Modern European History L1+L2

Many Europeans feared the spread of scientific

ideas. Church officials opposed many ideas

because they went against church teachings. For

example, the church taught that the sun circled

Earth. From observations using telescopes,

scientists now thought that Earth circled the sun.

In 1632 church officials arrested Italian scientist

Galileo for publishing a book that supported this

view.

Why did church officials

fear the spread of many

scientific ideas?

With improved devices, such as the compass,

astrolabe, and better ships, Europeans made

longer, safer sea voyages. They found new routes

to distant places. Europeans had many reasons

for exploring. Some were curious about the

world; some wanted riches, fame, or adventure;

and others hoped to spread Christianity. Prince

Henry of Portugal sought new trade routes to

Asia. After many other voyages, Portuguese

explorer Vasco da Gama succeeded in finding a

water route to Asia.

The voyages of Christopher Columbus, paid

for by Queen Isabella of Spain, were the most

significant. His explorations of the New World

led other European countries to explore this new

land, too. Ferdinand Magellan was the first

person to attempt to circumnavigate, or sail

completely around, the world. He was killed, but

his crew completed the voyage. Others followed.

Voyages of discovery added greatly to European

wealth—and people’s knowledge of the world.

List three explorers and

where they explored.

As Europeans continued to interact with new

lands and people, they unexpectedly created a

new effect called the Columbian Exchange, an

exchange of plants, animals, and ideas between

the New World and the Old World. As

Europeans brought seeds to plant in the

Americas, they provided new crops not seen

before. They also brought animals, such as

horses, and introduced their ideas, religions,

language, and technology to the places they

conquered. The Europeans also found plants and

animals they had never seen before. They took

these things back to Europe as well as to Africa

and Asia. This exchange of plants changed the

eating habits of people around the world.

What was the effect

created by European

explorers between Europe

and the Americas?

In 1632 __________________ was arrested for writing that Earth orbited the

sun.

• Sir Isaac

• Galileo

The __________________ led to the birth of modern science

• Scientific Revolution

• Astrolabe

Without the support of __________________, the voyage of Columbus might

not have taken place. (Queen Isabella/Sir Isaac Newton)

• Queen Isabella

• Sir Isaac Newton

In 1498 _________________ sailed around the southern tip of Africa and on

to Asia

• Columbus

• Vasco da Gama

made important observations about the force of

gravity.

• Sir Isaac Newton

• Galileo

Enlightenment thinkers disagreed. John Locke

saw government as a contract, or binding legal

agreement, between a ruler and the people. A

ruler’s job was to protect people’s rights. If a

ruler did not do this, people had the right to

change rulers. Jean-Jacques Rousseau also felt

government’s purpose was to protect people’s

freedoms. Such ideas inspired revolutions and

political change.

Who are the two main philosophers of this time?

In the 1600s, England’s rulers fought with

Parliament for power. As a result, in 1689

Parliament passed the English Bill of Rights and

made the king agree to honor Magna Carta.

These steps limited the monarch’s power and

gave more rights to Parliament and the English

people.

How did the English Bill of

Rights and Magna Carta

limit the monarch’s power?