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

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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

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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’S Voyage1497

England

Canad

a

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