age of exploration worksheets - pdns

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Observations: Based upon the picture list 3 things you see

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Based upon the reading, answer these questions in complete sentences and with

legible handwriting!

1. Who are the two groups to have been among the first in North America.

2. What is the story of one of the legends?

3. Why does the text say that Europeans came to North America.

4. What do you think it would have been like to be on one of these sailing voyages?

When did Europeans first reach North America? This question

has preoccupied historians for many years, and has produced a

multitude of answers, some more plausible than others. This is an

area of history where evidence is scanty, and speculation

abounds. There are only two fixed points of fact, events that we

know happened. First, archaeological evidence and the Icelandic

sagas have established that the Norse arrived in Newfoundland

and Labrador around 1000 CE. Second, there is no dispute that

Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) sailed from Bristol to North

America in 1497. Whether other Europeans explored the region

before the Norse, or between 1000 and 1497, is unclear.

There are legends. The most famous are the story of St. Brendan's

sixth century voyage from Ireland, and the fable that a Welsh

prince, Madoc, reached America in the 12th century. More

realistically, others have argued that Portuguese voyagers sailed

to Newfoundland in the 1470s - indeed, that Joäo Corte Real was

the actual "discoverer" of America. And in Bristol, there exists a

firm belief, backed by some documentary evidence, that mariners

from that port were crossing the Atlantic before John Cabot

arrived.

All that can be said for certain is that during the 15th century, as Europeans began to look for sea routes to Asia, stimulated by dreams of the

wealth to be made trading in spices and precious metals, so the geography of the globe became known more accurately. Europe was

expanding, and a part of the process was the progressive exploration of the Atlantic Ocean. Certainly, the Portuguese were sailing further to

the west, and all along the Atlantic seaboard there was a growing interest in a direct, western route to Asia. While there is no firm evidence of

European explorers in Newfoundland and Labrador between, the Norse and John Cabot, the suggestion that Portugese and English voyagers

reached the shores of eastern North America before Cabot is broadly consistent with what we know of the times

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Observations: Based upon the map list 3 things you see

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Based upon the reading, answer these questions in complete sentences and with

legible handwriting!

1. What continent did Portugal spend a large amount of time exploring?

2. True or False? Portugal was just as rich as the other European countries.

3. Why were many sailors fearful of sailing across the Length of the African Continent?

4. What do you think it would have been like to be on one of these sailing voyages?

The first European country to start exploring the world in a major

way were the Portuguese. They spent much of their time

exploring the western coast of Africa. It is hard to believe that it

was so dangerous and scary for these ships, but there had never

been a European ship that had traveled all the way down the

western coast of Africa. Many people believed that the farther

south you went the more likely you were to die.

The Age of Exploration marked the beginning of Portuguese

power and wealth. At the beginning of the 1400s Portugal had a

population of one and a quarter million and an economy

dependent on maritime trade with Northern Europe. Although

Portugal was not as rich as the other European countries, it

would lead the European community in the exploration of sea

routes to the African continent, the Atlantic Islands, and to Asia

and South America over the course of the sixteenth century.

Several factors contributed to Portugal becoming the number one

European pioneer in exploration. The first was its geographical

position along the west coast of the Eureope, which allowed for

the natural development of a seafaring tradition. The second was

the evolution of a complex maritime economy in which the port

cities of Lisbon and Oporto became the commercial centers of the

country. The merchant community used these port cities as their

base of operations from which they financed the majority of the

various exploration and trading ventures.

During the Age of Exploration, Spain was one of the most

powerful countries. The country of Spain paid for some of the

most important explorations throughout the entire age.

The four voyages of Columbus (between 1492 and 1504) served

to open the door to European exploration, colonization and

exploitation of the New World, although Columbus himself never

set foot in North America. By the time the English began active

colonization, the Spanish had already explored large portions of

North America, especially in the South and Southwest.

The Spanish explorers encountered three major civilizations in

the New World: the Incas in present-day Peru and the Mayans

and Aztecs in Mexico and Central America. The conquistadors

were truly amazed by what they found — immense wealth in

gold and silver, complex cities rivaling or surpassing those in

Europe, and remarkable artistic and scientific achievements.

Spanish conquest in the New World was driven by the three

'G's—gold (greed), glory, and god. In his drive to gather riches,

Columbus (and later conquistadors) enslaved and decimated the

local populations. The numbers of these Native Americans

plummeted, in part because of war against the colonial forces, but

also because of the introduction of diseases to which the natives

had no natural immunity. The natives contracted malaria,

smallpox and measles from the Europeans, but passed on syphilis

to the invaders in a morbid exchange.

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Observations: Based upon the picture of Spanish explorers list 3 things

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Based upon the reading, answer these questions in complete sentences and with legible handwriting!

