During the Renaissance period, European explorers and navigators embarked on voyages of travel and exploration for reasons of gold, glory, and spreading Christianity. Technological advances like the compass and new ship designs like the caravel enabled these explorers to venture farther than ever before. Some of the most notable explorers of this era included Leif Ericsson, Marco Polo, Prince Henry the Navigator, Bartholomew Diaz, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, John and Sebastian Cabot, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Hernando Cortes, and Francisco Pizarro. Their journeys expanded geographic and navigational knowledge and led to the Age of Discovery.

1. Renaissance (D)
Travel and Exploration

3. Why did they go?
• Gold
• Glory
• God

4. Compass:
A magnetic needle
pointing north
enabled sailors to
find direction
easily

5. The caravel
• a new design of sailing ship
• triangular sails (later some square)
• better able to use the power of the wind

9. Leif Ericsson

10. Marco Polo

12. Prince Henry the Navigator

14. Bartholomew Diaz

16. Christopher Columbus

20. Amerigo Vespucci

21. John and Sebastian Cabot

22. Vasco da Gama

23. Ferdinand Magellan

24. Hernando Cortes

25. Francisco Pizarro

27. Sir Francis Drake

28. James Cook

31. Exploration Routes

32. http://www.mhschool.com/socialstudies/2009
/ss/student/grade5_ey/inmotion/p_87.swf
Maps of journeys and commentary

34. • http://www.slideshare.net/janetdiederich/age
-of-exploration-power-point-presentation
• Good for revision

35. • http://www.slideshare.net/sheidi/explorers-
ppt-13056336
• Good for revision, some that we don’t need

36. • http://www.slideshare.net/benjiavis/present
ation-world-explorers
• V good. Text and pictures

37. • http://www.slideshare.net/gsill/european-
explorers-12942193
• More detail than we need

38. • http://www.mrsheffsclass.com/european-
explorers.html
• Links to short powerpoints about various
explorers 