Transcript File - History at Mullen

Exploration and expansion
Objectives
To explain the discoveries of the Scientific
Revolution and how they changed the way
in which early modern Europeans
understood the movements of planets and
objects in general.
 To explore the confrontation between these
scientific discoveries and the opposition
voice by the Catholic Church

BASICS ON SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION
Who: scientists: Galileo, Newton, Descartes,
Bacon, Copernicus, Kepler, Leeuwenhoek
 What: period of scientific advancement
when people began using experiments,
instruments, standard method, and math to
understand the world.
 Where: Europe
 When: late 1500s to early 1700s

Science in the Middle Ages

What was science like in the
Middle Ages
 Natural philosophers – relied on
religion and powers of observation
Bible and Church were main
sources of information about
the world
 Explained natural occurrences
from

 Spirits
 Superstitions
 Magic
Why: Causes of Sci. Revolution
Ideas of the Renaissance encouraged
curiosity
 Governments are more stable – leave time
to investigate
 New technological advancements from
trade

Discovery

Decide which of the
following discoveries
in science you agree
or disagree with:
 a bowling ball and a




volleyball fall at the
same rate
the earth’s axis is not
straight up and down
but tilted
the planets move in a
perfect circle around
the sun
the sun’s gravity keeps
all planets in orbit
A pencil looks yellow
because it reflects all
other colors
Scientists of the Revolution

Copernicus - 1543/Kepler  Heliocentric theory

Galileo - 1609
 Telescope, all objects fall at same rate
(vacuum), helped prove heliocentric
theory

Newton - 1687
 Proposed law of gravity and laws of
motion

Descartes - 1637
 Light reflection,
 assumptions must be proved

Bacon
 Scientific method

Leeuwenhoek  Microscope to discover bacteria
Effects of the Scientific Revolution
Which is more important – the new
advancements made in science or the
change in the way people thought at the
time?
 Effect on religion – decline in authority of
Church as new discoveries anger Church
leaders
 Solidified field of math, science, astronomy

Homework

Research a modern scientific discovery
today (anything post WWII). Type a brief
summary of the discovery, who discovered
it, when, where, why, and how. Next, explain
the implications of this discovery: how will it
change peoples’ lives, why might the Church
or government support/oppose it?

Typed, one page, due Wednesday
Why: Causes for Exploration

More trade with Asia
 Ottomans taken Constantinople
 Cannot trade by land
 New sea routes

Improved technology
 New navigation instruments
○ compass
 Better ships - caravel
New Maritime Technology
Better Maps
Astrolabe
Mariner’s Compass
Sextant
Why: Causes of Exploration

Why would someone want to travel to a
new world?
_________ ________ _________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YJxqUY0TMs&feature=related
What would someone have to know before
setting out on a voyage to the new world?
Result of Exploration in Europe

More trade = better business practices
 Coins with fixed values
 Joint stock: co owners of a business

Mercantilism affects government
 Export more than you import
 Gov’t should increase wealth – gold and silver!
 Taxes and grants
Voyages

Portugal
 Bartholomew Dias – first around tip of Africa
 Vasco de Gama – first expedition to India
○ Opens up trade
 Prince Henry the Navigator
○ School of navigation

Spain
 Christopher Columbus – voyage to America
○ Sparks strong interest in new world
 Ferdinand Magellan – crew first to circumnavigate
The Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494 Line of
Demarcation
To the East – Portugal, to West - Spain
Impact of Line of Demarcation –
Treaty of Tordesillas

Spain - all of New world
 Have to travel West to reach Indies

Portugal – Africa, Brazil
 First to transport slaves
 More colonies in West Africa
The Columbian Exchange

The transmission of non-native plants,
animals, and diseases from Europe to the
Americas, and vice versa, after 1492

http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/n
attrans/ntecoindian/essays/columbianc.htm
Columbian Exchange
“
New World
domesticated
animals
dogs
llamas
guinea pigs
fowl (a few species)
Old World
domesticated
animals
dogs
horses
donkeys
pigs
cattle
goats
sheep
barnyard fowl
Conquest & Colonization
Conquistadors/
Missionaries
Explorers
Permanent
settlers
C
O
L
O
N
I
E
S
Spanish Empires

Spain
 Hernan Cortes – Aztecs
 Francisco Pizarro – Inca

Why were the Spanish victorious?
 Military technology
 Horses
 Diseases
 Advantage of discontented “Indians”
Effects of exploration










New wealth with discoveries of gold and other precious metals,
diet changed because of new crops
trade became even more lucrative
religious communities, certain they had a duty to win converts to their
faith encouraged exploration
devastating to the indigenous people
The impact of economic change depended on a person’s social class.
Merchants who invested in overseas ventures acquired wealth.
Nobles, whose wealth was in land, were hurt by the price revolution.
Hired workers in towns and cities faced poverty and discontent when their
wages did not keep up with inflation.
Peasants, the majority of Europeans, were not affected until centuries
later.
Reading questions

How are Cortes and Pizarro similar?
Different?
 Provide AT LEAST 15 similarities/differences
Who appears to be more successful? why?
 Why was Cortes successful in defeating the
Aztecs?
 Do Cortes and Pizarro have the traits of a
good or a bad ruler? A good or bad
conquistador? Give examples and explain.

Honors

Should historians judge the empire builders of the 1500-1600s by
present day cultural values?
 Why or why not?
What cultural attitudes existed on the part of fifteenth century
Europeans that made them feel it was all right to buy and sell
Africans or enslave native Americans? Is it any different now?
 There were several nations to colonize the Americas and each
had a different idea on how to complete this task. what is the best
way to colonize?
 The Spanish Conquest “was the greatest event in the history of
the world.” defend or refute this statement
 Why is a more effective New Imperialism or Old Imperialism?
