The Age of Exploration

15th Century Europe

POPULATION

grew slowly

famine, wars

and 

epidemics

cities grew and expanded

SOCIETY

PRIVILEGED

Nobility

and

clergy

landowners

merchants

craftspeople

poor people / beggars

slaves

NON-PRIVILEGED

Commoners

15th Century Europe

15th Century Europe

ECONOMY

Agriculture

cereals, olives, grapes

Livestock farming

sheep, cows, pigs

Guilds and Local Markets

Merchants traded

luxury items

Craftspeople

in

local markets

silk, porcelain, spices, perfumes

15th Century Europe

ECONOMY

Guilds and Local Markets

Merchants traded

luxury items

Craftspeople

in

local markets

silk, porcelain, spices, perfumes

Trade with Far East

The Silk Route

Italian merchants bought silk, porcelain and spices from CHINA and INDIA

and sold in local markets

Trade with Far East

In 1453

closed the trade routes from west to east

Technological development

Turks conquered Constantinople

end of the BYZANTINE EMPIRE

Merchants looked for new routes to Asia

many were inspired

by books about

MARCO POLO travels

and

helped with

new navigation tools...

Astrolabe

Hourglass

Quadrant

Compass

Navigational Instruments

Cartography

Portolan Charts

used to map

maritime routes

Improved Ship Design

Rudder was built in the back of ship  easier to steer 

Combined triangular and square sails

square sails  faster

triangular sail change directions

New types of ships

Caraval - lighter and faster

Galleon - carry more cargo, and cannons

Improved Ship Design

Rudder was built in the back of ship  easier to steer 

Combined triangular and square sails

square sails  faster

triangular sail change directions

New types of ships

Caraval - lighter and faster

Galleon - carry more cargo, and cannons

Portuguese expeditions

new trade routes to India to control the silk and spice trade

Prince Henry the Navigator (King John of Portugal son)

united cartographers, astronomers and shipbuilders

created maps that led to the first voyages around Africa

Portuguese expeditions

First voyages

1415 - conquered Ceuta

mid 15th Century - arrived to the Madiera Islands

and the Azores

stopped at these island to continue

exploring the African coast

Portuguese expeditions

First voyages

1482 Diego Cao - arrived at the mouth of the Congo River

1488 Bartolomeu Dias - arrived at the southern tip of the African continent - called Cape of Good Hope

Creating a route to the Indian Ocean

Portuguese expeditions

Arrival to India and Brazil

1497 - Vasco da Gama left Lisbon and arrived in India 10 months later

Controlled the Indian Ocean

1500 - Pedro Alvares Cabral

got lost, sailed too far from the African coast...

discovered Brazil/coast of South America

Portuguese expeditions

Arrival to India and Brazil

Created a Empire

controlling trade of luxury items from India 

Created coastal trading posts

on the African coast

where ship could stop and get supplies

Castillian expeditions

1492 - Cristóbal Colón

 - wanted to reach Asia by sailing west

August 12th 1492 -Reyes Católicos gave him money and ships

12th October 1492 sailed three ship across the Atlantic 

arrived in Cuba and Santo Domingo

Castillian expeditions

1492 - Cristóbal Colón

thought he reached JAPAN

made three more voyages to the Caribbean Islands   maps on page 135

Castillian expeditions

Américo Vespucio - an Italian navigator financed by the Crown of Spain

discovered the coast the South American and the mouth of the Amazon River 

his observations convinced him that he had discovered a Mundus Novus - New World

later called - AMERICA

Castillian expeditions

1520/21 - Fernando de Magallanes 

wanted to find a route

to the Moluccas Islands / Spice Islands

1520 - found a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

named Estrecho de Magallanes

Castillian expeditions

1520/21 - Fernando de Magallanes 

continued travelling in Pacific Ocean

to the Philippines

he was killed by natives but...

Castillian expeditions

Juan Sebastián Elcano continued the voyage

arrived in the MOLUCCAS ISLANDS or SPICE ISLAND

continued sailing around Africa and arrived in Spain in 1522

Completed the first voyage around the world

1494 - Treaty of Tordesillas

Rivalry between Castillan and Portugues Crowns

Castillan Crown - received most of the two American continents

Portugues Crown - received Africa, Australia and the islands in the Indian Ocean

The Age of Exploration

By txecor

The Age of Exploration

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