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February 1, 2001
The Age of Exploration
By Susan Brooks-Young
The answer is: A desire for increased political power, economic growth, land ownership, and religious zeal.
What is the question?
Although these descriptors might be applied to world events today, they actually describe some of the motives behind the Age of Exploration, which began in the 15th century and ultimately led to the development of vast colonial empires in the Americas and Asia. The ramifications of the fierce competition that developed in overseas expansion are still felt today. Who were the people who led or participated in these expeditions? What motivated them to embark on dangerous, often deadly, voyages? What have been the long-term consequences of colonization?
This tour includes sites that provide general information about the Age of Exploration and sites with very specific orientations, such as biographies of explorers, the study of navigation, and cartography. The tour even includes a student-developed project that was a ThinkQuest Junior competition finalist in 2000; it serves as both a resource and a model for possible student activities.
General Information
Discovery and Exploration
The WWW Virtual Library was founded in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee. This not-for-profit system consists of specialized guides and directories maintained by experts in various fields. The Discovery and Exploration directory offers research tools with maps, travel literature, and atlases; links to bibliographies, journals, and biographies; as well as timelines and historic information. Young historians in upper elementary, middle, and high school will find a wealth of easily accessed information about the Age of Exploration and its impact on North America.
1492: An Ongoing Voyage
The Library of Congress hosts this online exhibit, which describes America before and after European contact as well as the Mediterranean world during this time in history. The exhibit is presented in six sections: What Came To Be Called "America"; The Mediterranean World; Christopher Columbus: Man and Myth; Inventing America; Europe Claims America; and the Epilogue. Images of 22 of the objects from the original exhibit are included. Each section includes descriptive background text and descriptions of the online images.
The European Voyages of Exploration
The Web site of the Applied History Research Group of the University of Calgary is designed for use as a comprehensive tutorial. The material presented focuses on 15th and 16th-century Spain and Portugal, the motivations behind explorations sponsored by these two nations, and the consequences of colonization. The tutorial also includes information about the geographical, technological, economic, political, and cultural patterns of the era. While each tutorial section is self-contained, there are optional links provided for students to use when exploring a particular aspect of a topic in greater depth.
Discoverers Web
Andre Engels, a doctoral student in the Netherlands, has developed the Discoverers Web, a comprehensive collection of links to Web sites with information about explorers and exploration. This site is an excellent resource for students and teachers looking for general information, primary and secondary resources, or specific information about individual explorers or regions. For example, students learning about Central and South America will find links pointing to information about Conquistadors and early expeditions as well as biographic information about individuals. Because there are so many listings available, it is wise for you to visit and familiarize yourself with the site first, then assist students in finding the material needed.
Specifics about Explorers
Age of Exploration
This site provides six links to biographies of explorers: Erik the Red, Christopher Columbus, John and Sebastian Cabot, Ferdinand Magellan, Jacques Cartier, and Amerigo Vespucci. Each short biography includes general information about the explorer and links to more specific details. Most appropriate for use with upper elementary aged students, the site may be used as a starting point for research on the individuals who led expeditions during the Age of Exploration.
European Explorers
Mr. McDowell, a 7th grade Early American History teacher in Colorado, has developed a Web page for his history students that includes links to information about various explorers from Portugal, Spain, France, England, and the Netherlands. Your students may use these links to learn more about specific explorers for research papers and projects as well. There is also a link to a short, multiple-choice quiz about explorers that students may print and complete to check their general knowledge about exploration.
Little Explorers Picture Dictionary
Designed for use in 2nd and 3rd grades, this area of the dictionary provides information about different explorers. Students may search for names alphabetically or click on predetermined categories such as "Americas" or "Early 1500's" to find information about specific explorers. Many entries include links that provide additional information about the person described in the entry.
Cartography
Discovery and Exploration
The Geography and Maps Division of the Library of Congress has categorized manuscripts and maps from the late 15th through the 17th century published during the time when European explorers were gathering information about, and mapping the outlines of continents they explored as well as coastal areas and waterways. This site also includes later maps (18th and 19th centuries) that show interior parts of the continents, including work done by Lewis and Clark. High school students will find many useful primary documents here and teachers of elementary and middle school students will find materials to use in supporting classroom instruction.
Working with Maps
The United States Geological Survey offers a multidisciplinary set of materials for students grades 7-12 designed to help students learn basic map-reading and map-making skills, and to develop an understanding of how maps can be used as representations of reality. Activities cover location, navigation, information, and exploration and tie into the experiences of explorers such as Magellan.
Learning about Navigation
The Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Virginia
You may not be able to arrange a field trip to Virginia, but the online curriculum guide provided by The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia enables you to bring information from museum's Mariners' Gallery to your classroom. Using lesson plans, vocabulary activities, and links to other Web sites, along with the museum's exhibit your upper elementary through high school students can learn about maritime discovery from ancient times through the travels of Captain Cook. Use the Menu or Timeline features to easily identify the adventurers of the European Exploration period and access specific information about them. Visit the Exhibitions section of the Web sites to learn more about various aspects of maritime history.
Latitude: The Art and Science of Fifteenth-Century Navigation
Most students have little or no understanding of the challenges faced by maritime explorers during the Age of Exploration. This site, sponsored by Rice University, is designed to help students gain an appreciation of the dangers these men faced based upon their limited understanding of their world and to trace the growth of knowledge about navigation. Site areas include ships, oceans, maps and charts, and a resource area for teachers. Lesson plan ideas for elementary through high school grades are also available on the Learning page under Resources.
Activity-Based Site
Who Goes There: European Exploration of the New World
Created by three 5th and 6th grade students, this ThinkQuest Junior activity was a finalist during the competition in 2000 and can be used both as a resource and as an example for a project your own students might like to try. The site includes an overview of the various motives behind exploration, information about individual explorers categorized by country, and several activities (i.e., crossword puzzles, word searches) students can complete using their knowledge about explorers.
Email: Susan Brooks-Young
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