Age of Exploration: Key Motives, Technologies, and Conquistadors

Age of Exploration

The Age of Exploration began in the 1400's and lasted for approximately 300 years.

Motives for Exploration

The Crusades introduced the Europeans to rich and exotic items from the east.

Gold

The Europeans were looking for wealth.

God

They wanted to spread Christianity.

Glory

They wanted fame.

Prince Henry the Navigator

He was an explorer from Portugal who created a school for navigation, mapmaking and shipbuilding.

New Technology at Sea

A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable, two or three masted ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish for long voyages of exploration from the 15th century.

Compass

A compass is a device that always points north. It is used for navigation.

Astrolabe

An astrolabe is an instrument that was used to determine the altitude of objects (like the sun) in the sky.

Quadrant

A simple instrument for determining the altitude of heavenly bodies.

Ferdinand Magellan

Sailed for Portugal and is credited with being the first man to circumnavigate the Earth.

Christopher Columbus

he discovered the new world

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of items between the Old World and the New World.

Items from the Old World

Horses, Cattle, Bananas, Small Pox, Measles were brought to the New World.

Items from the New World

Corn, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Pineapple, Tobacco, Cocoa Beans were taken back to the Old World.

Conquistadors

The conquistadors were Spanish conquerors (explorers) who

sailed to the Americas to obtain gold, silver, and other treasures. They were

often brutal and resorted to any means to get what they wanted.

Hernando Cortes

Defeated the Aztecs and their leader Montezuma.

Francisco Pizarro

Destroyed the Inca Empire.

Mercantilism

The theory of mercantilism held that a country's power depended mainly on its wealth.

Imperialism

The political, military, or economic domination of one country over another.

Sponsor

A sponsor is the individual or group that provides support, usually financial.

Cartographer

Person who makes maps.

Circumnavigate

To circumnavigate is to travel around the entire Earth (or around another given object).