The Age of Exploration

MesoAmerica North American Colonies

BACKGROUND Rise of Monarchies

• Kings and queens paid for the exploration trips

• Prestige• More territory

• Printing Press• Fed rise of humanism

• Access to books, more people read accounts of new lands

• Scientific and intellectual inquiry

• Access to maps, navigation tools

BACKGROUNDHow did it start?

◦Prince Henry “The Navigator” of Portugal

◦Started a school of navigation in 1420

◦Didn’t sail, but planned voyages and analyzed their reports

◦Astronomers, geographers, mathematicians shared info with Portuguese sailors and shipbuilders.

◦Expert mapmakers updated maps/charts

GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHYHow did geography play a factor in

the pursuit of new lands?◦ The Turks blocked the trade route from

the Mediterranean Sea to the land route to Asia.

◦ Crusades—European countries tried to regain control of holy sites that had been taken over by the Muslims and were exposed to trade items.

◦ Portugal—They didn’t have a Mediterranean port location and needed an option.

◦ Arabs’ prices were too high. (Middle Man)

SOCIALEuropean explorers conquered

three major MesoAmerican empires, greatly changing their lives and destinies: ◦Aztecs◦Mayans◦Incas

All three empires easily conquered◦Feared white man: armor, guns =

gods◦Unrest within

SOCIAL: AZTEC SPRITE1200 AD – 1535 ADG: Central Mexico

◦Built capital city of Tenochtitlan◦Legend: priest had dream, locate city where he found an eagle holding a snake in his claws on top of a cactus.

Mexico CityModern day Mexican flag

S: Ruler, priests and nobles, warriorsmerchants and artisans, farmers, and slavesP: Empire ruled by emperor

SOCIAL: AZTEC SPRITER: Religion was polytheistic: Believed in many gods.

◦Used human sacrifices to please the gods.

I: Created writing system using hieroglyphics. T: Built irrigation for cropsE: Traded cacao beans, tools, clothes, jewelry at local markets; caravans to present day Guatemala, Belize, Honduras

SOCIAL: MAYA SPRITE200 AD – 900’s ADG: Southern Mexico into Central AmericaS: Social Classes based on birth P: Built city-states ruled by kings. R: Polytheistic; Used humans as sacrifice

SOCIAL: MAYA SPRITEI: Very accomplished:

◦Studied stars ◦Developed calendar ◦Created writing system using hieroglyphics◦Invented system of mathematics with concept of 0

T: Built pyramids as templesE: Traded among empire/city-states

◦As currency, cacao beads gave way to stone beads

◦Gold, jade and copper = more expensive items

SOCIAL: INCA SPRITE1200 AD – 1535 AD G: Modern day Peru along Pacific

Ocean S: “Inka” means ruler

◦ Adapted to Inca by Spanish conquistadors to refer the people of the area, not the ruler or his family

◦ Inca a patchwork of people from different lands

P: Government run by emperor◦ Civil war within empire favored Spanish

conquest R: Polytheistic

◦ Believed in reincarnation

SOCIAL: INCA SPRITE I: Architecture most important

of Inca arts◦ Machu Picchu◦ Temples constructed using mortar

less construction knife couldn’t fit between!

T: Built vast network of roads and bridges

◦ Terrace farming ◦ E: Traded within empire ◦ High degree of central planning:

govt planned for citizens needs

POLITICALTreaty of Tordesillas

(Line of Demarcation)Spain got the West

(new world) and Portugal got the East (old world)◦This is why Brazilians

speak Portuguese but the rest of SA speaks Spanish

POLITICAL

POLITICALOCEAN EXPLORERS

◦Spain Columbus: Carribean Vespucci: South American coast; “Americas” deBalboa: Hiked mountains; first to see Pacific Magellan: circumnavigated world; named

Pacific

◦Portugal Dias: Explored Africa DaGama: Sailed around tip of Africa to India Cabral: Explored Brazilian coast; sailed on to

India

POLITICALINLAND EXPLORERS

◦Cortez-(Mexico) Conquered the Aztecs, put the Aztec emperor, Montezuma in prison.

◦Pizarro-(Peru) Conquered the Incas, executed their leader, Atahualpa.

Spanish explorers were known as conquistadors

They received grants, or special permission, to explore and claim land.

POLITICALNORTH AMERICAN EXPLORERS

◦Henry HudsonSailed for England &

Holland/NetherlandsHudson River (NYC) named for

him Pilgrims

◦ See religion

RELIGIONMesoAmerica

◦Native Americas = polytheistic◦Europeans = monotheistic /

CHRISTIAN, considered Indian ways barbaric ENCOMIENDA: Spanish granted land &

Native Americans to colonists in South America. In return, convert Indians to Christianity Result = Disease, overwork killed millions of

Indians Lends itself to African slave trade

RELIGIONNorth America

◦Pilgrims leave England to escape religious persecution

◦Settle in Plymouth, Massachusetts ◦Indians taught Pilgrims to hunt/fish

Pilgrims still wary/distrusted Indians Long term = leads to displacement of

Indians from their land Trail of Tears

INTELLECTUAL/TECHNOLOGY

What were technology changes that increased exploration?

Better ships◦ triangular sail, sturdy rudder

Better tools◦ Astrolabe, magnetic compass

Better maps◦ Cartographer—a person who

makes/studies maps Included ocean currents and latitude lines

ECONOMICColumbian Exchange

◦Exchange of plants, animals between continents

◦Provided new goods to sell, new means of transportation

◦Also brought diseases: killed millions of Indians

Mercantilism◦Economic principal: nation’s strength

depended on its wealth Intense competition between nations 1500-

1600’s

ECONOMIC

Wrap Up: 1-2-3-4-5-6 FoldableName 1 way the Catholic Church was involved in exploration. Do you agree or disagree with the Church’s position? Why?

Who were the 2 Spanish conquistadors responsible for colonizing South American? How might SA be different today had they not been successful?

Name 3 Native American groups we examined and the geographic locations of their civilizations.

In what ways did the Columbian Exchange effect the New World? Name 2 positive and 2 negative effects.

What 5 items involved in the Columbian Exchange do you consider most important? Defend your response.

Discuss at least 6 pros and cons of continued exploration in our world today.