Download netw rks

NAME DATE Geography and History Activity
CLASS netw rks
Age of Exploration and Trade
Lesson 1 The Age of Exploration
Understanding Location: Europeans and the Known World
The Greek historian Herodotus began his book History with a
description of the world that was known to him in the fifth
century. This included the area around the Mediterranean Sea.
The Greeks also recorded tales of some of the first brave
sailors to sail out of the Mediterranean and venture down the
African coast. At the time, many more areas of the world had
humans living on them, but European explorers had not yet
reached them.
In the Middle Ages, explorers from Scandinavia sailed as far
west as what is now Newfoundland, Canada. Along the way,
they established colonies in Scotland, England, Ireland, and
Greenland. These Scandinavian explorers were unable to set
up colonies in North America. They do not seem to have
shared their knowledge of the Americas with the rest of
Europe.
John Cabot sailed west from England and used the northern
route to reach North America. Explorers continued to search
for an easy way through this new continent to Asia. Magellan
explored the coast of South America looking for a passage
through when he found a dangerous, narrow strait. Bravely, he
pushed through it and realized he had entered another ocean,
the Pacific. It was so vast that his men nearly starved to death
crossing it. However, when they finally reached East Asia, they
recognized a part of the world they knew from sailing in the
other direction. Sailors heading east and west had finally met
by sailing around the globe.
Copyright by The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Centuries later, southern Europeans used the coast of Africa to
guide them on an eastern course towards Asia. They focused
on reaching India and its known riches. Lucky accidents
followed. Pedro Cabral steered to the southwest from Africa
and ended up finding Brazil across the Atlantic Ocean.
Columbus had similar good fortune in sailing south and not
directly west from Spain. This allowed him to use westward
blowing winds to reach America.
NAME DATE CLASS netw rks
Geography and History Activity Cont.
Age of Exploration and Trade
European Exploration of the World
m
Colu
da
Ga
ma
da
Gam
Elca
ag
no
M
Death of
Magellan
April 1521
492
bus 1
el
la
n
15
21
M
a
l
ge
la
n
d
19 a Gama 1497
15
E l ca
or M
no (f
ag e l l
Ma
a
gell
an
522
an) 1
Europeans sailed in all directions to reach Asia and explore the world.
DOPW (Discovering Our Past - World)
RESG
Chapter 21
Map Title: European Exploration of the World
File Name: C18-06A-NGS-824133_A-RESG
Size: 39p6 x 20p0Answer the
Directions following questions.
Date/Proof: March 6, 2011 - First Proof
Understanding the Concept
2. Explaining Why did explorers seeking a sea route to Asia
use the African coast? Why didn’t they sail west at first?
3. Identifying How did Cabral come upon Brazil and South
America while sailing around Africa?
Copyright by The McGraw-Hill Companies.
1. Labeling Label the following geographical features in the
outline map above: Mediterranean Sea, Africa, North
America, South America, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean,
India, and China.
NAME DATE Geography and History Activity Cont.
CLASS netw rks
Age of Exploration and Trade
Applying the Concept
4. Analyzing Why did Europeans keep looking for a way
through the Americas, instead of exploring the new
continent?
5. Making Connections How was the discovery of the
Americas just as important to Europeans as finding a sea
route to Asia?
Copyright by The McGraw-Hill Companies.