Age of Exploration

World Regions and Cultures 11- Western Europe “Age of Exploration”

Student Learning Objective- Students will be able to explain causes and effects of European exploration and colonial expansion into the "New World" or Western Hemisphere.

Leif Eriksson discovered Newfoundland  (Canada) in 1000 AD.  Eriksson leading a voyage from Iceland to Greenland was way off course.  His ships came across the Canadian coast and turned around.  Later, the “Age of Exploration” describes a time period where European countries wanted find new passages to India and China for trade reasons.  Later it was to find out what was in the Western Hemisphere and even later to pursue opportunities there ($$$$$$).

1. Was the Western Hemisphere really a “new world”?  If not, why was it called that?

2. What were the causes for European Exploration? (662)
1.  ____________________ Trade Monopoly

2.  Fall of ____________________ (2nd capital of Rome) to the Muslims

3.  New technology
4. Religious and economic motivations

3. What technologies aided the Age of Exploration? (662)

More accurate ____________________
____________________ compass
Better ships

4. What 2 Portuguese explorers went around the tip of ____________________ to get to Asia instead of a land route across Europe and Asia minor? (662)

Dias
Da Gama

5. Dias originally called the tip of Africa the “Cape of ____________________”.  Africa is such a large continent that it blocks massive and violent winds.  When a ship gets to the very edge of Africa, there is nothing to stop the winds.  Many ships were wrecked and many people perished there.  Why do you think the Portuguese leaders changed the name?

The leaders wanted future adventurers to make the journey

6. What did they call the tip of Africa after all that (it’s modern name)? Cape of Good ____________
7. Explain what the two Spanish-funded explorers from 662 did.

____________________- 1492- sailed West to try to reach India or Asia in general- landed in the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, etc.

____________________- 1st to circumnavigate the world- Discovered the Strait of Magellan- sailed around South America and then Africa

8. Negative effects of European exploration and expansion? (662-663)
1.  ____________________ Trade
2.  ____________________- #1 killer of Natives
3.  Natives considered primitive
4.  Wars
9. What were some positive effects for the European nations themselves? (663)
1.  Trade
2.  New markets for manufactured goods
3.  Entrepreneurs 
4.  New alliances