1. How many Voyages did Columbus take and why were they significant?

2. True or False? Columbus set foot on North America.

3. What three civilizations were encountered by the Spanish and what happened to them?

4. What diseases were exchanged between the Spanish and the Natives?

A Conquistador was a Spanish soldier, explorer and adventurer

who took part in the gradual invasion and conquering of much of

the Americas and Asia Pacific, bringing them under Spanish

colonial rule between the 15th and 19th centuries. Notice that the

term is not used for the Portuguese explorers and conquerors of

Brazil, but only Spanish Explorers. The Conquistadors

conquered the native empires of the Aztec people and their

enemies the Incans. These once great Native empires were under

the control of Spain.

Many people at the time wanted to treat the Native Peoples that

they found in the Americas as slaves. Others however, felt that

this was evil and a horrible idea. There was a great debate.

In the summer of 1550, in Valladolid, there was a debate between

two different people. The Aristotelian scholar and humanist Juan

Gines de Sepulveda argued that Indians were natural slaves and

should be treated as such.

The great Dominican defender of Indian rights, Bartolome de Las

Casas, brought a vast collection of first-hand reporting to the

hearing – he wanted to convince everyone there how cruel the

Indians had been treated by Spanish Conquistadors. His

intelligent defence of the indigenous peoples ended with a noble

cry: 'All the world is human'. What is amazing is that the

Spanish king actually listened. Charles V ordered the conquests

to be stopped, while the issues were explored further.

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Observations: Based upon the picture of Spanish cruelty list 3 things

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1. Who were the Conquistadors?

2. What two great Native American populations did they bring under Spanish control?

3. What did some people want to do with the Natives that they encountered?

4. What was the great debate about? Who do you think should have won the debate?

John Cabot was born in Genoa, Italy around 1450. His

name was actually Giovanni Caboto, but he would be

remembered by the English translation, John Cabot.

In 1476, Cabot lived in Venice, Italy, the main trading

center for the entire Mediterranean region. He worked there

as a merchant and a navigator. Horrible experiences with

Arab traders probably influenced Cabot’s decision to find a

sea route to the Far East which would allow merchants to

trade directly with Asian traders instead of the Arab traders.

In 1483, Cabot moved to Bristol, England. He believed that

Asia could be reached by sailing west. In 1493, when word

of Columbus’ reports of his successful journey to the New

World arrived, Cabot convinced King Henry VII that

England did not have to sit still while the Spaniards helped

themselves to the New World. Even though the Pope had

given Spain control of all the new lands in the New World,

King Henry VII like Cabot’s idea. He paid for Cabot to

begin an exploration of the New World because Cabot

convinced him that it was possible to reach Asia on a more

northerly route than Columbus had taken, and this route

would be even shorter! The idea that a northern route

existed started the search for the Northwest Passage to the

Indies.

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Observations: Based upon the map of John Cabot’s Travels list 3 things

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1. What country was John Cabot from? What country did he eventually sail for?

2. According to the map how many major voyages did Cabot take? What continents did he reach?

3. What route was Cabot and others looking for? Which of the 3 g’s does this represent?

4. What country did the Pope say could have North America?

The Age of Exploration started in the 1400's. The term

“Age of Exploration” refers to the timeperioid when people

from Europe explored the world from the 1400’s-1700’s.

There were many reason why people from Europe wanted

to explore the world. Europeans were desperate to get

spices from Asia. Spices were used to preserve foods and

keep them from spoiling. Spices, however, were expensive

and dangerous to get. Traders had to travel parts of the

dangerous Silk Road (a land route from Europe to Asia) to

get them. Because the Silk Road was frequently closed due

to various wars, European rulers began to pay for

explorations to find a sea route to Asia so they could get

spices more easily and for cheaper. Portugal was the first

European country that sent explorers to search for the sea

route to Asia. Prince Henry the Navigator started a school

of navigation and financed the first voyages to the west

coast of Africa. In the 1400's, however, sailors were afraid

of sea monsters and boiling hot water at the Equator, so

progress was slow. After Bartholomew Dias and his crew

made it to Africa's Cape of Good Hope, Vasco da Gama and

his crew became the first to sail around Africa and through

the Indian Ocean to India.

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Observations: List three things you see in the picture

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1. What is a main reason why people wanted to explore the world?

2. What was the first country to start exploring the world in a major way?

3. Why were spices important to people from Europe?

4. Who were two important people from the Age of Exploration?

The Scientific Revolution is the name given by historians of

science to the period that roughly began with the discoveries of a

scientist named Kepler at the beginning of the 1600s and ended

when Sir Isaac Newton wrote a book called Philosophiae

Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687. Many people who

study history argue whether these events are really the beginning

and the end of the Scientific Revolution. Some claiming that the

proper start of the Scientific Revolution was the publication of De

revolutionibus orbium coel estium by Nicolaus Copernicus in

1543, while others wish to extend it into the 1700s. For the first

time ever, scientists started using the Scientific Method. The

Scientific Method is when scientists use logic and observation to

find out how the world works.

