Download European Explorers Spicy Stuff!

European Explorers
Spicy Stuff!
I. Trade Between Europe & Asia
For centuries, merchants from Europe and Asia had been
traveling across the Mediterranean Sea trading goods. Goods
from Asia had to travel hundreds of miles across land before they
reached the Mediterranean Sea. It was a long trip for everyone.
The Spice Trade
Some of the most popular
items exported from Asia to
Europe were spices such as
cinnamon and pepper.
Give two possible reasons
why spices were such a hot
item on the European market.
Italian merchants from Genoa and
Venice would sail to ports in the
eastern Mediterranean where they
would buy spices and other cargo
such as silk and then bring these
goods back to Europe where they
would sell them at very high prices.
Possibility of Great Wealth
Because the goods from Asia had to be transported
such a long way across both land and water, they were
very expensive. European merchants wanted to find a
way to trade directly with countries like India. And so
began the search for a new route to Asia. . . a water-only
route.
II. Leaders in Exploration
Because of its location at the edge of the continent
of Europe and on the coast, the country of Portugal had a
long history of navigating the waters of the Atlantic Ocean
- especially the African coast. Some of the world’s most
famous explorers would come from this little country next
to Spain.
Portugal
Exploring the African Coast
Prince Henry the Navigator of
Portugal believed that he could find
a shorter way to Asia by sailing
around Africa. With that goal in
mind, Prince Henry started a
navigational school where he
brought together the best minds in
sailing – mapmakers, ship captains
and astronomers. He sent
Portuguese explorers sailing down
the western coast of Africa, and
although they brought back
valuable goods such as gold dust
and ivory and even learned much
about navigation, they still did not
sail around Africa in Prince Henry’s
lifetime.
The Race Around Africa
Knowing that there would be
great wealth for whoever
found a water route to Asia,
Portuguese sailors continued to
push down the coast of Africa.
Bartolomeu Dias became the
first to actually reach the
southern tip of Africa. Ten
years later, Vasco da Gama
sailed around the tip and
And the winner is. . . Vasco da Gama!
became the first to reach Asia
by a sea route.
I win!
First to sail around Africa to Asia!
I win! Go Vasco!
Vasco da Gama’s Trip
Today a 17 mile bridge just outside
Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal,
is named in honor of Da Gama.
Are we there yet??
Da Gama traveled 13,500 miles in 317 days.
The Good News: They became the first
Europeans to reach India by a sea route. Now
the Portuguese could begin trading directly with
Asia and they ruled the waterways.
The Bad News: They still had to turn
around and go all that way back home!
Da Gama died in India on December 24, 1524 and was buried
Talkthere.
about
seasick!
Later,
his remains were reburied in a chapel in Vidigueira,
Portugal.
Out of my way,
III. Europe Enters a New
Age
Englishman!
Spain will
Move over you
ugly Spaniard!
England will
Other
countries
rule
the seas!
rule! Besides, you have
weirdthe
pants.
wanted in on
trade
in Europe
action in Asia, so they began sending out sailors to
find their own sea routes. Spain and England (UK)
quickly entered the race to find wealth from India
and other Asian countries.
Christopher Columbus
Successfully failed to find Asia!
In 1492, this Italian explorer
convinced the Queen of
Spain that he could find an
even shorter route to Asia
by sailing west instead of
east. He failed to find Asia,
but he did bump into some
islands in the Caribbean Sea
and from there was
discovered a little ole
continent known today as
North America.
Way to goof, Columbus!
Anyone remember what his
first job was?
Ferdinand Magellan
Around the world in 1095 days!
Reproduction of one
of Magellan’s
ships.in
Magellan
left Spain
1519 with
5 ships and over 200 men
sailing west. Killed in battle by
natives on an island in the
Fact: Things
got sonever
bad onmade it
Pacific,
Magellan
the voyage
back But
home,
that years
back
to Spain.
three
Magellan’s
crew were storms,
later,
after enduring
forced todisease
eat rats and
battles,
and near
sawdust rather
starve.
starvation,
onethan
of his
ships with
Ugh! onboard made
only 18 crewman
it back to Spain thus becoming
the first explorers to
circumnavigate the world.
Who’s Been Listening?
1. Goods traded from Asia to Europe had to be shipped
across both __________ & __________.
2. What item was most sought after by the Europeans?
3. Why were goods from Asia so expensive?
4. What did European merchants want to find?
5. What country took the lead in world exploration?
6. Who started a school of navigation to encourage
exploration?
7. Who was the first explorer to reach Asia by sea only?
8. What Italian explorer convinced the Queen of Spain
that he could reach the East by sailing West?
9. What is Ferdinand Magellan’s claim to fame?
IV. Reasons For Exploration
The countries and monarchs of Europe began
exploring for many reasons:
To find a water route to Asia
To search for wealth & riches.
To build their empires.
To spread the Christian faith.
V. Outcomes of Exploration
Most explorers
never did find wealth and great
Indigenous
means
riches,Indigenous
but they took full advantage of what
native.
theyare
didthe
findones
– establishing colonies and
people
conquering
many of the indigenous people.
who
are originally
from a place.
Ex: Cherokees &
Creeks are some of
the Aztecs
indigenous
people
The
are some
of
of Georgia.
the
indigenous people
of Mexico,
and the Incas were
indigenous of
South America.
1. Clash of Cultures
Often the lands
conquered by the
European were already
home to large self-ruling
groups of indigenous
people. Their had their
own customs and
traditions that they were
not always willing to give
up. With the arrival of
the Europeans, many of
these groups’ lives would
be changed forever and
their cultures lost
What Enduring Understandings would
this clash of culture represent?
2. Religious Conversion
Some European monarchs
had strong religious beliefs
and so believed it was their
Christian duty to spread their
faith. So they sent
missionaries to help convert
the conquered people to
Christianity. The European
rulers hoped that the spread
of Christianity would
overcome other religions
such as Islam.
3. Spread of Disease
One unexpected
consequence of European
exploration was the spread
of disease. When the
Europeans arrived in the
New World, they brought
disease germs from the Old
World with them. Diseases
such as measles, smallpox,
and malaria killed tens of
thousands of native people
who had never been
exposed to them before the
European explorers came.
4. Slavery
European exploration
also led to the
expansion of slavery.
For hundreds of years to
come, conquered people
of South America and
Africans would be forced
to work as slaves in the
New World.
Why it matters now . . .
European trade and
exploration changed the
lives of many people on
both sides of the
Atlantic. Today, citizens
of the Americas continue
to feel the effects of
European exploration
and colonization.
Review Questions
Detached piece of paper – partner work. Spelling Counts!
Textbook pp. 307-311 Click your paper when you are finished.
1. For centuries, merchants from Europe traveled across the
Mediterranean Sea to trade for goods from ___________________?
2. What was one of the most popular trade items Europeans wanted?
3. Why were goods from Asia so expensive?
4. What did European merchants & explorers want to find?
5. What country took the lead in world exploration?
6. Who started a school to encourage explorers?
7. What was the first explorer to find an all water route to Asia?
8. What Italian explorer convinced the queen of Spain that he could
read the East by sailing West?
9. What is Ferdinand Magellan’s claim to fame?
10. List 4 reasons European countries and monarch’s began exploring?