Reasons for European Exploration

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Reasons for European Exploration

• Unit 3

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1. Find Trade Routes to the East

• During the Crusades, Europeans came into contact
  with Eastern goods spices, silks, tea
• Getting these goods by land became too expensive
  because these routes were controlled by the
  Italian merchants and the Turks
• First Europeans to look for a sea route to the
  East were the Portuguese they claimed the water
  routes around Africa
• Spain decided to sail west to see if they could
  reach the East that way they discovered 2 new
  continents North and South America

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2. Find Wealth

• The Europeans first idea was to gain wealth by
  finding gold in the New World
• They then learned they could become wealthy from
  the land by growing cash crops such as sugar,
  tobacco, rice, indigo trading furs cutting
  timber fishing

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3. Seek Adventure

• The Renaissance had sparked an interest in
  adventure for many Europeans
• With the inventions of the compass, caravel and
  astrolabe, Europeans could satisfy their
  curiosity and explore the unknown world

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4. Convert the Natives to Christianity

• Europeans viewed themselves as superior
• They believed it was their duty to convert all
  non-Christians to Christianity