Colonization

Introduction

In the 1400s, European countries competed for natural resources from the Orient such as gold, silk, and spices--these valuables could be obtained in India and other areas of East Asia. Traders had to travel great distances over land to obtain these resources. Transporting goods across land was very time consuming, costly, and dangerous. Everyone along the way had to be paid and wanted to earn a profit of course. By the time the spices and goods reached Europe, they had to be sold at extremely high prices.

The Silk Road

There were many routes that were termed “the Silk Road.” In the image below, the red routes are the different land routes, and the blue routes were the sea routes to the Orient.

Map of the Silk Road

Exploration

Learn about European Exploration by interacting with the timeline below. When you are ready, click on the arrow in the bottom right corner to learn more about where several countries explored.

Colonization

For the next 200 years, Europe's largest countries began exploring and colonizing Africa, Asia, and North America. As Europeans colonized these vast areas, they brought their beliefs, customs, cultures, and languages with them. They set up colonies, new markets, and spread Christianity throughout the world.

The Age of Exploration was a major turning point in European history. One of the greatest aspects of the change was that people learned about new plants, animals, and foods. People began to exchange animals, plants, and foods globally. This was called the Columbian Exchange. The integration of new foods in Europe spurred a population growth across the continent. However, the exchange also brought many new types of illnesses and diseases that killed millions of indigenous people in the Americas.

Image representing the Columbian Exchange. Full Text version can be downloaded from the linked file below the image.

You can download a chart version of the Columbian Exchange by clicking here.

Review

There are 5 famous Spanish Conquistadors.* Can you name all 5? Do you know where they explored? Once you think you know, see if you are right with the activity below!

Image of an Arrow

Think About This

Prince Henry the Navigator’s innovations triggered the Age of Exploration because the advances allowed explorers more flexibility using the new maps, instruments and vessels developed at his navigation school in Portugal. Many explorers set out for parts unknown in a quest for “God, gold and glory” in the eastern hemisphere as well as in the Americas in the western hemisphere in the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th centuries. Columbus was the first European explorer to set foot in the Americas and thus changed the world forever.

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