Early European powers sought new trade routes to Asia to gain wealth and power, spread Christianity, and compete with rivals. Portugal took the lead in exploration down the west coast of Africa and to India. Christopher Columbus aimed to reach Asia by sailing west but landed in the Bahamas, believing he reached India. His voyages led to clashes between Europeans and Native Americans and the transatlantic slave trade. Magellan's expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe in search of a faster route to Asia.

1. Early European Exploration

2. Causes and Effects of Exploration Causes Desire for new trade routes Growing power and wealth of European Nations Competion for trade Missionaries desire to convert others to Christianity Effects Knowledge about other regions Europeans and Native Americans clash Enslavement of Africans Rivalry in America grows

3. Portugal Portugal took lead in exploring what they knew as the “world” Wanted to find new trade routes to India and China Wanted to find a more direct route to Western Africa for gold West Africa becomes known as the “Gold Coast”

4. Vasco da Gama-First European to sail around Africa to India Portugal becomes an extremely wealthy nation with their new trade routes

6. Christopher Columbus Columbus thought you could get to India by sailing west from Europe and it would be shorter. Thought it would take about two months to make it to Asia from Europe by sailing west King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella backed Columbus with the promise he would spread Christianity and make Spain the wealthiest European country.

8. Columbus Continued Columbus left Spain in August of 1492 He arrived in what he thought was India in October Columbus had in fact landed in what we know today as the Bahamas Area is also called West Indies

9. Columbus makes 4 Voyages in total exploring: Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica. Sailed along coasts of Central America and the Northern part of South America

10. Line of Demarcation Imaginary Line running down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean drawn by Pope Alexander VI Spain controlled all lands west Portugal controlled all lands east

11. Line of Demarcation

12. Magellan Ferdinand Magellan-first European to circumnavigate the world. He was looking for a faster way around South America to Asia Circumnavigate-sail around