Download Chapter 4: How and Why Europeans Came to the New World

Chapter 4: How and Why Europeans
Came to the New World
Date:
Focus Question: What did explorers take to and from the
New World during the Age of Exploration?
I. The European Age of Exploration Begins
A. When? The late 1400s
B. Why? (What were they looking for/hoping to achieve?) They
were looking for sea routes/trade routes to Asia
C. Who? Spain (Christopher Columbus), France, Portugal,
England, and Holland/The Netherlands.
D. How? (By what means did they travel?) They sailed on ships,
using navigational tools like the astrolabe, the compass, and
triangular or lateen sails.
II. Ocean Crossing
A. Sailors needed ways to help them stay on course. They had
no __landmarks__ to guide them in the open sea. Explorers
developed new and rediscovered old technology (tools) to help
them navigate their way.
1. The astrolabe: an early scientific tool used to observe and
calculate the position of the sun and stars. Let sailors know
their latitude or location north and south of the equator.
2. The compass: shows directions such as North, South, East
and West. It always points north and uses the Earth’s magnetic
pole. Works in any weather. Let sailors know the direction they
were traveling in.
3. Maps: drawings of the shapes of bodies of land and water.
They also show where key physical features are (good places to
land their ships). European explorers got information for their
maps from sailors, other explorers, and scientists.
B. Why didn’t they go over land? (Silk Road)
1. The overland trip had always been dangerous and
expensive.
2. Holy wars called Crusades made the overland route even
more dangerous for Christian explorers.
3. Muslim traders would only trade with merchants from the
Italian city states of Genoa and Venice.
III. Motivations for Exploration (Why did they go? The Three
G’s: Glory, God, and Gold)
A. Claiming Land (G: Glory )
1. Explorers carried flags or banners to honor their queens and
kings.
a) Flags often displayed the symbol of a cross; Spanish
ships had the letters F and Y on them (for King Ferdinand
and Queen Ysabel).
b) Flags served as symbols of power of countries and their
rulers.
2. Explorers also kept journals and ships’ logs to record
important information about their journeys.
B. Religious Beliefs (G: God)
1. Christianity began in the Middle East and spread to Europe.
2. Europeans spread this religion to other parts of the world.
3. In Europe Christians were either Catholics or Protestants
and many people believed all people should share their
beliefs.
4. Catholic rulers sent priests and armies to other lands; part of
their mission was to convert people to the Catholic Church
so many explorers carried Bibles with them.
C. Wealth (G: Gold)
1. Europeans measured their wealth in gold and silver.
2. In the late 1400s Spain had just fought a costly war, so they
wanted to get more gold and silver.
3. In Mexico and South America, the Spanish found gold and
silver. They forced Native Americans to work in mines as
slaves. Spanish ships carried the gold and silver back to
Spain.
4. New Foods were also valuable products.
a) Explorers brought back corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
beans, squash, tomatoes, pineapple, and cacao beans.
b) These new foods changed what people ate around the
world. Europeans ate a more healthful diet, which helped to
support population growth.
5. Cash Crops: Crops that are grown in large quantities for
sale.
a) The New World crop tobacco became very popular in
Europe.
b) Many Europeans became addicted to tobacco and soon it
was in great demand.
c) Tobacco grew well in the New World and the American
colonists planted large fields of it. They sold the crop to
Europeans.
IV. Summary
1. Navigational Tools: helped European explorers sail across
the Atlantic Ocean
2. Motivations for Exploring: The Three Gs, Glory, God, and
Gold. Claiming Land, Spreading Christianity, and Gaining
Wealth.
3. What They Brought Back to Europe: New World plants such
as corn, potatoes, and tobacco.