Page 1 - SSW European Exploration of the Americas

Week 18 of 32 • Page 4
European Exploration of the Americas
Eur o pe an Explo
Name ________________________________________________________________________________
Mapping It Out
Europe Before Westward Exploration
World map created by Martin In the 1400s, the whole world was on
the move. In the Americas, Africa, Asia,
Waldeessmüller, 1507 and Europe, empires were growing. Rich
empires served as patrons, meaning
This is a map created in 1507 by Martin Waldseemüller at the Map of the Western they could pay people to study, explore,
beginning of the Age of Exploration. Hemisphere created by or create art for the glory of the empire.
This was considered the most accurate map at the time. Compare this Diego Gutiérrez, 1562 This patronage led to new advances
map to the 1562 map by Diego Gutierrez and to the current world map. in knowledge and exchanges of ideas
through trade routes. A trade route
List three things Waldseemüller was fairly accurate about. is an area used by merchants for
economic purposes.
In the Americas, new empires
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ were rising. Near the Great Lakes, the
Iroquois Confederacy was gaining more
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ control over trade. Trade was expanding
throughout the continent, including
what is now Mexico and South America.
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In Central America, rulers of the Aztec
Empire were patrons for many great
poets. In South America, rulers of the
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Inca Empire were patrons for inventors
who developed new technologies
for farming, medicine, and bridge
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ building. The Inca Empire used this
new knowledge to increase trade and
exchange ideas.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Across the Atlantic Ocean in Africa,
trade across the Sahara in salt and gold
How does this map differ from the
1562 map by Diego Gutiérrez?
Use evidence from the maps.
List three things that are not
accurate on the 1507 map.
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
King Ferdinand II of Aragon and
Queen Isabella I of Castile,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Crucifix photo (page 2) courtesy of Devilsanddust anonymous 17th-century artist
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ESSENTIAL QUESTION
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What were the motivations for Europeans to explore the Western Hemisphere?
UNIT: EUROPEAN EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION
r a tio n o f the Ame ric a s WEEK 18
REGIONS AND PEOPLE OF THE
WESTERN HEMISPHERE
made the Songhai Empire wealthy. non-Christians. They had taken property
Songhai leaders became patrons for
from Jews and Muslims in Spain, which
education. Under the Songhai, thousands made them rich enough to be important
of scholars and students gathered to patrons. Ferdinand and Isabella wanted
study at the famous mosques, libraries, new trade routes and income. They just
and universities in the city of Timbuktu. needed the right idea to pay for and the
In the 1400s, most of the world’s right person to try it.
A man named Christopher Columbus
people lived in Asia. China and India approached Isabella and Ferdinand. He
had the world’s largest economies
because of trade. Spices, silks, gold, and hoped to sail west across the Atlantic
other goods were traded all the way to Ocean and reach India that way.
Europe. However, at the same time, the Columbus wanted the king and queen to
Ottoman Empire was rising between Asia be his patrons. Isabella and Ferdinand
and Europe. The Ottomans soon gained agreed to be patrons for Columbus. They
control of trade connections between paid for three ships Columbus could use,
Asia and Europe. The Ottomans were as well as the tools and crew needed
responsible for stopping trade to Europe. for the voyage. Columbus made an
For merchants in Europe, losing agreement with Ferdinand and Isabella.
access to trade with Asia was hard. The The agreement described what both
countries of Portugal and Spain, however, Spain and Columbus would receive if his
saw an opportunity. These countries journey was successful. This agreement
looked for new routes across the sea to clarified that Spain and Columbus would
Asia. Patrons from Portugal hoped to share the profits from any cargo he
make money from trade in Africa and find brought back. Columbus set sail from
a way to sail around Africa to Asia. By Spain in 1492. His journey would launch
1490, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella the biggest changes in government,
knowledge, and trade the world
were on the throne of Spain. Spain had knowledge, and trade the world
were on the throne of Spain. Spain had
just ended a religious war persecuting
just ended a religious war persecuting had ever seen.
had ever seen.
Columbus Before the Queen
by Emanuel Leutze, painted in 1843
Columbus taking possession
of the new country by unknown
artist, 1893