United States History Student Edition

As early as the mid-1400s, powerful countries such as Portugal and Spain began to search for sea routes to Asia. They, too, wanted to engage in foreign trade. This placed them in direct competition with the Italian port cities that had become so powerful a century earlier. As a result,

a new era of exploration began. 7 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

Making Connections How is the growth of trade related to the Renaissance? How is the Renaissance

related to the era of exploration? Effects of New Technology GUIDING QUESTION

astrolabe an instrument that uses positions of the stars to plan a course magnetic compass a device that is used to find direction by means of a needle that always points north latitude with an astrolabe (AS•truh•layb), which measured the positions of stars. In the 1200s, Europeans acquired the magnetic compass from China. The compass allowed sailors to determine their direction accurately. What technological advancements paved the way for European voyages of exploration? Advances in technology —the use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes—helped lead to an age of exploration. One key innovation came in the mid-1400s with the introduction of the printing press. The printing press made it much easier to print books. This made more books available and gave more people access to new information, such as that found in Marco Polo’s Travels . Better Maps and Instruments Other important advances occurred in the science of mapmaking. Most early maps were not accurate. This was because they were drawn based on the points of view of traders and travelers. Little by little, cartographers, or mapmakers, improved their accuracy. Using reports of explorers and information from Arab and Chinese scholars and astronomers, mapmakers made more accurate land and sea maps. These maps showed the directions of ocean currents. People also improved instruments for navigating the seas. Sailors could find their

The Mona Lisa , painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1519, is a masterpiece of the Renaissance. From what we know, the portrait features a woman from Florence who was 24 years old when da Vinci began the painting.

themselves and the world. It also set the stage for an age of exploration and discovery. During this period, Europe also experienced a number of political changes. For centuries, Europe had been a patchwork of small states. By the 1400s, a new and larger type of state developed in Western Europe. Strong monarchs rose to power in Spain, Portugal, England, and France. These monarchs replaced local rule with a system of national laws, courts, taxes, and armies. These ambitious monarchs sought ways to increase trade and make their countries even stronger and wealthier. technology the use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes; equipment that makes use of advanced knowledge and skill

Mona Lisa (1503-1506) by Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci. ©Photographer's Choice/Getty Images

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Exploration and Colonization