Europeans began exploring new trade routes and lands for several reasons: Europe was experiencing poverty, disease, and conflict in the late Middle Ages. The capture of Constantinople in 1453 blocked the lucrative Silk Road trade route to Asia, making spices and silk expensive. New technologies like the compass, caravel ships, gunpowder, and advances in astronomy allowed Europeans to explore further in search of new trade paths to Asia. Entrepreneurs would convince monarchs to fund expeditions by promising wealth from trade and potential for spreading Christianity and empire.

1. The Explorers
Why did Europeans sail to
new places?
By: Mr. Casey

2. What’s it like in
Europe?
•Europe is
suffering from
plaque and
disease, wars,
and poverty.
The Middle
Ages

3. The Crusades
• Europeans
want to
recapture the
holy lands.
Europeans will
fight for 200
years over the
land.

4. The world according
to Europe!
This is the
known
world!

5. Europe is
Changing
*Europe is in the
middle of the
renaissance (1300-
1500)

6. Marco Polo
* 1295 Marco Polo comes
back from being in Asia for
25 years. He tells stories of
golden palaces, jewels, silk,
and spices.

7. MARCO POLO’S
ROUTE

8. The Ottoman
Turks capture
Constantinople
*1453 they capture the city of
Constantinople and block
trade through the city.
*Silk and spices become very
hard to come by and very
expensive
Europeans have to find a new way to Asia

9. The Silk Highway
*Route is long and filled with dangers, but the
resources from Asia are in high demand

10. The Silk Highway
*Europeans begin looking for a new way to Asia

11. New Technology Changes
Everything
Gutenberg invents
movable type and
books are easier to
print (1440)

12. New Technology
Magnetic Compass-a
tool that shows
which direction is
north

13. New Technology
Astrolabe-a
tool that helped sailors
use the sun and stars to
find their location

14. New Technology
Gunpowder-an
explosive made of a
mixture of saltpeter, sulfur,
and charcoal

15. New Technology
Caravel-a
small ship designed
by the Portuguese with
a lateen (triangular) sail

16. These new technologies allow European to
explore further than they have in the past
compass movable type
gunpowder
astronomy &
navigation

17. China was much more
advanced than any country
in Europe at that time, but
they did not focus on
exploration

18. Zheng He

19. Why venture out
and risk your life?

20. If you can convince a king or queen to pay
for your expedition, you can earn ...
•Money, wealth, and power
•An explorer can get land,
get rich and famous
•Spread of Christianity

21. • Imagine you are an entrepreneur and
you want to lead an expedition to India
and Asia; tell me what you would say to
a king or queen and how you would sell
them on giving you the resources you
need to lead your expedition. Where
would you go, how, and why? Choose
one person to speak to the king or
queen.