2. Age of Exploration
Hello, my name is
Christopher Columbus and I
am here to tell you about a
major turning point in
history!
The Age of Exploration was a
time when brave men, like
myself, left the familiar
shores of Europe in search of
new lands, trade routes, and
riches!
3. How did it all start?
1. Crusades led to increased trade between Europe and the
Middle East.
2. The Ottoman Empire controlled the trade routes to the east.
The Europeans were forced to seek alternative trade routes to
Asia.
How will the
Europeans get
around the
Ottomans?
4. Reasons for Exploration
Look at the following pictures and see if you can determine the
major reasons for Exploration in the 15th thru 17th centuries!
5. Reasons for Exploration
“Come on! Did you think we did it to find a new
vacation spot?”
1. “Gold” was a motivator! Many
had a desire to find new sources
of wealth.
2. “Glory” encouraged men to take
risks! Many wanted fame and
fortune for themselves and their
nation.
3. “God” was used to justify their
success. Due to Reformation,
some wanted to spread
Christianity.
6. Reasons for Exploration
“All this technology and the Queen only gives me
three scrawny little ships!”
4. “Water Route to the East”
was needed due to Muslim
and Italian control of trade
routes.
5. “Humanism” stressed the
power of the individual to
question and explore the
world around them.
6. “Technology” such as the
compass, sextant, astrolabe,
and the caravel made sea
travel easier.
7. Motivation
Iberian Northern European
Gold – Wealth and prestige for Gold – Wealth for individual
the crown and trading company
Glory – Glory for their nation, Calvinists – wealth was a sign
Individual Glory and of God’s good grace.
fame
Glory – Individual fame and
God – Great Missionary Spirit fortune
to justify actions and
God – Search for religious
gain new followers
freedom (Puritans were
Need for new forms of revenue persecuted)
Competition developed with
Take over trade from Muslims
Iberian nations
and Italians who dominated
Mediterranean
8. Location
Iberian
Portugal
- Seized port cities, or trading enclaves,
in Africa and Asia, like Goa, Malacca,
Mombasa, and Canton
- Brazil was founded by Pedro Cabral in
1500
- Had a monopoly on trade in the Indian
Ocean until the Dutch arrived in the
1600s.
In the early 1400s,
the Portuguese led
the way
10. Location
Iberian
The success of Portuguese explorations
led Spain to begin its own voyages.
- Columbus discovered the Americas for Spain. Sent
“I just wanted to conquistadors to Central and South America
get to the Indies,
but no… these - Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the globe,
Spain settled Philippines
two big
continents had to - Cortes conquered the Aztec empire in Mexico
be in my way!” - Pizarro conquered the Inca empire along the Andes
Mountains in Peru.
13. Location
Northern European
Dutch and British
- Northern areas of the Americas –
settlements and search for a “north-west
passage.”
- Caribbean Islands – Sugar islands
- British controlled Port villages in India –
Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta
1707 map of Japan
- Dutch – Trade routes and colonies in S.E.
that depicts
Asia: Indonesia, Strait of Malacca,
Japan, and China (Only European nation William Adams’
allowed to trade with Japan) visit with
- British later replace Dutch (New York,
Tokugawa Ieyasu in
South Africa, India, Malacca) 1600
15. Oversight Institution
Iberian Northern European
The Crown – Monarch and Trading companies received
Church received 20% of profits! charters from King
Mercantilism.
East and West India Companies
Relied on King and Pope to develop – Privately funded
make decisions. Resulted in ventures with goal of making a
slow, ineffective process of rule profit.
Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494: Mercantilism existed, but
Pope made decision to split New development of capitalism
World possessions into spheres began.
of interest between Spain and
Decisions can be made much
Portugal.
faster by the settlers:
Mayflower Compact
16. What do you think is the reason for the
differences between Iberian and Northern
European exploration?
Here’s a hint: Pope Pius V Here’s a hint: Queen Isabella
Religious differences: Political differences: Iberians had
Iberians were Roman Absolute Monarchs with Divine Right
Catholic and Northerners and Northerners had Limited
were Protestant Parliamentary governments
17. How do these two
images reflect
Northern
European
Exploration?
Merchants and Bankers
who want to make a profit
for themselves and trading
company.
Pilgrims and the Mayflower
Compact: Search for religious
freedom and settlers making
their own decision
18. How do these two
images reflect
Iberian
Exploration?
Columbus arrives in America
and plants flag for Spain. Glory
for Spain and for himself.
Columbus showing off findings
from New World to King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
19. The Columbian Exchange
“The age of Exploration was a major turning
point in history all because of me!”
Columbian Exchange - the exchange of people, plants,
animals, ideas, and technology between Europe and the New
World.
From Old World to New World From New World to Old World
Corn Potato
Wheat Sugar
Beans Peanuts
Bananas Rice
Squash Pumpkin
Grapes Horses
Tomatoes Avocados
Pigs Cattle
Chili Pepper Pineapple
Sheep Chickens
Cocoa Tobacco
Measles
Quinine (a medicine for malaria)
Typhus
20. Impact of Exploration
Positive Effects:
• New trade: led to weakening of the feudal system, rise
in Middle Class, and population growth in Europe.
• Animals: horses, cattle, chicken, sheep were brought
to New World
• Global Trade: Truly Global Trade! Emerged resulting in
cultural diffusion Colonies developed and settled by
Europeans searching for freedom and opportunity
The World in 1400
1600
21. Negative Effects:
• Massive Destruction: Millions of natives died due to
disease brought by Europeans, or by colonization.
• Mercantilism: economic policy that created a favorable
balance of trade for the parent country.
• Colonies: served as a source for raw materials, and as an
exclusive market for the parent country.
22. Atlantic Slave Trade: Africans faced a diaspora, or forced
movement of its people, as slavery became the dominant
labor force in the Americas.
The Triangle Trade
