The Means to

Explore

Expanding the Known World

Expanding the Known World

Knowledge of the lands
beyond Europe was very
limited.

Books by travelers like

Marco Polo were extremely
popular but were often full
of misinformation.

Odd pictures of humans and animals appeared in books by Marco

Polo. Do you think or believe these people actually existed? If not,
why would such images be produced?

Maps of the World

Think it is soooo easy?

Now it is your turn!
Using a blank sheet of paper you must draw a map of the world
from memory.
Do NOT use any technology to assist you and do NOT use the map
or globe in the classroom as reference points.
Unlike Ptolemy and other Renaissance explorers, you have seen
an accurate depiction of the globe countless times in your life.
Show me what you got!
The following countries MUST be included and labelled:
It must also include:
Italy
Spain
A compass
England
Canada
All 7 continents
United States of America
Mexico
India
China
Russia

What Would Have Helped?

With your task accomplished, tell me: What would have made this
task easier to accomplish?
List the various tools or devices you would want to help get the
job done.

Prince Henry of Portugal the

Navigator

Prince Henry the Navigator had great

interest in ships and navigation.
Became a patron of Portuguese
explorers.
Sponsored many voyages along
African coastline.
Established a center at Sagres
(Southern Portugal) where
cartographers, mathematicians,
astronomers, sailors and navigators
gathered to share knowledge.
Improved maps and navigation
instruments.

Created mathematical tables that

helped sailors determine their latitude

Compass
Used for
finding the
direction a ship
is travelling
Astrolabe
Used the North
Star or Sun to
calculate
latitude
Cross-staff
Used to
measure the
altitude of the
Pole star above
the horizon to
determine
latitude.
Back-staff
Used to
measure the
altitude of the
Sun to

Developed in China
and used by Muslim
travelers.

Invented by ancient
Greeks, further
developed by Arab
mathematicians and
astronomers.
Invented around
1342 for astronomy.
Used for navigation
around 1514.

Developed in 1594
as an improvement
over the cross-staff.

Improvements in three essential aspects of

naval technology maps, navigational
instruments, and ships made possible the
voyages of the Age of Exploration. How did
the exchange of ideas contribute to all
three?
Naval Technology

Exchange of Ideas

Technology

What group or groups of

people were involved in
developing or spreading
technology?

Maps
Navigational Instruments
Ships