Age of Exploration
Europeans Explore the New
World…
• But what’s their motivation?!?
• “To serve God & His Majesty, to give light to those who were
in darkness, and to grow rich as all men deserve to do so…” Dias
Motivation = The 3 Gs
• GOD – Spread Christianity by fighting Muslims and converting nonChristians
• GLORY - Become Famous for discovering new routes
• GOLD- (Thanks M.L.! ) - Find gold, become wealthy
Motivations:
• Europeans wanted to “cut-out” the middle man – wanted to
find a direct route to Asia to get spices/goods
• Europeans wanted to spread Christianity
How Was Exploration
Possible?!?
• Caravel – Large vessel (Thanks N.S) with triangular sails
to effectively sail against and with the wind
• Astrolabe – Used to measure the stars and figure out
latitude and longitude
• Magnetic Compass – Taken from the Chinese to track
direction
On To The New World!!!!
• Portugal: Leads the way!
• Prince Henry creates navigation schools – mapmakers,
shipbuilders, & captains all together to perfect craft
• Portugal reaches Coast of North Africa
Bartolomeu Dias – Reaches tip of South Africa in 1488
Vasco de Gama – Reaches Southwest coast of India in 1497
• Ferdinand Magellan- took 260 men to circumnavigate the
world in 1519. Crew takes 3 years to return to Portugal with
only 18 survivors. Magellan died
On To The New World!!!!
• Spain also wanted to establish a trade route to Asia:
• Christopher Columbus – Sails West across Atlantic Ocean and
reaches an island in the Caribbean
• France, England, and the Dutch eventually join the race to find
land in the new world
• China and Japan – policy of isolationism
Effects of Exploration??
• Colonization of the Americas – North/South America
• Colony: Lands that are controlled by another nation
• How can we make the “Mother-Country” Rich????
Columbian Exchange
• Definition: The widespread exchange of animals, plants,
culture, human populations, communicable diseases,
technology and ideas between the American and AfroEurasian hemispheres following the voyage to the Americas by
Christopher Columbus in 1492
Columbian Exchange
• Ships from the Americas would send items to Europe, Asia,
and Africa
• Ships to the Americas would bring new items to the new
world
• Favorable balance of trade – selling more goods than bought
Impacts of Columbian
Exchange:
• Capitalism – an economic system based on private ownership
and the investment of resources, such as money, for profit.
• Joint-Stock Company – “Modern Day Corporation” – many
investors buying shares of stock in a company
• Mercantilism- an economic system in which colonies exist to
increase wealth of the mother country. Wealth= Power
Did exploration cause the
infamous Triangle Slave Trade?
The Middle Passage
• Middle Passage- the name given for the horrendous ocean
journey from Africa to the Americas. People who were
enslaved were densely packed. Many died along the way.
Triangle Slave Trade Facts
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Estimated 10 Million people were kidnapped into slavery
Used as a cheap source of labor
Lasted throughout the 16th to 19th centuries
Approximately 15-25% died during the Middle Passage