Aim: Was the “age of exploration an

inevitable development of the history

of the world?

Do Now: Draw a map that will help

someone find the following in this
neighborhood:
(a) the subway station
(b) the closest pizza place
(c) a public park
 The Age of
Exploration Notes

Standard 7-1.1 & 7-1.2

 1. Europe Explores
A. Many events led to the closure of the Silk
Road.
B. This led Europeans to find all water route
to Asia!
 1. Europe Explores
C. During the 1400s, Europeans set out on
an Age of Exploration.
D. Europeans looked past their borders to
new land, waters, and continents.
 2. Active Explorers
A. 5 European countries were active in
exploration:
1. Portugal – East and North Coast of Brazil
2. Spain – New Spain, Mexico, South America
3. England – New England, Southern Atlantic
Coast
4. France – Caribbean, Northern Atlantic Coast
5. Netherlands - South America, Caribbean,
New York
 Motives for European Exploration

1. Crusades  by-pass intermediaries to get to

Asia.
2. Renaissance  curiosity about other lands and
peoples.
3. Reformation  refugees & missionaries.
4. Monarchs seeking new sources of revenue.
5. Technological advances.
6. Fame and fortune.
 3. The Church’s Role
Spain was able to get the most land in the
New World
-The Pope drew a Line of Demarcation
to divide the New World between
Spain and Portugal.
 4. New Technology
A-2 major inventions helped navigate a
ship’s course over water.
A. Compass – determines direction
B. Astrolabe– measures sun & stars to find position

B- Navigators also improved their map-

making techniques: Cartographers.
 5. New Ships
A. The Portuguese designed a new ship
called a caravel. It has:
1. Several masts instead of just one
2. A rudder to steer the ships course
3. Sits high on the water so it can stay close to
shore
MAST
 6. Weapons used to Conquer
A. The Chinese gave the Europeans the power to
fire a new weapon, Gunpowder!
B. This new fire power allowed sailors to take
captives and conquer new lands for their
country without superior numbers of people!
C. This new invention gave the Europeans the
power to conquer the world.
Other Voyages of Exploration
 7. Scientific Revolution
 All of these technological advances were
made possible by the Scientific
Revolution!
– A MAJOR CHANGE in the way people
thought about the natural world
 Scientists began to use reason instead of
relying on Church Authority.