Changes in Europe Changes in Europe That Led to ExplorationThat Led to Exploration

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages• Also known as the Medieval Also known as the Medieval

period or Dark Ages (500 period or Dark Ages (500 A.D.- 1500 A.D.).A.D.- 1500 A.D.).

• When Roman rule When Roman rule disappeared, Europe broke disappeared, Europe broke up into hundreds of small up into hundreds of small kingdoms headed by kingdoms headed by monarchs who were very monarchs who were very weak.weak.

• It was generally a dangerous It was generally a dangerous period. They lacked a period. They lacked a central government, along central government, along with the constant threat of with the constant threat of war and famine, made the war and famine, made the weak dependent upon the weak dependent upon the powerful for protection.powerful for protection.

Feudal SystemFeudal System• A feudal society developed as a result. It gave those A feudal society developed as a result. It gave those

less powerful the assurance that they could depend upon less powerful the assurance that they could depend upon their more powerful neighbors for assistance in their their more powerful neighbors for assistance in their time of need.time of need.

• The most important feature of the feudal system was the The most important feature of the feudal system was the granting of a fief.granting of a fief.

• A fief, or fee, was the granting of an estate, or manor, by A fief, or fee, was the granting of an estate, or manor, by a lord to his vassal in exchange for homage and service. a lord to his vassal in exchange for homage and service.

• The vassal, in turn, gave the use of the land to the The vassal, in turn, gave the use of the land to the peasants or serfs, landless peasants, who lived on and peasants or serfs, landless peasants, who lived on and worked the land for him.worked the land for him.

• People seldom left their manors and there wasPeople seldom left their manors and there was little little opportunity for people to communicate or exchange opportunity for people to communicate or exchange new ideas.new ideas.

Decline of the Feudal Decline of the Feudal SystemSystem• Many workers who had been tied to the Many workers who had been tied to the

manors were not happy with their lives and manors were not happy with their lives and desired more freedom.desired more freedom.

• Movement to towns- With the growth of Movement to towns- With the growth of towns a new social class, the townspeople, towns a new social class, the townspeople, gained power. This caused the importance gained power. This caused the importance of feudalism and the strength of nobles to of feudalism and the strength of nobles to diminish. diminish.

• Often led to overcrowding and unsanitary Often led to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.conditions.

• Increasing trade brought people more in Increasing trade brought people more in contact with one another.contact with one another.

Black Plague (1347-1352)Black Plague (1347-1352)

A deadly disease spread throughout Europe killing more more than one-fourthof its population. The disease was carried by fleas on rats. This disaster broke down what remained of the feudal system..

The Crusades to the Holy The Crusades to the Holy LandLand• Another characteristic of the Middle Ages was Another characteristic of the Middle Ages was

the importance of the Church. The Catholic the importance of the Church. The Catholic Church was the church for almost everyone. Church was the church for almost everyone. Then the Protestant Reformation in 1520 Then the Protestant Reformation in 1520 caused new Christians faiths to emerge.caused new Christians faiths to emerge.

• Palestine was the Holy Land for both Christians Palestine was the Holy Land for both Christians and Muslimsand Muslims

• 1071 a group of Turkish Muslims took over 1071 a group of Turkish Muslims took over Jerusalem and closed it to all Christians.Jerusalem and closed it to all Christians.

• During the First Crusade, Christians captured During the First Crusade, Christians captured the city of Jerusalem. 100 years later the the city of Jerusalem. 100 years later the Muslims eventually recaptured it.Muslims eventually recaptured it.

The Crusades to the Holy The Crusades to the Holy LandLand• Why were the Why were the

Crusades Crusades important to the important to the rise of rise of exploration?exploration?

The Crusades to the Holy The Crusades to the Holy LandLand• Returned with spices, silk, porcelain, ivory, Returned with spices, silk, porcelain, ivory,

jewels, soap, and perfumes.jewels, soap, and perfumes.• Learned of new medicines.Learned of new medicines.• Crusaders got new ideas and products Crusaders got new ideas and products

from Muslim markets who traded with from Muslim markets who traded with India, China, Japan, and other Asian India, China, Japan, and other Asian countries.countries.

• As Europeans learned of these Eastern As Europeans learned of these Eastern products, they wanted to buy them. products, they wanted to buy them.

Marco PoloMarco Polo• In 1271 he traveled to In 1271 he traveled to China on a three-and-a-China on a three-and-a-half year, 7,000 mile half year, 7,000 mile journey to present day journey to present day China.China.

• Reported there were Reported there were more than 7,000 islands more than 7,000 islands in the Sea of China that in the Sea of China that he called the “Indies.”he called the “Indies.”

