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The Age of Discovery: God, Gold, and Glory

The Age of Discovery: God, Gold, and Glory. The Adventures of Marco Polo. Marco Polo spent 24 years exploring Asia from 1271-1295 He wrote the Empire of Kublai Khan, China, Japan, and the Spice Islands He returned with fabulous tales of wealth and riches. The Silk Road.

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The Age of Discovery: God, Gold, and Glory

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  1. The Age of Discovery: God, Gold, and Glory

  2. The Adventures of Marco Polo • Marco Polo spent 24 years exploring Asia from 1271-1295 • He wrote the Empire of Kublai Khan, China, Japan, and the Spice Islands • He returned with fabulous tales of wealth and riches

  3. The Silk Road • Ever since Marco Polo, European nations would trade with Asia by way of an overland route called “The Silk Road” • The Silk Road passed through Muslim, Byzantine, and Italian lands and each city would add a little bit onto the price • Spices (for preserving meat) and goods were VERY expensive by the time they got to France, Spain, Portugal and England

  4. Food in the 1400’s • Spices were VERY valuable for preserving food and meat: cinnamon, cloves, pepper, salt…as well as gold and silver • Whoever could find a direct route to the Spice Islands would become very rich…and powerful

  5. We’re on a Mission from God • An old story told of a Christian king of Ethiopia named Prester John • Europe saw an opportunity to spread Christianity and gain an ally against the Muslims • The motives for the Age of Discovery: God, Gold and Glory

  6. Cape of Good Hope • 1419: Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal begins sending ships to find the southern tip of Africa • 1487: Bartholomew Diaz rounds the Cape of Good Hope • Vasco da Gama reaches India by sailing around Africa

  7. A Magnificent Failure • Christopher Columbus…he’s Italian not Spanish • Columbus proposes going west across the Atlantic to reach the Spice Islands • Portugal refused to listen, and France flatly said no • The Atlantic Ocean is called the Ocean of Darkness

  8. The Ocean of Darkness Myth Truth • Sea serpents and monsters (They don’t call it the Ocean of Darkness for nothing) • To sail west is downhill, to come back home is uphill! • You’d fall off the edge of the world and land in…you know… • Actually, Europeans were pretty sure the Earth was round • Eratosthenes of Alexandria had figured it out in the 3rd Century BC • They were convinced that Columbus had grossly (hilariously) underestimated how far he had to go • They were right!

  9. La Reconquista • Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand complete La Reconquistaof Spain by defeating the Muslims at Grenada in 1492 • Spain is once again a Catholic Country • With the Muslims gone, Spain agrees to finance Columbus’ trip

  10. Voyage to the New World • October 12, 1492: Columbus lands at San Salvador claiming it for Spain • For 3 months Columbus explored the Bahamas, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba • He thought he was in China and Japan

  11. Columbus Triumphant • Columbus returns to Spain in January, 1493 • Treated as a hero who returns with gold and spices • Ferdinand and Isabella send him back in 1493 • Columbus probably should have quit while he was ahead…

  12. Columbus…The Fool??? • Second Voyage: Discovers Dominica, St. Kitts, St. Croix, and the Virgin Islands • His original colony failed, his second colony was set up in a malaria infested swamp • Columbus disobeyed orders and enslaved the Native Americans • Third Voyage, 1498: Discovers Trinidad • Slaughters Native Americans, hangs his own men • Arrested for cruelty and violence and thrown in jail • Fourth Voyage, 1502: Discovers Jamaica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica • Gets stranded in Jamaica

  13. Columbus…Hero? Or Villain? • Columbus was the first European to have contact with the New World • He DID NOT discover America…can’t discover something if people are already there! • Introduced slavery to the New World • Died never knowing he had crashed into North America • He went to his grave CONVINCED he was near Asia

  14. The Spanish Empire • Columbus’ adventure does give Spain a foothold on the New World • But who will get the rest???

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