Exploration and Empire
1-7
Starting around 1400, European kingdoms sailed away from shore to find, explore, and
claim new land and to rob, convert, and enslave new people. The Age of Exploration?
Portugal led the European sailing exploration of the world. It was a
Portugal
small country with excellent sailors along the Atlantic Ocean.
Spain
Spain established colonies across the Atlantic in S. America. After
England
1492, Spain had strong monarchies that gain glory from exploration.
France
England claimed Australia, North America, India, and East Africa. It
was an island kingdom with skillful sailors and a powerful monarchy,
France controlled SE Asia, Northwest Africa, and part of North
America. The strong monarchs of France desired gold and glory from
exploration.
Europeans sailed the Mediterranean Sea for centuries. They traveled
Africa
over land, east to India and China. But they began to sail away from
Asia
shore and explore new continents starting in the 1450’s.
The Americas
Cartography is the science of making accurate maps. Carto is the
cartography,
Latin word for map. Navigation is the ability to travel using maps and
navigation
other devices, especially when crossing the ocean.
In the time of exploration, Christians believed that every person had
Christian
to become a Christian. It was the will of God. Christians felt they had
religion
a duty to travel to distant lands and impose their religion.
Europe is a northern, temperate climate with cold, dark winters. Even
natural
Portugal and Spain are 3000 miles north of the equator. Natural
resources
resources that are common in tropical climates are rare in Europe.
Explorers brought back goods from the new tropical lands they
imported
visited. The Europeans’ desire for these exciting new goods made the
goods
explorers return for more goods to import. Greed drove exploration.
(1394-1460) Henry was a rich, educated prince of Portugal. He asked
Prince Henry
scientists to create better maps. He led or encouraged explorations of
the Navigator
the west coast of Africa. There he used slave labor to create huge
plantations to grow sugarcane. He seized Africans’ gold.
Spices are dried plants that grow in tropical climates. When ground
spices
into powder, spices give strong flavor to everyday boring food.
silk
Cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves were the main spices.
gold
Silk is a very fine thread that reflects light. The larvae of moths spin
sugarcane
silk for their cocoons. The moths prefer warmer tropical climates, not
cold European climates. This silk is woven into soft, shiny fabric.
Gold is a shiny, soft mineral found under the ground. It is dug from
mines. It can be melted and shaped into jewelry and coins. Gold is
not found on the continent of Europe; there is none. There are large
gold deposits in West Africa and northwestern South America.
Sugarcane is a tall stalk plant that grows in the tropics. Cane stalks are
cut by hand and boiled in a complex, back-breaking, laborious process.
The result is sugar. Sugar sweetens food; plain food becomes dessert.
Exploration and Empire
N
D
C
Use the information on the other side to answer in complete sentences.
1-6
1. Does Europe have a tropical climate that is hot all year? Why or why not?
2. Did European explorers respect the religious beliefs of people they met?
3. Why didn’t European farmers grow their own spices?
4. How did European markets respond to silks and spices from the tropics?
5. How is sugar made?
6. Prince Henry the Navigator developed a bold new idea for supplying labor
to do the exhausting work of turning cane into sugar. What was it?
7. Europeans loved the gold of tropical cultures. So what did explorers do?
8. Europeans called 1450-1650 the Age of Exploration. Is this a good name for
it? What do you think tropical cultures would call it? Explain the difference.