U8LG1 - The Age of Exploration Since ancient times, sea trade routes linked diverse regions of the world. But 2 important routes were missing. - Ships from Europe had no direct route to Asia. - North/South America had no link to the world.

In the late 1400’s this began to change.

European Life Encouraged Exploration Trade – Europeans wanted luxury goods from East, especially spices. So merchants (traders) wanted a direct route to the east. Strong governments supported trade, fleets of ships, and armies. (these cost $) New lands mean more wealth and power. The Renaissance changed the way people thought. Gotta know more, gotta be more. (they wanted knowledge) Religious fervor: Many in Europe wanted to spread Christianity to people around the globe.

Advances in Sailing Technology The astrolabe and sextant used the sun or stars to measure the latitude of a ships location. Magnetic compass got a floating needle…showed the direction a ship was sailing. CARAVEL – new type of ship, used triangular sails so it could sail into the wind. so what…. Better ships and sailing techniques lead to better exploration.

Portugal, Spain Portugal, Spain started the age of exploration. Sent ships down west coast of Africa to find a route around Africa to India and the Far East – Bartolomeu Dias battled a fierce storm and rounded Africa’s southern tip. Prince Henry (Henry the Navigator) founded a school of navigation.

SPAIN 1492 – Columbus sails 4 ships across the Atlantic and lands in the Bahamas. Thinking he landed in the East Indies (he died thinking that) he calls the native peoples, Indians. Spain – King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella back the proposal of the Italian sea captain Christopher Columbus to sail west across the ocean directly to Japan/East Indies, also known as the Spice Islands.

Did You Know… Italian, Amerigo Vespucci explored the Americas in 1499 and 1501 journaling as he traveled. A German mapmaker labeled his “New World” lands, AMERICA, after Amerigo Vespucci.

The Explorers Spanish – Colonizing South America Looking for gold – Cortes marches on Aztec Empire – Pizzaro quickly defeats the Inca Empire Land colonized mostly by Spanish men. It was common for Spanish men to marry Indian women. Offspring called mestizos. Spanish also wanted to spread Christianity. Ferdinand and Isabella were very strong Catholic monarchs. Aztec Empire

Colonizing North America French English The French followed the waterways of North America into the interior. Most Early French were either fur traders or priests, not settleres. English came to set up farms and build towns. Early English colonies: Jamestown, Virginia, and Plymouth. Captain Smith and Pocahontas

Did You Know… The French and Indian War was part of a larger conflict between Britain and France, the 7 Years War ( ). The war was also fought in Europe and the West Indies.

The 3 trade routes that formed a triangle. The first route carried fish/lumber/other goods from New England to the West Indies. In the West Indies they picked up sugar and molasses made from sugar cane. This was used to makes rum. From the West Indies merchants carried the rum, along with guns, gunpowder, and tools to West Africa. Here, they traded these items for slaves, they carried the slaves to the West Indies where they were sold. Traders would take the profits and buy more molasses. Goods produced by the slaves were sent to England where they were manufactured into luxury goods and sent back across the Atlantic.

Triangle Trade Routes

The Slave Trade A tragedy of the new global links was the development of the slave trade. To extract wealth from the Americas, Europeans set up mines and plantations. At first the Indians were forced to do much of the work, but many died off from disease. Soon, people turned to Africa as a source of forced labor. Not affected by European diseases. Had farming skills. Difficult to escape and hide in a strange land. Originally most African slaves worked in mines and on plantations in Spanish America and the Caribbean islands.

The Middle Passage The deadly voyage across the Atlantic Traders were so greedy that they wanted to bring as many slaves as possible. The slaves were chained and crammed together below the deck. The air was so stifling that some suffocated to death. Others tried to starve themselves to death or jump over board. Most died from diseases. When the slaves reached the Americas they were auctioned off. Many families were broken up and never seen again.

Columbian Exchange Contact among Europeans, Americans, and Africans changed every society it touched. Astounding numbers of American Indians died from exposure to European diseases.

Gallery Walk Activity

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