploration?
A. A desire to spread Christianity.
B. A chance to earn wealth from new lands.
C. Improved ship design
D. Merchants who wanted to increase trade.
EUROPE ENTERS THE MODERN AGE
Objective: Students
will be able to list
the discoveries of the
Portugese explorers.
PORTUGAL BEGINS THE AGE OF
EXPLORATION
The major figure in early Portuguese exploration was Prince
Henry, the son of King John I of Portugal. Nicknamed “the
Navigator,” Prince Henry was not an explorer himself. Instead,
he encouraged exploration and planned and directed many
important expeditions.
Beginning in about 1418, Henry started a school of navigation
where sailors and mapmakers could learn their trades. His
cartographers made new maps based on the information ship
captains brought back.
Henry’s early expeditions focused on the west coast of Africa.
Gradually, Portuguese explorers made their way farther and
farther south.
VASCO
DA
GAMA
In July
1497,
Vasco da
Gama set
sail with
four ships
to chart a
sea route
to India. Da
Gama
arrived in
the port of
Calicut,
India, in
May 1498.
ROUTES OF PORTUGUESE EXPLORATIONS
Which Portuguese explorer sailed around Africa and across the
Indian Ocean to reach India?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Batholomeu Dias
Prince Henry
Pedro Cabral
Vasco Da Gama
PORTUGAL CONTROLS THE
INDIAN OCEAN
 Portugal’s control of the Indian Ocean broke the hold Muslims
and Italians had on Asian trade. With the increased
competition, prices of Asian goods—such as spices and
fabrics—dropped, and more people in Europe could af ford to
buy them.
 During the 1500s, Portugal also began to establish
colonies in Brazil. The native people of Brazil
suffered greatly as a result. The Portuguese forced
them to work on sugar plantations, or large farms .
 As the native population of Brazil decreased, the
Portuguese needed more laborers. Starting in the
mid–1500s, they turned to Africa for slave labor.
Learning Objective: Students will be able to describe
the contributions of Columbus and Magellan to the
Age of Exploration.
 It was Ferdinand and Isabella who sponsored the
voyages of Christopher Columbus. The Italian-born
Columbus thought that the Indies, or eastern Asia, lay
on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. He believed
sailing west would be the easiest route to reach it.
 When Columbus failed to win Portuguese support for
his idea, Ferdinand and Isabella agreed to pay for the
risky voyage
 In August 1492, three ships left Spain under
Columbus’s command. As the weeks went by, some of
the men began to fear they would never see Spain
again. Then, on October 12, a lookout sighted land.
Columbus had landed in the Carribean islands.
For three months, Columbus and his men explored
nearby islands with the help of native islanders.
Thinking they were in the Indies, the Spanish soon
called all the local people “Indians.
In March 1493, Columbus arrived back in Spain. He
proudly reported that he had reached Asia. Over the
next ten years, he made three more voyages to what he
called the Indies. He died in Spain in 1506, still insisting
that he had sailed to Asia.
Why did Columbus sail west?
A. Because Portugal prevented him sailing east.
B. Because he thought America lay on the other side of the
Atlantic.
C. Because a storm sent his expedition of course.
D. Because he thought eastern Asia lay on the other side of
the Atlantic.
Ferdinand
Magellan
Magellan believed he
could sail west to the
Indies. He was looking
for a strait, or channel,
through South
America. In August
1519, he set sail with five
ships and about two
hundred and fifty men.
Magellan looked for the strait all along South America’s
east coast. He finally found it at the southern tip of the
continent. Today, it is called the Strait of Magellan.
Magellan reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1520. It
took another three months to cross the Pacific.
Continuing west, Magellan visited the Philippines. There
he became involved in a conflict between two local chiefs.
In April 1521, Magellan was killed in the fighting.
Magellan’s crew sailed on to the Spice Islands. Three years
after the expedition began, the only ship to survive the
expedition returned to Spain. The 18 sailors on board
were the first people to travel completely around Earth.
