Age of Exploration Lesson

What was the Age of Exploration?

• Period of history from the 1400s to the 1700s.

• Europeans sailed on exploration voyages around the world, discovering new routes to Asia, and coming into contact with North and South America which were unknown to people in the Eastern Hemisphere.

• first truly global turning point, the Encounter between the “Old World” and the “New World”

Multiple Choice

Why was the Age of Exploration the first global turning point?

• It was the first to include global brands like Coca-Cola.

• It was the first to involve trade across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

• It was the first to involve Australia.

• It was the first connection between the Old World and the New World.

Multiple Choice

After looking at the map, which country was not part of the Age of Exploration?

• France

• England

• Russia

• Spain

Why did the Explorers set sail?

• Cause #1: European Interest in Asia

• Remember the Silk Road? It was no longer safe or was controlled by unfriendly neighbors to Europe.

• Europe decided to find a way to reach Asia by water.

Why did the Explorers set sail?

• Ottoman Empire's Control of Trade

• The Ottoman Empire controlled the old trade routes and would only tade with some European countries.

• England, Spain and France were left out and looked for new ways to trade.

Multiple Choice

Which empire controlled the old Silk Road and forced many European countries to find a new way to Asia?

• Indian Empire

• Russian Empire

• Ottoman Empire

• Ghana Empire

Why did the Explorers set sail?

• Religious Zeal

• Many European countries wanted to spread Christianity.

• Note: They wanted to make money first, religion was definitely 2nd and they often did it by forcing the local population on the threat of death.

3 G's of Exploration

God, Gold and Glory

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes James Cook's contributions as an explorer for England?

• He claimed land in North America for England.

• He led expeditions that mapped lands from New Zealand to Hawaii and searched for the Northwest Passage.

• He was commissioned by King Henry VII to explore the Americas.

• He discovered the Pacific Ocean.

Multiple Choice

Which explorer claimed the Mississippi River and its tributaries for France?

• Robert La Salle

• Prince Henry

• Christopher Columbus

• Amerigo Vespucci

Multiple Choice

What was Prince Henry's main contribution to Portuguese exploration?

• He sponsored expeditions that established Europe's first colonies and discovered new places.

• He discovered the sea route to Asia.

• He explored the Mississippi River.

• He explored South America.

Fill in the Blank

Name the explorer who traveled 24,000 miles to discover the first sea route from Europe to Asia.

Multiple Select

Which of the following explorers were associated with Spain?

• Christopher Columbus

• Ponce de Leon

• Amerigo Vespucci

• Vasco da Gama

Multiple Choice

Which Spanish explorer conquered the Aztecs and made Spain very wealthy?

• Hernan Cortes

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Hernando de Soto

• Christopher Columbus

Fill in the Blank

Hernando de Soto's expedition discovered the mouth of the ___ River.

Open Ended

Compare the achievements of Hernan Cortes, Ferdinand Magellan, and Hernando de Soto. How did their expeditions impact Spain and the world?

Open Ended

Reflecting on the explorations of John Cabot and James Cook, what impact do you think their journeys had on the history and development of the regions they explored?

Multiple Choice

Which English explorer claimed land in North America for England between 1497 and 1498?

• John Cabot

• James Cook

• Christopher Columbus

• Francis Drake