AGE OF EXPLORATION:
EXPLORERS OF THE WORLD
Explorer
Where are they
from?
China
Where did they go?
Circled the Indian
Ocean (India, Middle
East, Eastern Africa,
Antarctica (?),
Australia (?),
Phillipines
Why did they go
there?
To discover what the
outside world had to
offer
What did they find?
Why are they
important?
Exchanged goods and
gifts with a number of
cultures around the
Indian Ocean
Upon his return, the
Chinese government
decided the outside
world had nothing to
offer, and chose to end
their exploration
program…China
would fall behind the
rest of the world very
quickly
Determined that a
route to India existed
Because of his
discovery, other
explorers would
follow his route and
establish trade with
India
Zheng He
Portugal
Sailed along the
western coast of
Africa, attempting to
find a route to India
Reached the southern
tip of Africa before
returning home
Bartolomew Dias
A route around Africa
Vasco Da Gama
Portugal
India
To establish a trading
relationship with India
An exclusive trading
relationship with India
(no other European
countries were
allowed to trade with
them
Gained a great deal of
wealth for Portugal
Explorer
Where are they
from?
Spain
Christopher
Columbus
England
Sir Francis
Drake
Why did they go
there?
What did they find?
Why are they
important?
Tried to find route to
China – Called the
Northwest Passage
Wanted to be able to
trade with china and
India
Found Several islands
in the Caribbean
(Cuba, Hispaniola,
Jamaica)
Encouraged
Exploration in the
western Hemisphere
Fabulous wealth for
England
Established England
as a naval superpower
by sinking the Spanish
Armada (Spanish
navy)
To the Caribbean
Around the world
Spain
Hernan Cortez
Where did they go?
Cuba, and then to
Mexico
To the Caribbean to
disrupt Spanish trade
(acted as pirate and
stole from Spanish
ships & settlements)
Sailed around the
world to escape
Spanish pursuit
Wanted to find the
“city of Gold” and
become wealthy
Recreates Magellan’s
circumnavigation
Found the Aztec
Empire and conquered
it with only 500 men
Found amazing wealth
for Spain
Ends the dominance of
Spanish exploration
Puts an end to the
largest empire in the
Western Hemisphere
Gold and silver make
Spain the richest
country in the world
Explorer
Ferdinand
Magellan
Where are they
from?
Portugal when
younger, and later
Spain for his largest
voyage
England
John Cabot
Where did they go?
Wanted to find a route
to the Spice Islands
(Philippines)
Tried to find a route to
China – Called the
Northwest Passage
Why did they go
there?
So that Spain could
find a country other
than China and India
to trade with
England wanted to get
in on the exploration
craze…wanted wealth
and new lands
What did they find?
Found a route around
the world after sailing
through the Strait of
Magellan in South
America, across the
Pacific, and finally
into the Spice Islands
Landed in Nova Scotia
and Newfoundland…
claimed both for
England
Why are they
important?
Given credit for the
first voyage around the
world (despite the fact
he died in the
Philippines before
reaching home)
Found a great deal of
land for Spain to
colonize
Discoveries
encouraged English
exploration of North
America…ultimately
led to founding of 13
colonies
Made 3 voyages.
France
Jacques Cartier
Canada
France was seeking
riches in the New
World as well trying
to find the Northwest
Passage to Asia
Discovered the Gulf of
St. Lawrence and the
St. Lawrence River
that lead to the Great
Lakes.
Attempted to find
sources of wealth and
establish colonies, but
was largely
unsuccessful.
Claims Canada for
France, which gives
France a foothold in
the New World