European Explorers

Exploration is one of the oldest and most widespread of human activities.

People in all time and places have engaged in some form of exploration.

• Explorers travel long distances and to unfamiliar places for certain purposes

• Some explorers traveled to learn more about an unknown part of the word or have traveled for adventure.

• European knowledge of the world expanded in the 1400’s and 1500’s.

Bartolomeu Dias (Diaz)1450-1500

• Portuguese sea captain and explorer

• Discovered a sailing route around Africa

• Helped establish travel between Europe and Asia

• Named the tip of Africa Cape of Good Hope

Vasco da Gama146?- 1524

• Portuguese sea captain and explorer

• Commanded the first fleet to reach India from Europe.

• Sailed around the tip of Africa

Christopher Columbus1451-1506

• Sent by Spanish King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to find a different route to Asia

• Outstanding Italian navigator and organizer of expeditions

• Did not find a route to Asia, but discovered the islands in the Caribbean sea, now called the West Indies. He explored the coasts of Central and South America

Map of European exploration 1400’s and 1800’s

Columbian Exchange

• In Central and South America, explorers discovered the advanced Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

• Europeans explored, settled, and traded with the America, Asia, and Africa

• They also exchanged people, ideas and diseases, known as the Columbian Exchange.

• Because of the diseases brought by Europeans many civilizations in Central and South America were nearly destroyed.

Age of Revolution

• Revolution is a great and often violent change

• The divine right of kings, or the belief that European King and Queens ruled by the will of God was fading

Great Britain

• More peaceful revolution

• Shared responsibility to govern between the king and Parliament.

• Constitution accepted that gave more power to Parliament

Democracy in the Americas

• In the 1770’s, the American colonies revolted against British control through war.

• The new United states, with its Declaration of Independence, Constitution, representative congress became a model for other revolutions

French Revolution

• In the 1780’s, revolution erupted in Europe starting with France

• French revolution went through different stages.

• In 1798 King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were excuted

• 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte, a military hero of the French Revolution became dictator.

• The revolution in France caused Latin Americans and other European peoples to demand more person and political control over their lives.