• Came back and wrote a Came back and wrote a book about his travels book about his travels and reported of incredible and reported of incredible riches and “rubies the riches and “rubies the size of a man’s arm.”size of a man’s arm.”

• Europeans became Europeans became curious of the world curious of the world beyond city walls.beyond city walls.

Marco Polo’s Travel RouteMarco Polo’s Travel Route

RenaissanceRenaissance• Mid 1300s until about 1600.Mid 1300s until about 1600.• It was a period of renewed interest in It was a period of renewed interest in

learning and knowledgelearning and knowledge• Writer-William ShakespeareWriter-William Shakespeare• Studied the movement of the planets Studied the movement of the planets

and set up experiments with new and set up experiments with new inventions.inventions.

Artists from the Artists from the RenaissanceRenaissance

Artist such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci created beautiful paintings and drawings.

• Rise of nations: After the Middle Rise of nations: After the Middle Ages, European monarchs, kings and Ages, European monarchs, kings and queens, gained more power to form queens, gained more power to form such nations as England, Spain, such nations as England, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, and others.France, Portugal, Italy, and others.

• Mercantilism- It was an economic Mercantilism- It was an economic system whose theory states that a system whose theory states that a country could be rich only if wealth country could be rich only if wealth continually flowed into its economy continually flowed into its economy and treasury. Finding new wealth and treasury. Finding new wealth became important to the growth of became important to the growth of countries.countries.

Technological Advances in Technological Advances in NavigationNavigation• Prince Henry of Portugal Prince Henry of Portugal

also called the Prince also called the Prince Henry the NavigatorHenry the Navigator

• He was a religious man He was a religious man and wanted to spread and wanted to spread Christianity around the Christianity around the world.world.

• He had two goals: 1. He had two goals: 1. Find and ocean route Find and ocean route around Africa to Asia 2. around Africa to Asia 2. To locate sources of gold To locate sources of gold that came from Africa.that came from Africa.

• Prince Henry realized Prince Henry realized sailors needed better sailors needed better ships and to know more ships and to know more about navigation- the about navigation- the science of piloting ships.science of piloting ships.

• He started a school of He started a school of navigation to plan navigation to plan voyages of exploration.voyages of exploration.

• Cartographers made Cartographers made more accurate maps more accurate maps from reports from from reports from explorers.explorers.

Cartographers made more Cartographers made more accurate maps from accurate maps from explorersexplorers• Ptolemy’s world Ptolemy’s world

map-1st attempt to map-1st attempt to map the world 25 map the world 25 B.C.B.C.

• Portuguese shipbuilders designed the Caravel. Portuguese shipbuilders designed the Caravel. The caravel used triangular sails and could The caravel used triangular sails and could easily sail against the wind and work their way easily sail against the wind and work their way in and out along coastlines of Africa.in and out along coastlines of Africa.

Magnetic Compass, A ChineseInvention that allowed sailorsTo determine direction

Astrolabe, an instrument which Measured the position of the stars

Better Navigational Instruments

African Kingdoms• Portuguese explorers set

out to explore the west coast of Africa and a way around the continent to the Indies.

• Ghana- Muslims traders had gold & salt & traded slaves.

• Mali- a powerful kingdom with gold mines. Greatest king was Mansa Musa. He built great mosques, Muslim houses of worship, in the capital of Timbuktu.

• Songhai- had gold trading centers and Askiya Muhammad built many schools and encouraged trade with Europe and Asia.

ReviewReview

•Why did the Europeans Why did the Europeans begin trading with Asia begin trading with Asia and Africa?and Africa?

Reasons for ExplorationReasons for Exploration• New middle classNew middle class• The Crusades introduced goods and trade The Crusades introduced goods and trade

routesroutes• Search for richesSearch for riches• Fame and honor for countryFame and honor for country• Spread of ChristianitySpread of Christianity• Better trade routesBetter trade routes

Sunken Ship from Age of Exploration

Sunken Ship Activity

One member from each group will retrieve an artifact from a sunken ship hull.

Based on the information sheets and pictures, each member from each group will write down a short summary sentence describing the artifact and draw a picture of the artifact on their Map of Sunken Ship’s Hull sheet.

Sunken Ship Activity

Quickly repeat each procedure allowing a different member of the group to retrieve the artifact and place the artifact your group just investigated back where it is meant to go.

Example: Astrolabes

The astrolabe was one of the most important instruments used by navigators in the fifteenth century. The word comes from the Greek astro (star) and labio (finder). Explorers used the astrolabe to plot the position of the sun, moon, and stars in relation to a given point. With an astrolabe, an explorer could determine the time of day and the latitude (distance from the equator) of his ship’s position.

Astrolabes Summary

Astrolabes were used by explorers to determine the time of day and the latitude of his ship’s position.