REASONS FOR EUROPEAN EXPLORATION
WARM UP
What motivated early European exploration?
Discuss with your neighbor and be prepared to
share.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikxpUtXQ8J
4
MIDDLE AGES
Feudalism: the practice of kings and nobles offering
protection to peasants in exchange for their labor. This
protection made people feel safer to travel and trade
increased.
Crusades: series of Holy wars led to an increased desire
by Europeans for eastern goods that were found in the
Middle East
spices, citrus fruits, silk/cotton, perfume, gold
SILK ROAD
REBIRTH
Through contact with southwest Asia, Europeans learned
how Muslims preserved and further developed classical
Greek and Roman mathematics, philosophy, science, and
art.
WHAT DIFFERENCES DO YOU NOTICE BETWEEN THESE TWO PAINTINGS?
ART & ARCHITECTURE
Art: Humanism
focused on the
individual and freedom
rather than religion and
social order
Architecture: Value
proportion and pattern
rather than ornate,
gothic design
SOCIAL & CULTURAL VALUES
Instead of religious themes
and heroic stories, literature
moved towards humanism.
Geoffrey Chaucer's The
Canturbury Tales was
written in English rather
than Latin. Characters
were common people:
servants, criminals,
homemakers, etc.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Printing Press: Gutenburg
developed a method of
printing quickly and
inexpensively rather than
copy by hand.
Can you name some
effects of the printing
press?
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Scientific Revolution begins:
Copernicus argued that
the earth revolved around
the sun
Vesalius began dissecting
human bodies
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
New sea navigation technology:
caravel--new ship that could travel faster
astrolabe--plotted location by measuring altitute of
sun and stars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcdO0QTmxIU
ECONOMICS
Europeans wanted to find faster and safer trade routes to
India and Asia rather than pass through the Middle East,
which was under Muslim rule
Northwest passage would connect Atlantic and Pacific
Increased trade would lead to increased wealth,
influence, and power
Establish colonies for trade
Find new resources (wood, iron, etc)
RELIGION
Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther fought
corruption of Catholic Church in Europe and sought
to return Christianity to simple, biblical truth
Catholic reforms were not enough to satisfy
protestants, who still felt a need to escape the
Chruch's control
Protestants and Catholics would seek to convert
"primitive" peoples across the globe to Christianity
GOVERNMENT
With the decline of Church
authority and feudalism,
growing commerce and
capitalism among the middle
class influenced their
partnerships with monarchies.
How might this lead to
exploration?
EXIT TICKET
On the index card provided, explain which
aspect of European culture you believe was
most influential in leading to the age of
exploration and WHY.