The seventeenth century and the Scientific Revolution was

a period of major scientific change. Not only were new

major ideas and people were doing new types of

experiments, but even more importantly, the way in which

scientists worked was radically changed. At the beginning

of the century, science was something people only talked

about; at its end, science was mathematical, mechanical and

empirical. Scientists used experiments (observations) and

logic to prove what was true about the world.

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1. Please define the Scientific Revolution (in your own words).

2. What scientist began the Scientific Revolution?

3. How did things change during the Scientific Revolution?

4. How is the scientist in the picture (Galileo) using the scientific method?

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1. What do you think that “Copernicus’ Revolution” refers to? (What new idea did he have?)

2. What country was Copernicus from?

3. Based upon the context, what do you think that polymath means?

4. What scientific field did Copernicus help to start?

Copernicus was one of the great polymaths of his age. He was a mathematician, astronomer, jurist, physician,

classical scholar, governor, administrator, diplomat, economist, and soldier. During all these jobs, he treated

astronomy like a hobby. However, his formula of how the sun rather than the earth is at the center of the universe is

thought to be one of the most important scientific hypotheses in history. Many people believe it was the beginning

of modern astronomy. Also, his original Polish name is Mikołaj Kopernik.

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1. Do we know the first person who ever made a “microscope”?

2. When were the spectacles (glasses) invented in order to help people read?

3. What did they call the earliest example of a microscope?

4. What did the Janssen’s do that was so important to the history of science?

About 1590, two Dutch spectacle makers, Zaccharias Janssen and his son Hans, while experimenting with several lenses in a tube,

discovered that nearby objects appeared greatly enlarged. That was the forerunner of the compound microscope and of the telescope. In

1609, Galileo, father of modern physics and astronomy, heard of these early experiments, worked out the principles of lenses, and made a

much better instrument with a focusing device.

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1. Where was the center of the enlightenment?

2. Name one leader of the enlightenment.

3. What was the most important idea of the enlightenment?

4. Name three “enlightened absolutists”

5. What do you think is happening in the picture?

This were dangerous thoughts for those in power, and many enlightenment philosophers were at times in prison or were forced to go into

exile. The ideas of the Age of Enlightenment also contributed to the French revolution 1789. But some regents took impression of the

ideas of the Age of Enlightenment and carried reforms through in their countries, but they kept the power for themselves. Examples of

these so called "enlightened absolutists" includes Catherine the Great of Russia, Frederick the Great of Prussia and Gustav III of Sweden.

John Locke (August 29, 1632–October 28, 1704) was an

English philosopher of the late 17th century. He said that

people should use thinking to search for the truth, rather

than simply accepting the ideas of authorities (people in

power), or the ideas of superstition and other unscientific

beliefs. Locke was awarded a bachelor's degree in 1656

and a master's degree in 1658.

His idea of the purpose of the ruler was to establish order

in society, and believed that the ruler's power should be

limited. Locke believed that there should be a "contract"

or agreement between the ruler and the ruled. He believed

that the ruler should be able to stay in power as long as

they had the consent of the people that they governed.

Locke’s major teaching was that every human being had

the right to life (to be safe), liberty (to be free), and

property (to own what they make or buy).

Locke also believed that people are basically reasonable,

and would cooperate with each other. The government, in

Locke's view, was responsible for protecting the rights of

the people.

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1. What does the picture have to do with what Locke taught?

2. According to Locke, how should people find the truth?

3. John Locke believed the power of rulers should be unlimited. True or False?

4. What was, according to Locke, the main responsibility of government?

5. Does our country always protect the 3 natural rights of John Locke?

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A Scene from a French “Salon”


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Based upon the reading, answer these questions in complete sentences and with legible ha dwriting!

1. What was a “Salon”?

2. How did Madame Geoffrin help to spread the Enlightenment?

3. Where was Madame Geoffrin Born?

4. How old was she when she became famous in the city of Paris?

5. How did she lead to the creation of the first Encyclopedia?

She had learned much from Mme de Tencin, and about 1748 began to gather around her a literary and artistic circle. She held

two dinners a week, on Monday for artists, and on Wednesday for her friends the Encyclopaedists (the people who made the

first Encyclopedia) and other men of letters. She received many foreigners of distinction, including David Hume and Horace

Walpole.

Marie Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin (June 26, 1699 -

October 6, 1777) was a French hostess who played an

interesting part in French literary and artistic life.

She had people come over to her house for a party

called a “Salon”. In these parties really smart people

would discuss famous ideas of the Enligthenement.

In this way she helped to spread the ideas of the

Enlightenment.

She was born in Paris. Her father was a valet-de-

chambre and her mother was the daughter of a middle

class banker. Marie was orphaned at age seven and

raised by her grandmother, Madame Chemineau, who

educated her to the little extent that girls of her era

were educated. She married, on July 19, 1713, Pierre

Francois Geoffrin, a rich manufacturer and

lieutenant-colonel of the National Guard, who died in

1750. It was not till Mme Geoffrin was nearly fifty

that she became known as a power in Parisian

society.

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age of exploration worksheets - pdns