Transcript Exploration

Exploration
United States
Adventures in Time and
Place
Chapter 5 Lessons 1 - 3
The Chinese Empire
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Protected by Himalayas to the
west, the Gobi Desert to the
north, and the Pacific Ocean to
the east.
Even with the above protection,
Mongols gained control in late
1200’s.
Chinese pushed Mongols out
in 1368.
Zhu Di set out to rebuild China.
This included the Great Wall.
The Great Wall is the longest
human-made feature ever built.
4,600 miles long. Mostly by
hand. Can be seen from outer
space.
The Silk Road
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This is a network of overland
trade routes that stretched
from China to Persia (Iran).
Demand for silk in Europe
was so high the trade route
became known as the Silk
Road.
Oranges, gold, and horses
were also bartered along the
Silk Road
There were trading posts
along the way.
http://www.asiaadventures.ca/a
sia/images/image_programs_ch
ina7_silk.jpg
Zheng He
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http://www.solarnavigator.net/i
mages/compass_pocket.jpg
In 1403 Emperor Zhu Di ordered
the building of thousands of sailing
ships and put Zheng He in charge.
Zheng He explored India, SE Asia,
Arabia, and the coast of East
Africa.
Over 200 ships in his fleet.
Several ships over 400 feet long.
They used magnetic compasses.
Compasses were invented in
China in 100 A.D.
The compass provided the
cardinal directions.
China’s sea exploration stopped
because the new emperor in 1525
ordered the destruction of the
empire’s sailing ships.
African Kingdoms
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Second largest
continent in the world.
Sahara is the largest
desert in the world.
Caravan is a group of
people traveling
together, especially
through the desert.
King Sunni Ali
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http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/h
d/sghi/hg_d_sghi_d1map.jpg
Sunni Ali became king of Songhai,
the powerful and wealthy kingdom
that ruled a large part of West
Africa.
To maintain power, Sunni Ali
enslaved the people he conquered.
Many African rulers did this.
African criminals and prisoners of
war were often enslaved.
African rulers traded slaves with
Arab sailors.
African slaves were often treated
as family rather than property.
Sunni Ali tolerated different
religions and encouraged traders of
gold, ivory, cloth, and salt.
The Songhai Kingdom
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A very large and powerful kingdom.
Controlled trade and valuable salt and
gold mines.
Gao, Timbuktu, and Jenne were the major
centers of trade in Songhai.
Gao was a city full of skilled workers,
craftworkers, and artists.
Gold was so plentiful that miners
sometimes had trouble finding a buyer.
Timbuktu was a great cultural center.
Astronomy, mathematics, music, and
literature.
Arabic was the main language
Timbuktu had a university.
Jenne had scholars of medicine. Human
eye operations were performed here.
They also discovered that mosquitoes
cause malaria.
Europe’s Age of Exploration
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Marco Polo was one of the
first Europeans to reach
Asia. 20 yrs later he brought
back ivory, jade, and silk.
He also wrote a book about
his travels.
His 3 yr trip was along the
Silk Road.
He inspired other Europeans
to go to China and Asia.
Once Europeans saw the
“wealth” in Asia, they began
looking for a direct sea route
there.
Europe’s Renaissance
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The Renaissance was a
period of cultural and artistic
growth that began in Italy in
the 1300s. It spread to
Europe in 1400s and 1500s.
Artwork was popular:
Michelangelo, Botticelli, and
Leonardo da Vinci.
Johannes Gutenberg
invented the printing press
in 1436. Therefore, books
became more accessible.
Science became more
popular.
Trade with Asia
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Demand for silk was strong, but Europeans also
wanted spices.
No refrigeration
Pepper and cloves were used to preserve food over
the winter.
Europeans paid high prices for spices.
As it was traded along the Spice Road, the price
went up.
Europeans needed a cheaper route to trade with
Asia. The Silk Road was dangerous and expensive.
Portuguese Exploration
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http://lancefuhrer.com/ima
ges/caravel.jpg
Prince Henry, the Navigator, got
his name from the
improvements in navigation he
made.
His scientists improved the
astrolabe and magnetic
compass.
His shipbuilders, scientists,
mapmakers, and ship captains
invented the caravel.
The caravel was about 70 ft
long and could be steered more
easily. It could sail faster
through dangerous waters,
even against the wind. It could
hold lots of cargo.
More About Prince Henry
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When he died he had not
reached southern Africa.
In 1488 Bartholomeu Dias
rounded the tip of southern
Africa, which was later named
the Cape of Good Hope.
In 1498 Vasco da Gama
reached Asia when he arrived
in Calicut, India.
Vasco da Gama’s voyage
showed Europe there was
another way to Asia besides
the Silk Road. Spice prices
dropped.
http://www.schnackfisch.de/portugal/i
ndexverzeichnis/allgemein/images/v
asco_da_gama_reise.jpg