The Age of Discovery

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The Age of Discovery

• The Meeting of Three Worlds

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Questions

• What was the world like before Columbus?
• Why did Europeans discover America?
• What did they do with their discovery?
• How was the world changed?

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America before Columbus?

• Principal Civilizations
• Culture
• Development

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Africa before Columbus

• Society
• Political Life
• Economy
• Religion
• Slavery

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Europe before Columbus

• 15th Century
• Recovering population
• Nation state
• Maritime arts

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European Motives

• Conversion of pagans
• Wealth
• Knowledge
• Trade with the Orient

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How did Europe discover America?

• Early voyages
• Improvements to navigation
• Portuguese
• Spanish

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Who discovered America?

• Christopher Columbus
• Concept behind voyages
• Results

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What did the Europeans do with their discoveries?

• Empires and colonies
• Motives
• Land Ownership
• Economic Theory
• Characteristics
• Political
• Social
• Economic

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Colonial Empires

• Spain
• France
• Holland
• England

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How was the world changed?

• Vegetation
• Animals
• Diseases

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Summary

• What was the world like before Columbus?
• Why did Europeans discover America?
• What did they do with their discovery?
• How was the world changed?

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