Topic 17 - Lesson 2 - The Age of Exploration PDF

Name Date Class Reading and Writing Essentials THE AGE OF EXPLORATION AND TRADE Lesson 2 | The Age of Exploration...

Name Date Class Reading and Writing Essentials THE AGE OF EXPLORATION AND TRADE Lesson 2 | The Age of Exploration Taking Notes As you read the lesson, use the graphic organizer below to identify Europeans who explored Asia and the Americas. Take notes about each explorer you identify. Asia Americas Copyright © McGraw Hill The Age of Exploration and Trade 1 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  Europe Gets Ready to Explore ? GUIDING QUESTION As you read, think about this question: Why did Europeans begin to explore the world? In the 1400s and 1500s, Europeans slowly took control of the Americas and parts of Asia. Many events came together to create the right time for overseas, or across the sea, exploration during the early modern period. Search for Trade Routes During the Middle Ages, Europeans began to buy silks, spices, and other luxury goods from Asia. Spices, such as pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg, were in great demand. Europeans used spices to store and flavor food. They also used them to make perfume, beauty products, and medicine. A network of merchants controlled trade from Asia to Europe. Chinese and Indian traders sent spices by caravan over the Silk Road and other routes to the eastern Mediterranean region. A caravan is a large group of people traveling together. From there, Arab and Byzantine traders shipped the spices to Europe. The Arabs made a lot of money selling luxury goods to Italian merchants. The Italians then sold the products to other Europeans. European merchants knew they could make more money if they could get goods directly from China and India. They wanted to find a way to reach Asia by sea so they would not have to make the long overland journey to Asia through the Middle East. Europeans had also become interested in Asia after hearing Marco Polo’s stories about his travels there. Technology and Exploration New ideas began to change Europe in the mid- to late-1300s. Thinkers worked to find ways to better understand the world. These new ways of thinking inspired people to use science to solve real-world problems. As a result, European explorers had many new technological inventions they could use in the 1400s. These inventions helped them navigate, or find their way across, the world’s huge oceans. Europeans learned about the astrolabe (AS truh layb) and the compass from the Arabs. The astrolabe was an ancient Greek instrument that was used to find latitude. Latitude is the north or south distance of a person, object, or place from the equator. Sailors used the compass to help them identify the direction in which they were sailing. overseas across the sea Copyright © McGraw Hill navigate to find a travel route to a location using tools, such as a compass astrolabe an instrument for observing the positions of heavenly bodies that was used before the sextant was invented latitude distance north or south from the equator measured in degrees equator an imaginary circle around the Earth everywhere equally distant from the North Pole and the South Pole compass a device for determining directions with a magnetic needle pointing to the magnetic north 2 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  Name Date Class Reading and Writing Essentials Lesson 2 | The Age of Exploration European mapmakers also improved their skills. During the late Middle Ages, most Europeans with some schooling knew that the Earth was round. However, the only maps were of Europe and the Mediterranean area. That changed during the Renaissance. People began to study ancient maps and books. A map made in Spain in the 1370s called the Catalan Atlas was the most complete source of information about the known world at the time. Europeans also rediscovered the works of the ancient Greek mapmaker Ptolemy (TAH luh mee). Ptolemy had drawn maps of the world for his book, Geography. He recorded the latitude and longitude of over 8,000 places. Longitude is the distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. The invention of the printing press made it easier for sailors and explorers to get good maps. European mapmakers learned about the Indian Ocean by studying the works of the Arab mapmaker al-Idrisi (ehl-ah DREE see). Many Europeans decided that sailing around Africa was the best way to get to Asia. Shipbuilders made ships better by using triangular sails developed by Arab traders. They also added more masts with sails and began using a rudder. A rudder is an underwater blade at the back of the ship that is turned to steer it. Ships could now go in nearly every direction no matter where the wind blew. Rise of Strong Kingdoms Even with new sailing skills and tools, exploration was expensive and dangerous. But by the 1400s, the rise of towns and trade had made Europe’s governments stronger. By the end of the 1400s, four powerful kingdoms had risen in Europe. These were Portugal, Spain, France, and England. All four kingdoms had ports on the Atlantic Ocean—and all were eager to find a sea route to Asia. CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING 1. Identifying Cause and Effect What did merchants think would happen if they found a sea route to Asia? 2. Explaining How did new technology help European sailors? Copyright © McGraw Hill longitude distance