3º ESO UNIT 5. THE AGE OF DISCOVERY

UNIT 5. THE MODERN AGE

INTRODUCTION: THE MODERN AGE

The Modern Age is the historical era which goes from the discovery of America (1492) to the French Revolution (1789).

Many things happened during the Modern Age: The discovery of unknown territories …

A Renaissance in Science and Arts …

Important changes in Christian religion (Catholic Reformation and Counter Reformation) …

The Spanish Empire was bigger than ever (“El imperio español en el que nunca se ponía el sol”)

The kings experienced a period of splendour and absolutism…

The Baroque culture and art…

The English created the first Parliament in History…

There was a scientific revolution…

All these, lead to the French Revolution and the start of the Contemporary era.

1. THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

During the Early Modern period, European expeditions explored many new parts of the world. As a result, they provided detailed knowledge about the size and shape of the Earth.

Which were the known territories in the 15th century? Europeans had limited geographical knowledge. They were very familiar with all of Europe and the territories around the Mediterranean and the Black seas. They also knew about India, China and Japan thanks to the trade with the East. Exotic products from the Far East, such as silk and spices, were highly appreciated in medieval Europe. Merchants, like Marco Polo, carried them along the Silk Road (*la ruta de la seda) and other routes. However, they knew vey little about Africa and they did not know that America, Oceania and Antarctica even existed.

Known territories in the 15th century:

Map of Henricus Martellus (1489)

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In 1453, the Turks conquered Constantinople and occupied the Byzantine Empire (the end of the Eastern Roman Empire), disrupting the Silk road. Consequently, European merchants wanted to find other routes to the East.

Because of this, there were many advances in navigation which made it possible for European expeditions to travel long distances:

VIDEO: Life of a sailor (Channel Islands Maritime Museum)

2. THE PORTUGUESE EXPEDITIONS

Henry the Navigator

From the 15th century, Portugal wanted to find a trade route to India. They wanted to control the silk and spice trade with the Far East. For that purpose prince Henry the Navigator, the son of King John I of Portugal, created a school of navigators (*navegantes), which trained crews (*tripulaciones) for expeditions. Cartographers (*cartógrafos) from other countries visited the school and drew accurate maps.

The Portuguese carried out a series of expeditions in the 15th century: After the conquest of Ceuta (1415), they discovered the islands of Madeira (1419) and the Azores (1431).

Other Portuguese expeditions explored the coastline of West Africa. They occupied Cape Verde islands (1446) and sailed to the Gulf of Guinea (1460).

In 1487, Bartolomeu Dias (*Bartolomé Díaz), reached the Cape of Good Hope (*Cabo de Buena Esperanza) and opened a route to the Indian Ocean.

Another important explorer, Vasco da Gama (*Vasco de Gama), reached India in 1498.

In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil after his ship sailed too far west during a voyage in the Atlantic ocean.

In 1513, the Portuguese arrived to China and in 1524-1543 the arrived to Japan.

As a result of these expeditions, Portugal created a great maritime empire.

3. THE CASTILIAN EXPEDITIONS

3.1. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

Cristopher Columbus (*Cristobal Colón) was a sailor from Genoa in Italy. He believed that the Earth was round and that he could reach Asia by crossing the Atlantic ocean. First, he requested financing from the king of Portugal, however his project was rejected because Portugal had already discovered the Cape of Good Hope.

Year 1484

I could reach India by crossing the Atlantic ocean, but I need money

No thank you, we are about to find another way to reach India.

King John II of Portugal

Cristopher Columbus

Cristopher Columbus

I could reach India by crossing the Atlantic ocean, but I need money

Fernando and Isabel, Catholic King and Queen

We love it!

¡Nos encanta la idea!

After his project was rejected, he presented it to the Catholic Monarchs, who agreed to finance a Castilian expedition.

On 3 August 1492, Columbus´ three caravels (La Pinta, La Niña, La Santa María) left the port of Palos de la Frontera in Huelva. First, they stopped in Canary islands for food and water.

It finally reached land on 12 October 1492 (1 month and 9 days later). They reached the Guanahaní island (later known as San Salvador). Columbus thought that he had arrived to Japan, however, he had reached islands belonging to an unknown continent.

From this island he travelled to Juana (Cuba), La Española (Santo Domingo) and came back to Castilla.

After his first expedition, Columbus made three more expeditions to explore the new territories and establish Castilian rule.

Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506. Until the end of his life, he was convinced that he had reached Asia.

Who discover that is was a new continent?

Amerigo Vespucci. He was an Italian explorer who set forth the then revolutionary concept that the lands that Christopher Columbus sailed to in 1492 were part of a separate continent. America was named after him.

VIDEO: Discovery of America | Educational Videos for Kids

VIDEO: History vs. Christopher Columbus

3.2. The beginning of the overseas empires

Castilla and Portugal wanted to control the territories discovered by their expeditions.

To avoid conflict, they accepted mediation by the Pope. The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) established that the line of division between Castilian and Portuguese territories would be along a meridian about 2,000 km west of the Azores islands. Most of America was, therefore, Castilian.

3.3. THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD

In 1519 an expedition of five ships left Seville under its Portuguese captain Ferdinand Magellan (*Fernando de Magallanes). Their goal was to find a route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Maluku islands (*islas Molucas) in the Pacific Ocean, these were known as the “spice islands”.

In 1519 an expedition of five ships left Seville under its Portuguese captain Ferdinand Magellan (*Fernando de Magallanes). Their goal was to find a route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Maluku islands (*islas Molucas) in the Pacific Ocean, these were known as the “spice islands”.

In 1520, despite a series of storms and mutinies, they made it through a strait connecting the two oceans (later known as the Strait of Magellan *Estrecho de Magallanes). He named the new sea "peaceful sea" (the modern Pacific Ocean) and sailed to the Philippines.

Magellan was killed during a Battle in Philippine islands. His second-in-command, Juan Sebastián Elcano was in charge for the return journey.

They arrived to Sevilla on September 1522, after almost 3 years of journey. Just 18 of the original crew of 270 had survived.

VIDEO: Ferdinand Magellan - First Circumnavigation of the Earth

Draw a comic with one of the two voyages: 1) Columbus voyages. 2) Magallanes-Elcano voyage.

4. PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICA

(*precolombinos)

Mayas (*Mayas) Aztecs (*Aztecas) Incas (*Incas)

4.1. The mayas (*los mayas)

Mayan writing

Mayan calendar

End of the world!

Visit Chichén-Itzá

Mayan city Chichén-Itzá (Mexico)

Mayan city Palenque (Mexico)

Visit Teotihuacán

Mayan city Teotihuacán (Mexico)

VIDEO: Rise of the Maya

4.2. The incas (*los incas)

Visit Machu Pichu

Machu Pichu: 2430 metres above sea level

Video: The Incas

4.3. The Aztecs (*los aztecas)

(*Goldsmith, silversmith = orfebres, Persona que tiene por oficio hacer objetos artísticos de oro, plata u otros metales preciosos)

Visit Tenochtitlán

Tenochtitlán

Arquitectura Azteca: Calixtlahuaca

Video: The Aztecs for Kids