THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

THE AGE OF EXPLORATIONTRAVELLERS IN

THE MIDDLE AGES

At the end of the Middle Ages (1500), people in Europe began to change. They started to travel more and find out about other continents.Look at the maps below that come from the Middle Ages. What do they tell us about what people in the Middle Ages knew about the world?

Why did Europeans begin to travel?POOR ROADS PILGRIMS

CRUSADES MERCHANTS

Why did Europeans begin to travel?

TRAVEL

Some people travelled to shrines for religious

reasons. They were called pilgrims.

Some people travelled for war,

particularly religious wars

where Christians fought Muslims for

the Holy Land.

After discovering spices, materials and jewels on religious wars, merchants began to travel

to import them to Europe.

Poor roads meant that long journeys

were difficult therefore people

remained local and rarely went further

than the nearest town.

PILGRIMS AND CRUSADERS• In the middle ages people who travelled to holy places

were called p_______. In Ireland pilgrims travelled to L____ D___. Other pilgrims travelled to R___ where the p___ lived. Some pilgrims went to the H___ L___. They visited J_________ where Christ had died.

• There were wars in the H___ L___ between Christians and M______. These wars were called C_______. People who fought in the Crusades were called C________. When the Crusaders returned h___ the brought many new goods with them. These included s_____ to flavour food, a fine cloth called s___ and jewels like e_______ and rubies.

MARCO POLO

MARCO POLO• Marco Polo was born into a rich merchant

family, who travelled overland through Asia to import silks and precious stones.

• On a trip in 1271, Marco made notes on everything he saw.

• Marco was well received in China, and stayed at the court of Kublai Khan for 17 years. He travelled all over the east, and learned about many countries.

• Marco returned to Venice after 24 years.• He wrote his Travels of Marco Polo about

the wealth of China and this encouraged explorers to find new routes to the East.

MARCO POLO• Imagine that you are

Marco Polo, write a paragraph describing one of your experiences in Asia.

1. Give four reasons why sailors were afraid to go on long voyages in the middle ages.2. Which of these reasons do you think was the most sensible? Explain your choices.

Pg 10 & 11

CAUSES OF AGE OF EXPLORATIONNEW TRADE ROUTES

to import spices, materials and jewels,

etc.MARCO POLO and his travels were an

inspiration

WEALTH AND FAME were the rewards of a successful voyage. E.g.

ColombusTHE RENAISSANCE encouraged a

questioning spirit.

RELIGION – Explorers wanted to convert

people to Christianity

WEALTH FOR COUNTRIES –

Countries funded voyages to gain

resources from new lands.

Pg 12

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR• List three facts about

Prince Henry the Navigator.

Pg 12 & 13

IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS & NAVIGATION

CARAVEL – New ships with lateenand square sails, rudders forsteering and clinker built.

PORTLAN CHARTS –Showed places along coasts

ASTROLABE – Workedout latitude

COMPASS – Used tofind direction

LOG & LINE – Used towork out speed inknots or depth ofwater

IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS & NAVIGATION

1. List four improvements in caravel ships.

2. What was a compass used for?3. What was a quadrant or

astrolabe used for?4. Name the maps charted

around coast lines.5. How did sailors measure

speed?6. How was depth of water

measured?7. What was a logbook used for?

1. Lateen sails, square sails, rudders for steering and clinker built (overlapping boards) made it stronger.

2. Find direction.3. Find latitude.4. Portolan charts.5. Log and line.6. Lead and line.7. It kept a record of events

during the voyage.Pg 13,

14 & 15

HOMEWORK:LEARN THE INSTRUMENTS

THAT LEAD TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN SHIPS AND NAVIGATION FOR A

TEST IN THE NEXT LESSON

PORTUGUESE EXPLORERS

Prince Henry the Navigator

founded a school for

navigation at Sagres.

Bartholomew Diaz sailed along

the coast of Africa and discovered

the southern tip. He called it the Cape of Good

Hope.

Vasco da Gama sailed round the

Cape of Good Hope to become

the first European to reach India.

TASK:• Imagine you were a sailor on

Vasco da Gama’s ship. Write a paragraph about your adventures using these guidelines:– Setting out– Adventures at sea– Arriving in India– The journey home

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS• Where did Christopher

Columbus come from?• Who inspired Columbus?• What did Columbus believe

about the world?• Where did Columbus hope

to sail to?• Who agreed to sponsor

Columbus’ voyage?• Why did they agree to

sponsor the voyage?

COLUMBUS’ FIRST VOYAGE• In A_____ 1492, C__________ Columbus set out on his

f____ voyage. He hoped to reach C_____ and J____. He had t____ ships. The largest was called the S____ M____. The others were the N___ and the P____. There were n_____ sailors on the three ships.

• Columbus sailed w___ across the A_______. He kept two l___. One log was to deceive the s______, the other told the t___ story. After sailing for o__ month, the s______ wanted to go home but C_______ persuaded them to try a little longer. Next day they saw l___.

Columbus’ opinion on the native people of Hispaniola

1. What does the above extract tell you about the motives of European explorers?

2. In what part of the world is the territory referred to in the extract?

3. What opinion does Columbus form of the native people?4. In your opinion, did Columbus and his crew treat the native

people fairly?

‘They never refuse anything that they possess when it is asked of them… One sailor for a leather strap… got a valuable piece of gold… They even took bits of broken hoops of wine barrels and gave, like fools, all they possessed in exchange… they were firmly convinced that I and my vessel and crew came from Heaven.’

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS• Write about the voyage of exploration commanded

by Christopher Columbus:– The people who sponsored the voyage and their motive.– A description of the ships, cargo and crew.– Route travelled and events that occurred during the

voyage.– Places discovered and explored.– Outcome of the voyage of exploration.

HOMEWORK• Read extract and answer questions.