True or False
Why?
Magellan returned to Spain in 1523 with 18 sailors.
 The early Spanish explorations changed Europeans’ view of
the world a great deal. The voyages of Christopher
Columbus revealed the existence of the Americas.
 Magellan’s expedition opened up a westward route to the
Indies. It showed that it was possible to sail completely
around the world. Columbus’s voyages marked the
beginning of Spanish settlement in the West Indies. Spain
earned great wealth from its settlements.
For the native people of the West Indies, however, Spanish
settlement was extremely detrimental. The Spanish forced
native people to work as slaves in the mines and on the
plantations.
Priests forced many of them to become Christians.
When the Spanish arrived, perhaps one or two million Taino
lived on the islands. Within fifty years, fewer than five
hundred Taino were left. The rest had died of starvation,
overwork, or European diseases.
Since the native populations died, the Spanish brought
millions of enslaved Africans to work in their American
colonies.
How did Spanish and Portuguese exploration affect people in
Africa?
A. Africans found a new sea route around the world.
B. Africans attended Prince Henry’s navigation school.
C. Africans were enslaved and brought to the Americas.
D. Africans sold spices to Portugal and Spain.
Both Spain and Portugal Claimed South America
as their own. (Even though millions of Native
Americans inhabited this continent)
In 1494 Pope Alexander VI set the LINE OF
DEMARCATION, dividing South America among
the two countries. Spain got everything but what is
present day Brazil.
Other European Countries are now going to
scramble to get a piece of North America.
Learning Objective: Students will be able to
describe the conquest of the native peoples
in the Americas by the Spanish.
 detrimental: something that does harm or damage.
 epidemics: an outbreak of a contagious disease
that spreads quickly and over a wide geographic
area.
 Conquistador: a Spanish conqueror
 After Columbus’s voyages, Spain was eager to claim
even more lands in the New World. To explore and
conquer "New Spain," the Spanish turned to
adventurers called conquistadors, or conquerors. The
conquistadors were allowed to establish settlements
and seize the wealth of natives.
Hernán
Cortés
In 1519, Spanish explorer
Hernán Cortés (er–
NAHN koor–TEZ), with
and a band of fellow
conquistadors, set out to
explore present-day
Mexico and defeated the
Aztec empire.
The Aztec ruler, Moctezuma II, welcomed the Spanish with
great honors. Determined to break the power of the Aztecs,
Cortés took Moctezuma hostage.
Eventually, the huge Aztec army was defeated by the
Spanish.
Spanish explorer Hernan Cortez conquered the…
A.
B.
C.
D.
Inca Empire.
Taino Indians.
Aztec Empire
The New World
C. Aztec Empire
 First, Aztec legend had predicted the arrival of a white-
skinned god. When Cortés appeared, the Aztecs welcomed
him because they thought he might be this god,
Quetzalcoatl.
 Second, Cortés was able to make allies of the Aztecs’
enemies.
 Third, their horses, armor, and superior weapons gave the
Spanish an advantage in battle.
 Fourth, the Spanish carried diseases that caused deadly
epidemics among the Aztecs.
 Aztec riches inspired Spanish conquistadors to continue
their search for gold.
Francisco
Pizarro
In the 1520s, Francisco Pizarro
received permission from
Spain to conquer the Inca
Empire in South America.
 By the time Pizarro arrived, however,
a civil war had weakened that empire.
In April 1532, the Incan emperor,
Atahualpa (ah–tuh–WAHL–puh),
greeted the Spanish as guests.
Following Cortés’s example, Pizarro
launched a surprise attack and
kidnapped the emperor.
 Although the Incas paid a roomful of
gold and silver in ransom, the Spanish
killed Atahualpa. Without their leader,
the Inca Empire quickly fell apart.
Spanish explorer Francisco Pizzaro conquered the…
A.
B.
C.
D.
