2.2 In search of a new route

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Chapter 2

2.2 In search of a new route

At the end of this lesson...

- You will be ablte to explain why people when o

Medieval Times

• From the year 1000: the economy in Western Europe starts to grow. 
• Reason? An increase in agricultural products! Trade between cities flourishes.
• Cities, roads and rivers seem to pop out of the ground, prosperity increases.

Spices are high in demand luxury products

Why?

- Medicine

- Makes food taste better

- Makes food last longer

A map of the trade routes to Europe. In red the Silk Route is shown, that route was travelled over land. In blue the Trade Route for spices is shown, that route was travelled partially over sea.

More people start exploring...why?

Economy: The products from the east make a lot of money

Religion: The Europeans desperately wanted to spread the word of God all over the world (holy mission).

Politics:  European monarchs get a chance to expand their power. This is called expansion (more land = more influence).

Tools: In the fifteenth century a lot of new inventions become available to make travel by sea easier.

Knowledge: New maps of the world become available (antiquity). 

Explorers from Portugal are the first to actually go in search of new overseas trade routes to Asia. Travelling by land is too dangerous, because the route passes through Islamic terrain.

Henry the Navigator helps to fund these explorations oversea!

Bartholomeu Dias

Reaches the most southern point of Africa, Cape of Good Hope (1488)

Vasco da Gama

The  first Portugese man to reach India overseas

Willem Barentz

The Portugese keep their trade routes a secret. Other countries try to reach India as well.

Willem Barentsz: Northern route

Homework

Paragraph 2.2 exercise 5, 6 and 7