Age of Exploration

Built upon the ideals of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Mirondola, The Age of Exploration is a natural continuation of the Renaissance - There was more to the world than God, and there was more to the world than Europe. Nations like Portugal and Spain, facing the Atlantic, raised their flags atop new ships equipped with new tools in search for a new routes and new worlds. All that was needed was a vision. Columbus, the "bridge-builder" and Magellan the "circumnavigator," provided that vision while the rising kings and queens of Europe provided the money.

Of Culture and Progress, a viewpoint of Columbus' landing in the New World; from Howard Zinn, History of the United States


He did change the world forever, his impact going way beyond whether or not you beleive he is a "discoverer" of any "New" world or not. Primarily, Columbus built the bridge between Europe and what was to become North, Central and South America.	Magellan, too, shattered old notions that lingered through the Middle Ages. Though he did not survive the trip 'round the world, his ship, and his vision, did.	This is one of the innovations that made the men at left famous - the caravel ship, a shallow vessel with triangular sails, multiple masts and a stern-mounted rudder. The caravels were suprisingly small, holding a bare-bnes crew and only enough supplies to last the estimated time of the journey.

Another innovation that fueled exploration was the astrolabe, a device that helped sailors determine their position on the earth. In reality, the astrolabe was difficult to use, so its accuracy was never better than the patience and skill of the person using it. That left plenty of room for error.	Native tribes did not always welcome the arrival of Europeans. Many resisted, but their efforts only earned them more harsh treatment. Above, Indians pour molten gold down the throat of a Spaniard.	The greatest tragedy of exploration was the beginning of the slave trade. Highly profitable, "black ivory" was valuable cargo. Above, captured Africans were crowded into the hull of a ship in preparation for the often-deadly Middle Passage.

Chapter 17
Section One	Section Two	Section Three
What was Europe looking for?	Know which countries went where	How did making money become different?
What enabled them to succeed?	What hardships did each encounter?	Define and apply "mercantilism"
Who sets sail first...and why?	The Slave Trade	Who wins/loses in this revolution?