E. Napp Europeans Search for New Trade Routes In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms: Reasons for European Exploration of New Trade Routes Prince Henry the Navigator Bartholomeu Dias

E. Napp During the 1300s and 1400s, Arab merchants carried goods from Asia to the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.

E. Napp Trade With Asia During the 1300s and 1400s, Arab merchants carried goods from Asia to the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Once Asian goods were brought to the Mediterranean, Italian city-states controlled the distribution of these goods. However, other European countries wanted to profit from this trade.

E. Napp Other European countries wanted to profit from trade with Asia. They began to search for new trade routes.

E. Napp Prince Henry the Navigator Prince Henry the Navigator helped the Portuguese with their search. He established a school for geographers, astronomers, and mapmakers. The Portuguese searched for new trade routes with Asia.

E. Napp Prince Henry the Navigator was determined to help Portuguese explorers discover new trade routes.

E. Napp Bartholomeu Dias In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias sailed around (circumnavigated) the southern tip of Africa. Dias named the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Storms. However, the king of Portugal renamed it the “Cape of Good Hope.” The King did not want to frighten future explorers.

E. Napp Dias was the first European explorer to circumnavigate Africa.

E. Napp Shifting Trade Routes As Europeans discovered that it was possible to circumnavigate Africa, they began to search for new trade routes. New trade routes would weaken the Italian city-states control of trade with Asia. New trade routes could greatly increase a nation’s revenue.

E. Napp Once Dias proved that the circumnavigation of Africa was possible, others followed.

E. Napp Vasco da Gama found an all-water to Asia in 1498.

E. Napp New trade routes shifted trade from the Silk Road to the oceans and seas.

E. Napp European ships began exploring the seas and oceans in search of new trade routes.

E. Napp Questions for Reflection: What was the Silk Road and how did the Italian city-states benefit from trade with Asia? Why did European nations begin to search for new trade routes? Who was Prince Henry the Navigator and how did he help explorers? Who was Bartholomeu Dias and what did he prove?