Transcript Age of Exploration

Age of Exploration
Great Muslim Empires &
Europeans Take to the Seas
Ottoman Empire (Location) –
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Original – Asia
Minor
Expanded to
Southwest Asia,
Southeastern
Europe (Balkan
Peninsula), and
North Africa
Ottoman Empire (Characteristics)
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Capital at Istanbul
Used Islam as a unifying force
Traded in coffee and ceramics
Mughal Empire
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North India
Mughal Empire (Characteristics)
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Spread Islam into India
Taj Mahal
Europeans set up trading outposts in
India (British East India Company)
Influence of Indian Textiles on the
British
European Trade with Asia
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Crusades introduced Europeans to luxury
goods from Asia
Silk Road and other trade routes 
enabled goods from Asia to reach Europe
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Mongol Empire provided the
organization and structure necessary
to maintain the trade routes between
Europe and Asia
In addition, goods were sent to
Western Europe from merchants in
Constantinople (major trading
center in the Byzantine Empire)
Problems/Motives
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European trade with Asia was
disrupted by the Black Death and the
decline of the Mongol Empire
Constantinople fell to the Ottoman
Turks (Istanbul)
Muslim and Italian merchants
controlled the majority of the trade
between Europe and Asia (middle
men)
Direct Access
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Europeans wanted direct access to
Asian products/markets  European
powers searched for a new route to
Asia that did not include
Mediterranean region
Gold, Glory, and God (Google
Images)
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Gold – riches
Glory – land
God – spread religion
Improved Technology
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Cartography – created more accurate
maps and sea charts
Astrolabe – used by sailors to
determine their latitude at sea
Compass – a device for determining
direction
Cortez
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Spain
Conquered the
Aztecs in Mexico
Pizarro
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Spain
Conquered the
Incas in Peru
Columbus
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Spain
Discovered
America
Vasco da Gama
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Portugal
First to sail around
Cape of Good
Hope
Magellan
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Spain
First to
circumnavigate the
globe
Drake
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England
Raided Spanish
treasure ships
Cartier
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France
Explored the St.
Lawrence River
Prince Henry the Navigator
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Portugal
Encouraged and
supported
exploration
(school for
explorers)