Age of Discovery

One explorer in particular, James Clark Ross, and his southern artic expedition of 1839 resulted in the charting of much of the continents coastline as well as the southern seas. All of the great voyages during this time period held their own discoveries and accomplishments, however it was explorers such as James Clark Ross who pushed the boundaries of nautical expedition to new lengths. Beginning in 1839, Sir James Clark Ross was given command of the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror. These two…

I. The European Reconnaissance of the World’s Oceans: b/w 1400-1800, European mariners launched series of exploratory voyages 1. Motives for Exploration –prompted Europeans to explore the world’s oceans. Search for basic resources and lands, establish new trade routes to Asian markets, and expand the influence of Christianity. a) Portuguese Exploration: -poor kingdom of Portugal searched for fresh resources and lands -from 13th century, Portuguese seamen ventured away from coasts to…

The scientific voyage of the HMS Challenger changed the course of scientific history during its four year voyage that spanned more than 69,000 nautical miles. In 1870, the British government agreed to give the Royal Society the use of one of its ships for research use. The warship HMS Challenger was modified to a research ship by having ammunition and 15 guns removed and replaced with laboratories. It was the first expedition of its kind, organized and funded specifically to chart and record…

moving eastward before Marco Polo joined the expedition Khan realized that he had so many people in his army that he would need to split up and dedicate for some people to lead groups of 300-400 soldiers armed with weapons and armor of that day in age. Prior to Chingis Khan taking over the tartus a man named prestor john ruled them he was a christian man. The tatars were dwelling in the Northern countries of Jorza and Bargu. The geography of this place was very good there was extensive plains,…

Exploration in the 1400s Science and technology improved exploration in the fourteen hundreds. One type of ship used by explorers Christopher Columbus, Bartholomew Dias, and Vasco de Gama was the caravel, invented in the thirteenth century. The caravel was originally used as a fishing boat and it used lateen sails. Lateen sails are triangular sails, which allowed explorers to use the wind to their advantage when sailing. Caravels had a tilted bow and two masts. These masts were called the…

During the age of exploration, the spice trade was in full swing and European countries were searching for new trade routes to India that would make travel faster, easier, and less expensive. One of the reasons why exploration occurred at this point in history is because of their new technological prowess which enabled them to advance in their sailing abilities. The navigational compass was one of the many new inventions to emerge in the sailing industry. The emergence of new technology…

As the 17th century turn into the 18th, the “golden age” of piracy drew writers to explore the world at the time. Alonso Ramirez and Marcus Rediker were two writers that explored the world of piracy in the 1700’s. Ramirez was born in Borrinquen, Puerto Rico—current day San Juan, Puerto Rico. Following in his father’s footsteps he became a ship carpenter (López Lázaro, 106). His accounts of piracy encounters, show his readers the type of pirate he was and how he distinguished himself as a pirate…

Europe wanted special luxuries that only existed in Asia. These were items such as gold, gems, and exotic spices. To get these items, Europeans were forced to take overland routes which were extremely difficult and time-consuming. Due to this, Europeans began looking for faster trading routes. In the late 1400s, a man named Christopher Columbus offered to bring riches back faster by going in the opposite direction from Asia. He also wanted to prove that the world was actually a sphere and not a…

The Age of Exploration was famously known as the time period for European conquests and settlements. These explorations paved the way for life as we know it today. However, there have been divided views of the European cultural and historical legacy especially concerning the Spaniards. Most of division occurs concerning the Indian of Hispaniola who were subjected to almost slavery and to inhumane treatment. During the Age of Exploration, the Spanish conquistadors wanted wealth and to spread the…

On your first day of school you probably end up getting lost and requesting for directions. The same situation applies to early transoceanic adventurers, except they couldn't ask anyone for help. To make it across the tough and dangerous ocean, they had to rely on themselves and their crew. Early explorers had to solve their lack of navigation by using different technique and inventions. A sailor’s natural surrounding helps them when they travel unfamiliar lands. Early explorers use their…