Inca Empire.
Taino Indians.
Aztec Empire
The New World
A. Inca Empire
Old World
New World
• 50 to 90% of Natives die from
• With the introduction of the potato
disease. Strong leaders die and are
and other goods from the Americas
replaced by weaker ones making it
Europe's’ population more than
easier to have Europeans take over.
doubles.
Not enough farmers leads to
• European Countries gain a great deal
malnutrition making it easier for
of wealth and power, through
natives to get sick.
mercantilism. They become the
• Culture of Natives destroyed.
dominate force in the New World.
• Natives are introduced to animals
that will improve their lives.
• Some Natives use the horse and
become nomadic.
• Africans are brought to the new
world and Slavery takes hold.
 Besides gold and silver, ships from the Americas brought corn,
potatoes, chocolate, and raw materials to Spain.
 The Spanish conquests had a major impact on the New World. The
Spanish introduced new animals to the Americas, such as horses,
cattle, sheep, and pigs.
 The Spanish also imported slaves from Africa to work on the
plantations in the new world after much of the native populations had
died.
 Spain introduced diseases to the New World that killed many of the
natives, such as smallpox.
 Spain destroyed two advanced civilizations. The Aztecs and Incas lost
much of their culture along with their wealth. Many became laborers
for the Spanish. Millions died from disease.
Sir Francis Drake
Between 1577 and 1580 Francis
Drake sailed around the world.
He also claimed part of what is
now California for England,
English exploration also
contributed to a war between
England and Spain.
As English ships roamed the seas, some captains, nicknamed
"sea dogs," began raiding Spanish ports and ships to take their
gold. The English raids added to other tensions between
England and Spain. In 1588, King Philip II of Spain sent an
armada, or fleet of ships, to invade England. With 130 heavily
armed vessels and about thirty thousand men, the Spanish
Armada seemed an unbeatable force.
Drake defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Why is this important?
The defeat of the Spanish Armada marked the start of a shift in
power in Europe. By 1630, Spain no longer dominated the
continent. With Spain’s decline, other countries—particularly
England —took a more active role in trade and colonization
around the world.
This is important because it led to more European, especially
English, colonies around the world.
Other European Explorations
The Italian sailor
John Cabot made
England’s first
voyage of
discovery. Cabot
believed he could
reach the Indies by
sailing northwest
across the
Atlantic.
In 1497, John Cabot landed in what is now Canada. Believing
he had reached the northeast coast of Asia, he claimed the
region for England.
Another Italian, Giovanni da Verrazano, sailed under the
French flag. In 1524, Verrazano explored the Atlantic coast
from present-day North Carolina to Canada. His voyage gave
France its first claims in the Americas.
Sailing on behalf of the Netherlands, English explorer Henry
Hudson wanted to find a northwest passage through North
America to the Pacific Ocean. Such a water route would allow
ships to sail from Europe to Asia without entering waters
controlled by Spain.
Hudson did not find a northwest passage, but he did explore
what is now called the Hudson River in present-day New York
State.
 What is Mercantilism? Economic Policy which depends
on a country having colonies to become extremly wealthy
and powerful. More colonies= More $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 How do countries gain wealth using Mercantilism?
 1. Get Colonies.
 2. Create a favorable balance of trade- The
“mother”,ruling country must sell more than it buys.
 3. Create tariffs or taxes on the goods colonist buy.
 4. Create laws that ensure that colonies can only sell to
the ruling country, must use their ships to transport
goods and can only buy from ruling country.
American colonization and mercantilism relied heavily on
the Slave Trade. Slaves performed the work on the
plantations in the new world. Tobacco plantation, slaves did
the work, Plantation owner sold tobacco to England.
The movement of goods and slaves between the Americas,
Europe and Africa was called the Triangular Trade Route.
Raw materials from the Americas went to Europe,
Manufactured goods from Europe went to Africa, Slaves
from Africa go to the Americas.