Transcript Why Exploration Began

Reasons for European
Expansion During the Late 15th
Century
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3fYF6Y
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Important Questions

What was the reason for expansion?

Which countries were expanding? Where
were they going?

What enabled (allowed) explorers to go out on
voyages? Who paid for them? What was
needed?
Why Exploration Began
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Europeans knew almost nothing about the
Americas in the 15th century
They often travelled east to trade with people
of India and China
Constantinople & Trade
• Constantinople was a
major trading port city.
• Travelers wishing to
reach the east from
Europe had to pass
through it.
Using the following maps, make three observations
about trade routes that were used before European
Expansion started.
Why It Began
If the trade routes through Constantinople
worked well, why was exploration needed?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ37zh
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http://www.history.com/shows/mankindthe-story-of-all-of-us/videos/fall-ofconstantinople
The Fall of Constantinople
• Constantinople was part of the
late Roman Empire (Byzantine
Empire).
• In 1453, the city was captured by
the Turks (Ottoman Empire).
• The Turks restricted access to its
ports and the Black Sea which was
the fastest known route to Asia.
• This event forced nations and
explorers to find a new route to
the east (Asia).
What Motivated Exploration
Using the documents below, determine why were the
trade routes so important to the Europeans?
What Motivated Exploration
• Spices & Silk
• Precious Metals (gold and silver)
• Evangelization of native peoples:
Goal was to convert non-Christians
Christians wanted to stop the spread of Islam
in Asia and Africa
Which four European countries
wanted to expand their territory?
_______
______
_____
________
Countries That Explored
England
Spain
France
Portugal
Europe 1500s
What Are Nation States


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Also known as a country that governs itself, has its
own laws and has borders, separating it from other
places.
England, France, Spain and Portugal were nations
states that wanted to expand their borders.
When nation states would explore, they would mark
new territory with a flag to claim it as part of their
own.
Claimed land were colonies owned and controlled by
the mother country ( the nation state that found it).
Why Is This Important?
These four Nation States (countries ) were constantly fighting
for control over land and trade routes. Using the documents,
determine what they hoped to gain from expanding.
What Gave Power to a Mother Country

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Territory
Riches
Giant populations
Spread of their
values and beliefs
If a King wanted his Nation State ( country)
to be very strong, he needed land. With new
land came more resources that he could
turn to riches.
Land= Money=Power
More Motives
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Merchants wanted to make more
money, and trading with new
territories would do this.
The wealthy were willing to
finance exploration voyages to
find new resources.
The church wanted to spread their
Christian faith because they felt
that their religion was the only.
Motives Cont…
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Adventurers/Captains,
were curious and
wanted to become
famous by claiming
land.
People wanted to learn
more about the world.
Example, see if the
world was flat or round.
New Technologies
For exploration to work, new technology and
inventions were needed.
Using the following documents, explain what
was made during this time and how it benefited
the voyages made.
What Is It?
Document 1
Document 2
Answers
Document 1: The Caravel
This was a great ship invented
by the Portugese that was used
for a long time. It was lighter
and faster and could hold a lot
of cargo.
Document 2:Cogs
The cogs were made in the
Middle Ages but were used for
hundreds of years. They were
built to help defend against
attacks but were often in
shipwrecks.
What Is It?
Document 3
Document 4
Answers
Document 1: Carracks
Document 4: Stern Rudder
Carracks were ships used for
trade along a coastline
(bordering land and water).
It was invented by the
Portuguese in the 15th
century. It was slow and
hard to handle because of
the size.
This is a piece of material placed
at the back of a ship to help
control the location. By blocking
water on the rudder, it was able
to steer the boat.
What Is It?
Document 5
Document 6
Lateen Sails
Document 5: Lateen Sails
Unlike the previous square
sails, lateen sails were
triangular, which allowed a
boat to take the wind from
different sides
Document 6: Magnetic Compass
A compass that automatically
points North using a magnet.
This helped explorers with
navigation.
What Is It?
Document 7
Document 8
Answers
Document 7: Astrolabe
An astrolabel was used to confirm the
ship’s position and to plot their
journey. It also helped to make maps
more accurate.
Document 8: Muskets and Cannons
These weapons were used
aboard ships to help protect
the explorers and their crew
from any attacks.
The Dangers of Exploration
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Shipwrecks
Disease
No wind
Unfriendly Natives
Where did the Voyages End?
Pink = England
Light Green = France
Yellow = Spain
Dull Green = Portugal
What do you
notice about
where each of the
mother countries
ended up going?
Can you make
some
conclusions?