Download Chapter 2 – Age of Exploration Lesson 1 – Technology Shapes

Chapter 2 – Age of Exploration
Lesson 1 – Technology Shapes Exploration
Viking Explorers
 From Scandinavia
 Sailed northern seas in 9th century and raided European
towns
 Explored and settled new land (Canada)
 Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson
 Likely first European to discover North America
Searching For Riches
 In 1400s, trade increased between Europe and Asia.
 Merchants (people who buy and sell things) bought popular
Asian goods.
 Thieves sometimes attacked.
 Europeans wanted a safer, faster sea route to Asia to
acquire goods.
Better Navigation Tools
 Astrolabe – helped sailors know how far north or south
they were
 Magnetic compass – helped sailors know what direction
they were headed.
 Maps – helped sailors follow other sailors’ routes through
unfamiliar waters
 Navigation – process sailors use to plan their course and
find their location far from land
Improved Shipbuilding
 Caravel – smaller, lighter ship with triangular sails (used to
use square) to better control wind (invented in early 1400s)
– pg.37
 Technology – use of scientific knowledge and new ideas to
create practical tools that improve lives.
Portuguese Explorers
 Portugal – led search for land route, location on western
coast of Europe, supportive leaders, and money
 Prince Henry – started a school to teach navigation and
map-making
 Scholars, mapmakers, sailors, and shipbuilders worked
together to improve sea travel and invent new tools.
 Explored African coast to gain wealth by trading for gold
and ivory; also to spread religion around Africa
 Trading posts – stores and small settlements where goods
could be bought and sold
 Slave trade – slave traders bought and sold humans as
property.
Reaching India
 After nearly 40 years, Henry still hadn’t gotten around the
tip of Africa. After his death, other Portuguese explorers
tried to find the route to Asia.
 Bartolomeu Dias – in 1487, led an expedition of three ships
to the African coast, eventually sail around the tip of
Africa.
 10 years later, Vasco de Gama followed Dias’ route around
Africa, and gets farther and reaches India.