So, Why did Europeans Explore the World?

Factors that led to Exploration 1. Crusades- exposed Europeans to

new ideas & luxury goods. 2. Kings wanted more gold 3. The Renaissance promoted a new

scientific view of the world 4. New technology made exploration

possible!

Europeans Explore the World• The development of trade between

Europe & Asia inspired many countries to seek faster trade routes.

• Travel by water is faster & safer than by land- Countries began to seek a way to get to Asia by water

• PROBLEM- at this time, there was no boat or navigation instruments that would allow this type of travel!

Prince Henry of Portugal• Prince Henry wanted his country to be the

1st to reach Asia by water.• Under Prince Henry scientist came up with:

– Compass- finds direction using magnetic forces– Astrolabe- uses the sun to find direction and the

time of the day– Caravel- double-sailed ship- very fast & durable

• Once he had these items, Henry sent sailors out to find new trade routes to Asia by sea.

Early Exploration Accomplishments• Bartolomeu Dias – Portuguese man who

was the 1st to sail from Europe around the tip of Africa. (1488)

• Vasco de Gama – Portuguese man who was the 1st to sail from Europe around Africa and on to India. He made so much money from this trip that others all over Europe quickly began to travel the sea.

Columbus Finds America

• 1492 – Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria

• Lands in the Bahamas (Caribbean) and encounters the locals

• Calls them Indians because he b/l he was in Asia– He called the land the Indies and called

the locals Indians– Explore for GOLD!!!

Impact of Columbus• Other explorers quickly followed

Columbus • Everywhere they explored, they

claimed land for Spain. This land became known as “New Spain”– The Spanish were the first to colonize

the Americas.• But…the Vikings were the first to reach

America by sea exploration• Those who conquered the natives in

this land were called “conquistadors” (conquerors)

Line of Demarcation• Line of demarcation – an imaginary line

from north to south running down the middle of the Atlantic

• This line was set up in 1493 by Pope Alexander VI to prevent war b/w two rival Catholic nations

• Spain (Columbus) controlled everything west of the line

• Portugal controlled everything east of the line

Treaty of Tordesillas

• Signed in 1494 by Spain and Portugal• The treaty…

– Moved the line 1,000 miles west– Confirmed Portugal’s right to control the

route around Africa to India– Confirmed Spain’s claim to the new

lands of America

• Spain’s Territory

• Portugal’s Territory

Naming America• 1501, under the flag of Portugal, an

Italian named Amerigo Vespucci sailed around the land mass that Columbus had landed on

• Vespucci realized that Columbus had not reached the Indies (Asia) like he thought, Columbus had reached a new lands

• The new continent was named America for “Amerigo the discoverer”

Other Spanish Expeditions• 1513 – Juan Ponce de Leon sailed

north looking for the fountain of youth– Leon did not find his fountain, but he did

find Florida, he picked that name b/c it means… “land of flowers”

• 1520 – Ferdinand Magellan – known for being the first to circumnavigate (sail around) the world– Actually Magellan did not finish the

voyage , his crew did

Columbian Exchange

• Interactions between Europeans and Native Americans– Exchange of ideas, crops, animals,

technology, diseases which led to enslaving Africans

– Permanently altered the world’s ecosystems and changed nearly every culture around the world

Remember This!!!!

The main reason all countries sent explorers out was not to make people smarter! It

was to make MONEY$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!

They hoped by reaching Asia quickly, they could purchase goods & bring them back for trade. The faster you got there, the

faster you could make money.