Global Exploration, Trade, and the Reformation: Key
Events and Impacts (1400s–1500s)
Who were the driving forces of the Afro-Eurasian economy in the 1400s? Why were these countries the
driving forces? - ✔✔China and India.
Why were China and India the driving forces of the Afro-Eurasian economy during the 1400s? - ✔✔Both
had the largest global populations and the largest volume of imported and exported goods.
How does having a large population contribute to a strong economy? - ✔✔Increase in Trade. More
Workers. More goods were created.
How did goods typically travel in the 1400s? - ✔✔Goods leave Asia and travel to Italy. From there, the
goods would be dispersed to other European Seaports.
What does diffused mean? - ✔✔Spread.
Besides merchandise, what else was shipped around the world in the 1400s? - ✔✔Ideas, cultures,
politics, religious and technological ideas were diffused.
What did the diffusion of goods and ideas in the 1400's lead to? - ✔✔Collective Learning.
Define collective learning. - ✔✔The ability to share information so efficiently that the ideas of
individuals can be stored within the collective memory of communities and can accumulate through
generations.
What did collective learning lead to in the 1400's? - ✔✔An increase of new ideas and innovations
around the world, especially in Europe.
,What did explorers from the Iberian Peninsula find in their longer voyages? - ✔✔New sea routes and
new land. These explorers were searching more for new land, not money.
What group of explorers came from the Iberian Peninsula? - ✔✔Spain and Portugal.
LAND EQUALS ! - ✔✔POWER
What did European explorations lead to? - ✔✔The opening of new oceanic passages.Increased
European power economically, politically, and culturally on the world scene.
What geographic benefits do European explorers have over Asian explorers? - ✔✔Easier routes to more
land and oceanic access.
What are some benefits of the newly discovered oceanic passages? - ✔✔Increased global exchange of
goods.
Increase volume and speed of diffused goods, ideas, and information.
Increased globalization (the process by which the world becomes more connected).
What are the motivations for European Exploration of the new world? - ✔✔Land=Power
God- Roman Catholics wanted to convert non-believers of Christianity (aka. missionaries).
Gold- Increase demand in the west for luxury goods from Asia to Africa.
Glory- Individual fame and honor in service to God/Church/Ruler.
In 1492, who sailed from Spain with the intention of crossing the entire Atlantic Ocean and to land in
Asia? - ✔✔Christopher Columbus.
Who was Christopher Columbus? What was he known for? - ✔✔An Italian explorer who sailed under the
Spanish flag (aka. sponsored by Spain) to the major Caribbean Islands and Honduras in Central America
(aka. 'Indies') in 1492. He had 4 voyages.
What was Columbus's goal? - ✔✔Find an alternative route to Asia via the Atlantic Ocean.
, When did Columbus reach the Coastline of Cuba and the Carbbean Islands? What did he believe he had
reached? - ✔✔October 1942.
Reached Asia, just not yet the mainland.
In 1519, who explored with the hope of finding a sea passage through the Americas? - ✔✔Ferdinand
Magellan.
Who was Ferdinand Magellan? What was he known for? - ✔✔A Portuguese explorer who was
sponsored by Spain. He found the 'Straight of Magellan' in October 1520. Then he sailed to the
Philippines.
Finally, he was credited to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe.
Where is the 'Straight of Magellan' located? - ✔✔Along the southern tip of South America.
What was Magellan's goal? - ✔✔Find a sea passage through the Americas.
After Ferdinand Magellan passed through the 'Straight of Magellan', where did he find himself and
where did he sail to? What occured when he arrived at his final destination? - ✔✔He found himself in
the Pacific Ocean and sailed over to the Philippines.
He was killed and his ships were returned to Spain.
Who was Vasco de Gama and what did he do? - ✔✔A Portuguese explorer that was sponsored by
Portugal.
He went around Africa and cut across the Indian Ocean to the coast of India.
He landed in the Port of Calicut in May of 1498.
He returned to Portugal with tons of spices that he sold to make himself very rich.
What was Vasco da Gama's goal? - ✔✔Find a more direct route to Asia.
What is a legacy? - ✔✔A person's or a group's impact on future generations.
