Exploration

Three G's

Gold, God, and Glory, the main reasons for exploration during the Age of Discovery.

Gold

Natural resources such as timber, sugar, tobacco, and spices that were highly sought after for profit.

God

The religious motivation for explorers to spread Christianity and halt the spread of Islam.

Glory

The desire for individual achievement and fame, often linked to national pride and the glory of one's kingdom.

Caravel

A small, highly maneuverable ship used during the Age of Exploration.

Magnetic Compass

A navigational instrument with a magnetized needle that points toward the North Pole.

Astrolabe

An instrument used for making astronomical measurements, useful for calculating latitude.

Sextant

A navigational tool used to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon.

Prince Henry the Navigator

A Portuguese prince who sponsored many voyages of exploration and encouraged schools of navigation.

Bartolomeu Dias

Explorer who sailed around the southern tip of Africa, later named the Cape of Good Hope.

Vasco da Gama

Explorer who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to reach India, establishing a sea route to Asia.

Alfonso de Albuquerque

Portuguese explorer who attempted to control the spice trade between Europe and Asia.

Dutch East India Company

A powerful trading company formed by wealthy Dutch merchants for trade in Asia.

Ming Dynasty

A Chinese dynasty known for exploration; eventually halted expeditions due to concerns about foreign influence.

Encomiendas

Land grants given to Spanish settlers in the New World, allowing them to use native labor.

Columbian Exchange

The global exchange of goods, plants, animals, and diseases originating from the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that emphasizes the importance of building a country's wealth through trade.

Triangle Trade

A trading network that transported goods and enslaved people between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Middle Passage

The brutal sea journey undertaken by enslaved Africans from Africa to the Americas.

Treaty of Tordesillas

An agreement between Spain and Portugal dividing new lands discovered during the Age of Exploration.

Conquistadors

Spanish and Portuguese explorers and soldiers who conquered parts of the Americas for wealth and expansion.

Fernando Magellán

Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

Hernán Cortés

Spanish conquistador known for defeating the Aztec Empire in Mexico.

Francisco Pizarro

Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire in South America.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

A Spanish missionary who advocated for the rights of Native Americans.

Yin and Yang

A concept in Chinese philosophy representing dualism and balance in nature.

Daoism

A Chinese philosophy focusing on living in harmony with the Dao, or the natural order.

Buddhism

A belief system founded by Siddhartha Gautama emphasizing the overcoming of suffering.

Chinese Major Belief Systems

Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, which shaped cultural values in China and Korea.

Leif Erickson

Viking leader that landed in Newfoundland and is credited to the first to discover North America. Made settlements in Iceland as well.