measured by degrees or time east or west from the prime meridian Prime Meridian the meridian of 0° longitude from which other longitudes are calculated The Age of Exploration and Trade 3 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  Early Voyages of Exploration ? GUIDING QUESTION As you read, think about this question: Which leaders were responsible for European exploration of the world? During the early 1400s, England and France were still at war with each other. Spain was still fighting the Muslims. This let Portugal take the lead in exploring new trade routes to Asia. Portugal Leads the Way Prince Henry of Portugal became known as “Henry the Navigator” even though he never made an ocean voyage himself. This was because the prince was eager for Portugal to explore the world so he paid for many voyages of exploration. About 1420, Henry’s adventurers sailed along Africa’s west coast and mapped it. They obtained, or got, gold by trading with African kingdoms. The explorers also traveled west into the Atlantic Ocean. There they took control of the Azores (AY zawrz), Madeira (muh DIHR uh), and Cape Verde (VUHRD) islands. In 1488, the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias (bahr tuh luh MEH uh DEE uhsh) sailed to the southern tip of Africa. Nine years later, Vasco da Gama (VAHS koh dah GAM uh) sailed around the tip of Africa and continued sailing until he landed on India’s southwest coast. Europeans had at last found a water route to Asia. The First Voyage of Columbus The Portuguese explored Africa’s western coast. At the same time, an Italian navigator named Christopher Columbus formed a bold plan to reach Asia. Rather than sailing eastward as others had done, Columbus planned to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean. Columbus had tried to convince different European rulers to pay for a voyage of exploration for years. Finally, in 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain agreed to support him. The Spanish king and queen had won their war against the Muslims in Spain earlier that year. They could now pay for voyages looking for new trade routes. In August 1492, Columbus sailed west from Spain with three ships: the Santa María, the Niña, and the Pinta. As the ships made their way across the vast Atlantic Ocean, weeks passed without sight of land. The sailors became frightened. They wanted Columbus to turn around and sail back to Europe. Finally, Columbus and his crew saw land. They had found San Salvador (sahn SAHL vuh dawr), an island in the Caribbean Sea. A boatful of people appeared and paddled up to Columbus’s ship. The strangers got on board the large ship and greeted the Spanish sailors. Columbus describes his first meeting with these indigenous people, the Taino (TEYE noh), in his journal: “ I[changed Copyright © McGraw Hill knew that they were a people who could be more easily freed and converted over] to our holy faith by love than by force, gave to some of them red caps, and glass beads to put round their necks, and many other things of little value, which gave them great pleasure, and made them so much our friends, that it was a marvel to see. They afterwards came to the ship’s boats where we were, swimming and bringing us parrots, cotton threads in [balls] obtain to gain; to take possession of 4 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  Name Date Class Reading and Writing Essentials Lesson 2 | The Age of Exploration and many other things; and we exchanged them for other things that we gave them, such as glass beads and small bells. In fine [in the end], they took all, and gave what they had in good will. ” —Christopher Columbus, Journal, 1492 Columbus claimed the island of San Salvador for Spain. He then traveled farther west across the Caribbean Sea. In time, his ships reached and explored the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola (hihs puh NYOH luh). Today, the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located on Hispaniola. Columbus began trading with the Taino people. He returned to Spain with colorful parrots, some gold and spices, and several Taino people as proof of his discovery. However, Columbus believed that he had been exploring the coast of Asia. He never realized that he had actually arrived in the Americas. It was not until 1502 that another Italian explorer, Amerigo Vespucci (ahm uh REE goh veh SPOO chee), suggested that Columbus’s journey may have taken him somewhere other than Asia. In 1507, early mapmakers used the name America for what is now known as South America. Later, the name was used for North America, too. Spanish Conquerors Columbus’s success pleased the Spanish king and queen. Wealthy Europeans were now eager to pay for a second voyage. Columbus set out again in 1493. On this voyage, he took soldiers with him to take control of these new lands by force. In Documents Relating to the Voyages of John Cabot and Gaspar Corte Real. Translated by Clements R. Markham. London: November, the Spanish landed on the island of Hispaniola. Copyright © McGraw Hill TEXT:The Journal of Christopher Columbus (During His First Voyage, 1492-1493) and For the first time, the Taino saw the conquistadors (kahn KEES tuh dawrz). These were the soldier- explorers that Spain sent to the Americas. The Taino were frightened by what they saw. The conquistadors rode on large horses, with snarling dogs running alongside them. To show their strength, the soldiers fired