Early European Exploration

1. What was life in Europe like before the Age of European Exploration?

2. Why did Europeans explore?

3. How did European exploration change the world?Textbook reference ch.2 sec.3-4

How does Change in Europe lead to Exploration?

• Feudalism

• Manor

• Christianity

• Renaissance

• Astrolabe

What was life like in Europe before the Age of Exploration?

Between the 9th and 15th centuries many European societies were organized like this chart. It is

important to note that not all areas shared this organizational model and many historians doubt the

usefulness of looking at Europe in this way.

Another example of a feudal society in 12th to 16th century Japan

A Feudal Manor or the Manorial SystemWhat chance did a peasant have of someday owning

their own “manor house” during the middle ages?

Christianity became the center of European political and social life during the middle ages. The desire to spread the religion became one of the main motives

for European exploration

The Renaissance- The rebirth of European society. How could the advances in the arts and

sciences lead to exploration?

Navigational instruments such as the astrolabe increase Europe’s ability to explore

How does Global Change lead to European Exploration?

• First Global Age- The amount of long-distance trade and travel increase dramatically throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe in the 1400s

• Silk Way (Road)- Trade routes that connected China to the Middle East

• Caravan- Groups of people traveled together for safety on trade routes

• Trade Routes- During the first global age Muslim traders connected the Eastern hemisphere by moving goods to and from Asia, Africa, and Europe. How would it benefit Europeans to develop their own trade routes by sea, instead of relying on the existing trade routes?

• Islam- Like Christianity, Islam became an influential religion and connected people economically as it spread from the Middle East outward to Africa in the west and India in the east. How would it benefit a trader to become a Muslim and convert to Islam?

• Crusades- (1100-1300) A series of wars fought between Christians and Muslims to control the Muslim-held Holy Lands in the Middle East. How could thousands of Europeans leaving their villages to venture into the Middle East lead to an increased desire to explore?

Trade Routes in the Middle Ages- How did the existence of these Routes increase Europe’s desire for

exploration? How could bypassing these existing routes and creating their own, benefit Europe?

Caravan

The Crusades

Early European Explorers

• Columbus- First European to encounter the Western World

• Magellan- Led the first expedition to circumnavigate the world

• Balboa- First European to encounter the Pacific Ocean

• da Verrazzano- First European to map and explore the Atlantic coast of

North America

• da Gama- First European to establish trade with Asia by sailing south

around Africa and into India

• Circumnavigate- To sail around the world

Reasons for early European exploration of the West: God, Glory, and Gold

I Can

• Explain the reasons for European exploration

• Identify the contributions of key individuals who participated in European exploration

Sources

• Feudalism- http://insiderwild.altervista.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Feudal.jpg

• Feudal Japan-http://lukensocialstudies.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/8/2/24827890/354105_orig.jpg

• Manor- http://vanderland.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/4/13948849/6948011_orig.gif

• Renaissance- http://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/da-vinci-profile.jpg

• Astrolabe-http://www.wpclipart.com/tools/hand_tools/measuring/astrolabe_BW.png

• Eastern Astrolabe- http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/130514/ahratran_astrolabe.jpg

• Christianity-http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Bro%C5%BE%C3%ADk,_V%C3%A1clav_-_Hus_p%C5%99ed_koncilem_6._%C4%8Dervence_1415.jpg

• Trade Routes-http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~vaucher/Genealogy/Documents/Asia/images/spice_route.gif

• Caravan- http://spirituality.ucanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/caravane-marco-polo1.png

• Crusades- http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/images/080328-crusaders-dna_big.jpg

• Richard I-http://plaza.ufl.edu/hwinger/byz/crusade2.bmp