Events and Impacts (1400s–1500s)
Who were the driving forces of the Afro-Eurasian economy in the 1400s? Why were these countries the
driving forces? - ✔✔China and India.
Why were China and India the driving forces of the Afro-Eurasian economy during the 1400s? - ✔✔Both
had the largest global populations and the largest volume of imported and exported goods.
How does having a large population contribute to a strong economy? - ✔✔Increase in Trade. More
Workers. More goods were created.
How did goods typically travel in the 1400s? - ✔✔Goods leave Asia and travel to Italy. From there, the
goods would be dispersed to other European Seaports.
What does diffused mean? - ✔✔Spread.
Besides merchandise, what else was shipped around the world in the 1400s? - ✔✔Ideas, cultures,
politics, religious and technological ideas were diffused.
What did the diffusion of goods and ideas in the 1400's lead to? - ✔✔Collective Learning.
Define collective learning. - ✔✔The ability to share information so efficiently that the ideas of
individuals can be stored within the collective memory of communities and can accumulate through
generations.
What did collective learning lead to in the 1400's? - ✔✔An increase of new ideas and innovations
around the world, especially in Europe.
,What did explorers from the Iberian Peninsula find in their longer voyages? - ✔✔New sea routes and
new land. These explorers were searching more for new land, not money.
What group of explorers came from the Iberian Peninsula? - ✔✔Spain and Portugal.
LAND EQUALS ! - ✔✔POWER
What did European explorations lead to? - ✔✔The opening of new oceanic passages.Increased
European power economically, politically, and culturally on the world scene.
What geographic benefits do European explorers have over Asian explorers? - ✔✔Easier routes to more
land and oceanic access.
What are some benefits of the newly discovered oceanic passages? - ✔✔Increased global exchange of
goods.
Increase volume and speed of diffused goods, ideas, and information.
Increased globalization (the process by which the world becomes more connected).
What are the motivations for European Exploration of the new world? - ✔✔Land=Power
God- Roman Catholics wanted to convert non-believers of Christianity (aka. missionaries).
Gold- Increase demand in the west for luxury goods from Asia to Africa.
Glory- Individual fame and honor in service to God/Church/Ruler.
In 1492, who sailed from Spain with the intention of crossing the entire Atlantic Ocean and to land in
Asia? - ✔✔Christopher Columbus.
Who was Christopher Columbus? What was he known for? - ✔✔An Italian explorer who sailed under the
Spanish flag (aka. sponsored by Spain) to the major Caribbean Islands and Honduras in Central America
(aka. 'Indies') in 1492. He had 4 voyages.
What was Columbus's goal? - ✔✔Find an alternative route to Asia via the Atlantic Ocean.
, When did Columbus reach the Coastline of Cuba and the Carbbean Islands? What did he believe he had
reached? - ✔✔October 1942.
Reached Asia, just not yet the mainland.
In 1519, who explored with the hope of finding a sea passage through the Americas? - ✔✔Ferdinand
Magellan.
Who was Ferdinand Magellan? What was he known for? - ✔✔A Portuguese explorer who was
sponsored by Spain. He found the 'Straight of Magellan' in October 1520. Then he sailed to the
Philippines.
Finally, he was credited to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe.
Where is the 'Straight of Magellan' located? - ✔✔Along the southern tip of South America.
What was Magellan's goal? - ✔✔Find a sea passage through the Americas.
After Ferdinand Magellan passed through the 'Straight of Magellan', where did he find himself and
where did he sail to? What occured when he arrived at his final destination? - ✔✔He found himself in
the Pacific Ocean and sailed over to the Philippines.
He was killed and his ships were returned to Spain.
Who was Vasco de Gama and what did he do? - ✔✔A Portuguese explorer that was sponsored by
Portugal.
He went around Africa and cut across the Indian Ocean to the coast of India.
He landed in the Port of Calicut in May of 1498.
He returned to Portugal with tons of spices that he sold to make himself very rich.
What was Vasco da Gama's goal? - ✔✔Find a more direct route to Asia.
What is a legacy? - ✔✔A person's or a group's impact on future generations.
