Age of Exploration
Define exploration.
Travel to discover new lands or routes
What was the Silk Road?
An ancient land-based trade network connecting Europe and Asia.
Define taxes.
Money collected by governments
Define astrolabe.
A tool that uses the sun or stars to determine position at sea
Define navigation
Tools and methods used to find direction or location
Explain how navigation tools impacted exploration.
Maps, compass, astrolabe, and quadrant made long-distance sea travel safer and more accurate.
Why was the Silk Road important before sea routes?
It allowed the exchange of goods, like silk and spices, and ideas between civilizations.
Define imports and exports.
Imports— The buying of goods from another country
Exports— The selling of goods to another country
Define caravel.
A ship designed for long ocean voyages
Define innovation.
Improvements or new ideas that solve problems
What did the “3Gs” mean for explorers and countries?
God— Spreading Christianity.
Gold— Wealth, resources, spices, and profit.
Glory— Fame, national pride, and power.
Why did Europeans seek sea routes instead of relying on the Silk Road?
To access goods like spices and silk more directly and avoid Ottoman taxes and control.
Define consumer.
A person who buys goods or services
Define maritime.
Travel or work done by sea
Define latitude and longitude.
Latitude— Lines that measure distance north or south of the Equator
Longitude— Lines that measure distance east or west of the Prime Meridian
What was the Age of Exploration, and why was the Age of Exploration significant?
A period when Europeans explored new lands and sea routes. It connected Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas through trade, cultural exchange, and discovery.
What impact did Ottoman control of trade routes have on Europe?
European trade became more expensive and restricted, prompting the search for alternative routes.
Define tariffs.
A tax placed on imported goods
Define a compass.
A tool that shows direction using Earth’s magnetic field
Define a quadrant.
A tool used to measure angles to find latitude
Name one positive and one negative effect of the Age of Exploration.
Positive— Growth in trade, wealth, or access to new goods.
Negative— Spread of disease, death, loss of land, or forced labor for Indigenous peoples.
How did the Ottoman Empire act as a catalyst for exploration?
Its control of key trade routes and taxes motivated Europeans to find new sea routes.
Define a catalyst.
An idea, event, or person that causes change
Explain how tariffs might change what a consumer decides to buy.
Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods. When a government imposes a tariff, the price of those imported goods usually increases. As a result, a consumer might decide to buy a similar product made in their own country because it is cheaper than the imported option. In other words, tariffs can discourage consumers from buying imported goods and encourage them to purchase domestic products instead.
Define cartography.
The science or practice of making maps