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AGE OF EXPLORATION
World History --- Woodland Hills Junior High
Age of Exploration
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From the 15th to 17th century
when Europeans began exploring
the world by sea
Two Purposes
Find new goods to trade and
people to trade with
1.
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2.
New Trade Routes
Learn more about the geography
of the world
 Some
thought the earth was flat
The New World
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With no maps or satellites,
people only knew about land
they were connected to.
No one knew if land existed
across the ocean
This means: North America,
South America, Antarctica,
Australia were yet to be
found.
North America Explorers Link
Go West !
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European Explorers traveled west.
Why?
The New World
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Europeans thought the land
they found was ‘New’
In North America, Native
American had lived on the
continent for centuries – the
land was not new
Europeans claimed the land
for them own
So what are you looking for…?
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Explorers were sent by the government of their
country
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Anything they found would be claimed for the
country
Ships and supplies were provided by the
government
Early explorers were looking for riches and land
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Spices
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Gold
Silk
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In the 1400s, there was no refrigeration. To prevent
meat from spoiling, people drowned their meat in salt
to preserve and dry it (like beef jerky).
Also used spices like pepper to cover up the taste of
the salted or spoiled meat.
Rare and desirable
Cable TV
Christopher Columbus
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Italian Explorer
Tried to find a water route to India in order to trade
spices
Columbus sailed for King Ferdinand II and Queen
Isabella of Spain
Columbus led an expedition with three ships, the Niña
the Pinta and the Santa Maria (captained by
Columbus
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About 90 crew members on each ship
Set sail in Aug 3, 1492 from Spain----landed on the
Caribbean islands off southeastern North America in
October 11, 1492
They were met by the local Taino Indians,
Many were captured by Columbus' men and later
sold into slavery.
Columbus thought he had made it to Asia, and called
this area the Indies, and called its inhabitants Indians
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http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/why.htm
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http://library.thinkquest.org/C001692/
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http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/pag
e/c/columbus.shtml