Unit 2 Chapter 3The Age of Exploration

Leif Eriksson • A.D. 1000- Viking

Explorer • Set sail from Greenland

heading west• He reached what is

now Canada and called it Vinland (Vineland) because of the grape vines.

Leif Eriksson • Returned to Greenland in the Spring, but the

Vikings traveled back to Vinland many times mostly for fishing and hunting.

• 500 years will pass before Europeans would travel to the Americas.

The First Globe• In 1492 a group of people in

Germany paid Martin Behaim an amount equivalent to $75 to create a new map

• It was called “Earth apple” made from pieces of leather stitched together

Not Right the First Time• This globe showed the world much

smaller than it really was (Europe to Asia- 3,000 miles when it really is about 10,000 miles)• He didn’t

know about North

and South America

• No Australia or Antarctica• Africa too

small and in the wrong

shape

Marco Polo• From Venice, Italy• In 1271 went to Asia with his

father and uncle who were traders who heard of the riches on this far-off land.

• On their journey they reached China, India, and Persia

• 24 years later he returned home and brought the wealth of Asia back to Europe.

Trade Routes to the East• For hundreds of years, Europeans carried on

a busy trade with people from Asia. • Traded gold, jewels, silk, perfume, and spices

(pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg). • For Europeans, travel to Asia and back was

too hard• Instead they traveled to cities in North Africa

and Southwest Asia, which they called the Middle East (Alexandria, Constantinople, Damascus, and Baghdad)

The End of Trade• Trade with Asia suddenly stopped in 1453

when the Turks (people from the land called the Ottoman Empire) captured the city of Constantinople and took control of the Middle East.

• This closed the trade routes between Europe and Asia

Changes In Europe• Many changes took place in Europe during

the time the city of Constantinople was captured.

• Portugal, Spain, France, and England were now ruled by Monarchs (Kings and Queens)

• Advances in technology and science– Faster ships– Better compasses

Portugal Leads the Way• Portugal took the lead in the search to find the first

water route to Asia. • King John was willing to spend as much money as

needed in order to do so. • King John assigned Prince Henry to direct his country’s

search– Set up the first European school for training sailors in

navigation.• Finally, in 1488, Bartholomeu Dias became the first to

sail all the way around the southern tip of Africa (The Cape of Good Hope).

• Ten years later, Vasco de Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to India.

United Streaming Video• Write down at least one fact on each

explorer from the video

Explorers

Marco Polo Leif Eriksson

Christopher Columbus

Where/When was he

exploring?

Who/ What country was he exploring for?

Who/ What country was he exploring for?

Who/ What country was he exploring for?

Where/When was he

exploring?

Where/When was he

exploring?

Interesting about him

Interesting about him

Interesting about him