Transcript The Age of Exploration


Which explorer traveled in the Pacific
Island and which continent did John Cabot
reach?
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Answer:
Magellan and North America
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Europe Encounters the World
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The Black Death wiped out 25% of
Europeans in the 1300’s. This greatly
decreased the BACKBONE of the feudal
economy by the death of serfs.
Spiritual influence of church replaced by
desire to search outwardly for inspiration
Out of the fall of the feudal system
came……………
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Throwing off of medieval ways
Re-discovering Greek and Roman culture
Desire to know the world through scientific
exploration, art, and architecture
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A variety of factors all came together to make
the time period (1450-1700) the “age of
exploration”
Some of these factors were pushes - external
forces acting on Europe
Some were pulls - motivations and things
that attracted the Europeans
Europeans—especially
Spain and Portugal--wanted to find a water
route to Asia and Africa.
 They were upset with
the Italian merchants
who were controlling
most of the trade with
Asia and Africa.
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The Three G’s:
 Gold
 Glory
 God
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Exploration occurs because of the desire for
wealth
Europe needed gold (and silver) to fuel the
rising banking system
Foreign spices were desired because Europe
had no refrigeration.
Other natural resources (timber, sugar,
tobacco, ivory) could be bought and sold for a
nice profit.
To make your kingdom strong you must have
more gold and wealth than the other
kingdom.
The Triumph of Fame, a Flemish
tapestry from 1502.

Just like the first G, glory was a
relatively new idea in Europe.

With the rise of the printing
press, the idea of gaining fame
for one’s actions was possible.
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Individual kings wanted glory
for their kingdoms so
competition spread.

Europeans had always seen spreading
Christianity as a good thing

Colonization became a race to convert
indigenous peoples to a particular
brand of Christianity

Roman Catholics were some of the
most active
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The first to encourage new ship
explorations was Prince Henry of
Portugal, known as “Prince Henry
the Navigator”
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Started an institute for seafaring and
exploring
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Combined ship technology learned
from Islam with new European
innovations
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By the time of his death in 1460,
Portuguese had sailed as far south as
the Gold Coast of West Africa
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Clash of cultures – European countries
founded many new colonies along the coast
of Africa and N and S America – the
indigenous people of these areas had their
own culture and traditions
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Religious conversion – tried to convert
indigenous people to Christianity
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Spread of disease – explorers and colonists
carried malaria, smallpox, and measles – killed
thousands of people
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Slavery – work force in Europe had been
reduced by plague so slaves from Africa were
sent to work
 Also, conquered indigenous people were made to
work as slaves
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God
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Glory
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Gold