1. How did the age of exploration begin?
Chapter 3 Social Studies 8
Focus Question #4
How did the age of exploration begin?

2. Beginnings…
Portugal, France and Spain became powerful, united countries
Three factors that supported them leading the Age of Exploration:
Atlantic Coastline = best position to explore New World
Monarchs financed explorations overseas
New ship designs, exploration tools and navigation equipment

3. Beginnings…
Consumerism (having goods), was increased because of travel, exploration and new trade routes
Portugal and Spain funded large expeditions, which lead wealthy merchants to do the same.
England and France then joined the race after learning about the wealth Portugal and Spain were coming into because of this exploration.
consumerism

4. Portugal Trying to sail around Africa to get to India and China.
They were so successful in finding new trading routes that Lisbon became Europe’s new trading capital.
First European to reach Cape of Good Hope, Africa was Bartholomew Diaz (southern tip of Africa)

5. Portugal
10 years later, da Gamma crossed the Indian Ocean and reached India.
He returned to Portugal with many valuable jewels and spices
He established a route to India, which defeated Arab strongholds.
It also set up trading posts from Portugal, along Africa’s coast and into India.
The Portuguese eventually expanded their route to China, establishing the famous port city, Macau

6. Spain… Envious of Portugal’s wealth, so decided to copy them
The pope had already given Portugal money for expeditions, so Spain decided to find a more direct route by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, rather than east across the Indian Ocean.
They were unaware of the large continents that would hinder their progress: North and South America.

7. Spain… Two famous explorers from Spain: Columbus and Magellan
Columbus set sail from Spain, after 10 weeks came upon an island
He thought it was close to Japan, which ended up being in the Caribbean.
He made three more trips after this, but never reached mainland North America

8. Spain… Columbus
He was convinced he did reach Asia, other Explorers discovered Columbus had reached a world previously unknown to Europeans
The Portuguese king turned Columbus down when he asked for funding.
He was turned down because no one believed the world was round and he was therefore going in the wrong direction.
After many years of begging and pleading, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finally supported his voyage financially

9. Spain…Magellan
About 30 years after Columbus, Magellan went further into the Americas by sailing to the southern tip of South America (which is now called the Strait of Magellan)
He sailed through the Strait that led to another ocean, which he called the Pacific Ocean. He named it that because of its calm, pacifying waters.
indigenous

10. Spain…Magellan
Continued westward until he came across islands…Indonesia
Learned other explorers had been there…put two and two together and realized he had sailed around the world.
He was eventually killed in the Philippines.
One of his five ships made it home to Spain to fully travel the globe.

11. England…
At first, England was more interested in trade with Europe so it did not rush to fund exploration.
John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) was funded by the monarchy, sailed west and landed in Newfoundland.
He claimed parts of North America for England.
He was the first person in 400 years to reach North America (we later learn the Vikings had already been to Newfoundland)

12. England…
England watched Portugal and Spain become very wealthy due to their exploration. Decided they needed to do the same.
Merchants funded Martin Frobisher to sail west, find a route through North America (instead of South America like Spain and Portugal; they now owned it) to China and India.
Frobisher and John Davis explored and established more colonies along the North American Atlantic Coast and in the West Indies than any other European Power.

13. France…
France was busy warring with countries like England and later Italy to concentrate on exploration.
However, when they saw the potential wealth (like Portugal and Spain were accumulating) they decided they wanted some of their own wealth and land in the New World.
French supported Jacques Cartier’s expedition in which he explored the St. Lawrence as far as present day Montreal.
This set the stage for future French exploration.

14. How did the Age of Exploration begin?
Review what you Know!
How well could you answer focus question #4?
How did the Age of Exploration begin?