1400-1700
THE AGE OF EXPLORATION
UNDERSTANDING TIMELINES
BCE CE
1st century 2nd century 3rd century
THE AGE OF EXPLORATION
A great period of discovery from the later half of the fifteenth
through the sixteenth centuries.
THE RENAISSANCE
French for 'rebirth‘.1400-1600Europeans became more interested in studying the world around them.
Path of Asian Goods
Asian GoodsMuslim TradersItalia
ns
EUROPEANS SEEK NEW TRADE ROUTES
Main desire for exploration:
a. New sources of wealth (spices & luxury goods from Asia)
b. Demand was higher than supply meant merchants could charge higher prices
c. England, Spain, Portugal, and France wanted to bypass Italian merchants and find new sea routes for themselves
d. To spread Christianity throughout the world.
NEW AND IMPROVED TOOLS OF EXPLORATION
The caravel.• Sturdy• Triangular sails
stronger against the wind
• Large cargo area• Shallow draft
allowed it to explore close to the shore.
Astrolabe- used for measuring the
distance north or south of the equator
Improved Maps- latitude and longitude
Compass
NEW AND IMPROVED
EUROPE IN THE 15TH CENTURY (1400S)
Portu
gal
PORTUGAL LEADS THE WAY
In the early 1400s, Prince Henry, known as the Navigator, encouraged sea captains to sail south along the coast of West Africa.
He founded a school to teach navigation.
Under Henry's guidance, the Portuguese designed a new type of ship called the caravel.
PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR
SPAI
N
:SPAIN JOINS IN…
The Age of Exploration would now become a competitive pursuit that would result in the European colonization of India, the Far East, the New World and eventually the establishment of empires.
Routes and
Accomplishments
FAMOUS EXPLORERS
Prince Henry the Navigator builds a school for sailors .
IMPORTANT!
Prince Henry planned and sponsored explorations. He did not go on any of the explorations. Nevertheless, the prince is still considered an explorer.
1418
PORTUGALPortuguese explorer Bartolomeu DiasThe fi rst European to sail
around the tip of Africa. Discovers the Cape of
Good Hope.
BARTOLOMEU DIAS1488
DiasVoyage1488
Portu
gal
Cape of Good H
ope
SPAINSpanish explorer Christopher Columbus lands on an island of the Bahamas. Claims the land for
Spain.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS1492
ColumbusVoyage1492
Spain
Baham
as
“New W
orld”
PORTUGALPortuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama finds a sea route to India by sailing around Africa. Claims the land for Portugal
VASCO DA GAMA1497
Vasco Da Gama’sVoyage1498
Portu
gal
India
ENGLANDItalian-born explorer
John Cabot sails westwards from England in hopes to fi nd a passage to Asia. On 24 June, 1497, he
sights land on the northeast coast of Canada and calls it New-found-land (present day Newfoundland, Canada). He believes it is Asia and claims it for England.
JOHN CABOT1497
JOHN CABOT CLAIMS NORTHEAST CANADA FOR ENGLAND
SPAINPortuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan leads the fi rst expedition that circumnavigates the world.Magellan also names the Pacifi c Ocean (a calm, peaceful ocean).
FERDINAND MAGELLAN1519-1522
EnglandEnglish explorer Henry Hudson explores the Hudson Bay, and the Hudson River (North America). Claims the land for England.On his fourth voyage, he is left to die with his young son and seven others by a mutinous crew. Hudson was never heard from again.
HENRY HUDSON1607
Henry Hudson’sVoyage1610
EnglandCan
ada
Hudson Bay
HENRY HUDSON’S FOURTH AND LAST VOYAGE
The Age of Exploration opened up the world for further exploration, colonization, conquest, and eventually European empire building.
IN THE END…
OUTCOMES OF EXPLORATION
Clash of Cultures: Native tribes in Africa & North/South America did not want to be conquered-they had their own cultures-so they fought back.
Religious Conversion: Missionaries were sent to convert the conquered Natives to Christianity.
Spread of Diseases: Without knowing, Europeans carried smallpox, malaria & the measles to the Americas-killing TENS of THOUSANDS of people.
Slavery: Africans & natives of the Americas forced to work under horrible conditions.
Major European Trade Routes and Colonies-1750 (18th Century)
Credits
Mariner’s Museum –Retrieved from http://ageofex.marinersmuseum.org