guns that shot out flames and lead balls. The conquistadors claimed Hispaniola for Spain and enslaved the Taino. In 1494, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas (tawr day SEE yahs). This treaty divided South America between the two kingdoms. Voyage of Magellan During the 1500s, Spain continued to explore the Americas, but it was still interested in finding a western route to Asia. In 1518, Spain hired Ferdinand Magellan (muh JEH luhn) for an exploration voyage. Magellan sailed west from Spain. His primary, or most important, goal was to sail around the Americas and then continue on to Asia. The Hakluyt Society, 1893. Magellan traveled along South America’s eastern coast, searching for a route to Asia. Near the southern tip of the continent, he reached a strait, or narrow area of water. This is now called the Strait of Magellan. After passing through the stormy strait, Magellan and his crew entered a huge body of water. The waters were so calm and conquistador a Spanish soldier who conquered people in other lands primary most important; first strait a narrow channel connecting two large bodies of water The Age of Exploration and Trade 5 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  peaceful that Magellan named it the Pacific Ocean. Pacific means “peaceful.” Magellan then sailed west. Supplies of fresh water and food ran out. The crew had to eat leather, sawdust, and rats. Some sailors died. Finally, after four months at sea, Magellan and his men reached the present-day Philippines. Magellan was killed in a battle between groups of people living there. The remaining crew members continued west across the Indian Ocean, around Africa, and back to Spain. They became the first known people to circumnavigate (suhr kuhm NAV uh GAYT), or sail all the way around, the world. Early French and English Explorers The Portuguese successes led the English and the French to send their own explorers overseas. In 1497, Englishman John Cabot (KA buht) explored the North American coasts of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. He did not succeed in finding a waterway to Asia. In 1524, France sent Giovanni da Verrazzano (joh VAH nee dah ver uh ZAH noh) to find a northern route to Asia. Verrazzano explored and mapped much of the eastern coast of North America. But he did not find a route to Asia either. In 1534, the French navigator Jacques Cartier (ZHAHK kahr TYAY) sailed inland along the St. Lawrence River to present-day Montreal. Cartier claimed much of eastern Canada for France. After these early expeditions, or journeys of exploration, the rulers of France and England turned their attention to problems at home. There were battles over religion and government in their own countries. By the early 1600s, however, these countries could once again send explorers overseas. This time, the French and English began to settle in parts of the Americas. Because most of the land that Spain and Portugal claimed was in South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, France and England formed colonies in North America. BIOGRAPHY JACQUES CARTIER (1491–1557) French explorer Jacques Cartier made his first voyage to North America in 1534. He searched for gold, spices, and a route to Asia. Cartier commanded 2 ships and 61 men. They explored the coasts of Newfoundland and Canada and all of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Cartier did not find what he was searching for during this voyage or two later ones. However, he did travel inland as far as the present-day areas of Quebec and Montreal. Cartier was the first European to explore this part of North America. As a result, France had a strong claim on that area. Many people consider Cartier one of the founders of Canada. Some people even believe he named the country because he used the Huron-Iroquois word Kanata. Copyright © McGraw Hill Kanata means “village” or “settlement.” In fact, Cartier was only talking about the area where the city of Quebec is located today. circumnavigate to go completely around something, such as the world expedition a journey or trip undertaken for a specific purpose 6 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  Name Date Class Reading and Writing Essentials Lesson 2 | The Age of Exploration CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING 3. Analyzing Why did explorers of the Americas need to use information that earlier explorers had learned? 4. Explaining Why did France and England decide to explore North America? Wrap Up the Lesson Answer the Guiding Questions 5. Identifying Themes Why did Europeans begin to explore the world? Copyright © McGraw Hill The Age of Exploration and Trade 7 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.  6. Summarizing Which leaders were responsible for European exploration of the world? Summarize What You Learned 7. Summarizing Imagine that you are a member of Magellan’s crew at the end of a trip around the world. Write a one-paragraph journal entry about your experience. Answer each question below in a full sentence in your journal entry. Why did you and Magellan take this voyage? Where did you sail? Who paid for this voyage? What did you know from earlier explorers? What did you see on your voyage? How did your voyage end? Dear Journal, Copyright © McGraw Hill 8 This material is provided solely for individual educational use by licensed student users only and may not be further reproduced or distributed.