REASONS FOR EUROPEAN EXPLORATION

WARM UP

What motivated early European exploration?

Discuss with your neighbor and be prepared to

share.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikxpUtXQ8J

4

MIDDLE AGES

Feudalism: the practice of kings and nobles offering

protection to peasants in exchange for their labor. This

protection made people feel safer to travel and trade

increased.

Crusades: series of Holy wars led to an increased desire

by Europeans for eastern goods that were found in the

Middle East

spices, citrus fruits, silk/cotton, perfume, gold

SILK ROAD

REBIRTH

Through contact with southwest Asia, Europeans learned

how Muslims preserved and further developed classical

Greek and Roman mathematics, philosophy, science, and

art.

WHAT DIFFERENCES DO YOU NOTICE BETWEEN THESE TWO PAINTINGS?

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Art: Humanism

focused on the

individual and freedom

rather than religion and

social order

Architecture: Value

proportion and pattern

rather than ornate,

gothic design

SOCIAL & CULTURAL VALUES

Instead of religious themes

and heroic stories, literature

moved towards humanism.

Geoffrey Chaucer's The

Canturbury Tales was

written in English rather

than Latin. Characters

were common people:

servants, criminals,

homemakers, etc.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Printing Press: Gutenburg

developed a method of

printing quickly and

inexpensively rather than

copy by hand.

Can you name some

effects of the printing

press?

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Scientific Revolution begins:

Copernicus argued that

the earth revolved around

the sun

Vesalius began dissecting

human bodies

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

New sea navigation technology:

caravel--new ship that could travel faster

astrolabe--plotted location by measuring altitute of

sun and stars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcdO0QTmxIU

ECONOMICS

Europeans wanted to find faster and safer trade routes to

India and Asia rather than pass through the Middle East,

which was under Muslim rule

Northwest passage would connect Atlantic and Pacific

Increased trade would lead to increased wealth,

influence, and power

Establish colonies for trade

Find new resources (wood, iron, etc)

RELIGION

Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther fought

corruption of Catholic Church in Europe and sought

to return Christianity to simple, biblical truth

Catholic reforms were not enough to satisfy

protestants, who still felt a need to escape the

Chruch's control

Protestants and Catholics would seek to convert

"primitive" peoples across the globe to Christianity

GOVERNMENT

With the decline of Church

authority and feudalism,

growing commerce and

capitalism among the middle

class influenced their

partnerships with monarchies.

How might this lead to

exploration?

EXIT TICKET

On the index card provided, explain which

aspect of European culture you believe was

most influential in leading to the age of

exploration and WHY.