Exploration, Enlightenment and Great Thinkers

1. Exploration, EnlightenmentandGreat Thinkers Vocabulary Words and Key Figures will be highlighted in Pink!

2. Getting Ready to Explore • 1400s to 1500s was a time of great change, exploration and discovery for the world. • Largely took place in Western Europe. • Silk Road became dangerous and expensive, but many kingdoms still wanted access to Asian goods.

3. New Technology • Many had the desire to explore, but it was not safe due to the lack of technology until the 1400s. • Used an astrolabe and compass to determine latitude and North. • Began using triangular sails which allowed better movement in the wind. • Built ships that were smaller so they could go faster and were easier to sail

4. Strong Nations • Although the new technology was available, it was still expensive and dangerous. • Governments were stronger due to the rise of towns and trade. • Taxes from trade were used to create armies.

5. Strong Kingdoms • By the end of the 1400s there were 4 strong kingdoms: • Portugal • Spain • France • England • All had Atlantic harbors and wanted to find a trade route to Asia.

6. Portugal • Portugal was able to explore first because other kingdoms were fighting in wars. • “Henry the Navigator” began exploring Africa and mapping its coast. • Sugar cane was discovered and became very profitable.

7. Vasco da Gama • While exploring along the coast of Africa, rounded the tip of Africa and sailed across the Indian Ocean landing in India. • Discovered a new route to Asia.

8. Christopher Columbus • An Italian navigator, who thought he would get to Asia by crossing the Atlantic Ocean. • Spain sponsored Columbus’s voyages • Sailed three ships and eventually landed in the Caribbean and claimed the land for Spain. • Sailed three more times to the region, but never knew he wasn’t in Asia. • Other Europeans realized he found two large continents.

9. Ferdinand Magellan • Wanted to find a route to Asia, but passing through the Americas. • Found a way around South America- Strait of Magellan. • Named the Pacific Ocean because it was so clam. • Reached the Philippines, but was killed by local people.

10. Riches from Discovery • Spain and Portugal’s successful discovery of routes to Asia made them wealthy. • This made other countries (England and France) want wealth and success too. • How did Spain and Portugal become so rich?

11. Mercantilism • Mercantilism- the idea that a country gains power by building up its supply of gold and silver. • Best way to do this is through imports and exports. • The more you export the more money you make.

12. Colonialism • Increase trade lead to more money. • Set up colonies. Colony-a settlement of people living in a new territory controlled by their home country. • Colonists should produce goods that the country does not have at home.

13. European Trade • Mercantilism encouraged trade posts in Asia and North America. • Commerce- buying and selling of goods in large amounts over long distances. • Start of how business is done today. European Trade in Asia

14. A Global Exchange Global Exchange of Goods • After the Age of Exploration, the economies of the world became connected. • Lead to the exchange of goods, technology, ideas and disease. • Increase of movement of people to new lands.

15. Review • Exploration of the New World

16. The Scientific Revolution • Science began as a way to solve every day problems. • Math, Astronomy, Medicine • With the discovery of new land and a more global world, people became more interested in science and the exchange of ideas. • Believed that advances could only come from math and experiments.

17. Theory • Theory- an explanation of how or why something happens. • Based on what is observed. • May not be correct, but makes sense. • Many early scientific discoveries were based on theory.

18. Copernicus • Wrote a book called On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres • Disagreed with the idea that the earth was the center of the universe. • Believed that the Sun, not the Earth, was the center of the universe, and the planets moved around the sun.

19. Galileo • Made great advances in Science. • Created a telescope to help support Copernicus’ ideas. • Other planets have moons • Developed a thermometer to measure temperature changes. • Was criticized by the Catholic Church for his beliefs, and retracted them although they spread through most of Europe.

20. Isaac Newton • Wrote a book, Principia, which stated his laws on the universe and earth. • Supported Copernicus and Galileo’s ideas • Most known for his Universal Law of Gravitation. • Force of gravity holds the entire solar system together

21. Review • The Scientific Revolution

22. Enlightenment • European thinkers were impressed by the ideas of Scientific Revolution. • Many thought that reason and scientific ideas could be applied humans and govern life. • Believed that reason was better than faith and tradition to guide human life.

23. Natural Law • Great thinkers of the time believed in Natural Law. • Natural Law- law that applied to everyone and could be understood by reason. • This law was important to understanding government and people.

24. Thomas Hobbes • Wrote about English government and society. • Wrote the book Leviathan. • Believed the best form of government was a Monarchy-government ruled by a King or Queen who inherits power by birth.

25. Hobbes’ Beliefs • Humans were naturally selfish, violent, and could not be trusted to make their own decisions. • Believed that a King had ultimate power and could control the people.

26. John Locke • Felt that natural law affirmed peoples’ rights to make the government answer to them. • People had natural rights. The right to life, liberty and to own property.

27. Locke’s Beliefs • Citizens should be guaranteed natural rights, and it is the government’s job to protect them. • All governments were based on a social contract- agreement between rulers and people. • If the government broke the social contract the people could revolt-attempt to overthrow the government.

28. Montesquieu • French thinker who believed England had the best government. • Separation of Power- the government’s power should be equally divided among three branches.

29. Montesquieu’s Government • Government should have 3 branches. • Legislative: to make laws • Executive: to enforce laws • Judicial: to interpret laws and judge if they were broken. • Prevents the government from getting too powerful and threatening people’s rights.

30. Voltaire • Felt the Catholic Church and governments worked together to keep knowledge from people. • Opposed the government supporting one religion.

31. Voltaire’s Beliefs • People should be free to choose their own beliefs. • Government should not choose one religion for its citizens to practice.

32. Rousseau • Around 1700, some started to criticize the Enlightenment. • Rousseau believed that supporters of the Enlightenment relied too much on reason.

33. Rousseau’s Contract • People should pay more attention to their feelings. • Humans were naturally good, but civilized life corrupted them. • To improve oneself, people should live a simple life close to nature.

34. Women and the Enlightenment • The Enlightenment changed how many viewed women’s roles. • Previously felt women needed to be controlled and protected. • Argued that all women have reason, and therefore should have rights.

35. Government Power • During the Enlightenment great thinkers believed government power should be limited. • However, powerful Kings and Queens ruled most of Europe and did not like these ideas. • Absolutism- monarchs held absolute, or total power by divine right. • Rulers answered to God, not the people.

36. Review • Enlightenment

37. What does this mean? • At this time, citizens started to demand rights and control over their lives. • The discovery of new land, scientific advances and change in thought of the role of government allows for people to take more control in their daily lives.