HISTORICAL CONTEXT

By the late 1400s, Europeans had grown accustomed to having access to the riches and luxuries of China, India, and the islands of Southeast Asia. Traveling to and from these distant lands was difficult, and European explorers became determined to find sea routes to the East. Increasing European exploration led to many changes around the world.

TASK

Using information from the documents and knowledge of world history from the Age of Exploration Unit, answer the questions that follow each document in Part A. Your answers to the questions will help you write the Part B essay.

Considering its global impact, were the results of European exploration ultimately more positive or negative?

Optional: complete the graphic organizer to organize your notes for the essay.

DIRECTIONS

Examine the following documents and answer the questions that follow each document.

Additionally, take into consideration the author and his background, the intended audience, the time and place it was written, and the reason it was written as you are reading and analyzing these documents. Think of the different perspectives (European, African, and American -- remember this includes ALL of the Americas).