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I chose the following events in history because I thought that it best described exploration. The events I used had major effects in the world of sailing either by a main person who was first to sail in a new area, the discovery of different lands, the affect that things such as the black plague had and the advancement of different explporation technologies.
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A plague that kills 25 million people or one third of the Western population. The plague gave the remaining people money and lands. It gave people the want to explor.
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The first guns appear in Europe. This invention allows people to conquer other easier which makes them want to expand further.
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In 1390 an author, Geoffrey Chaucer, publishes a book explianing how to use the astrolable which is a sailing instrument. This allowed more people to learn how to sail easier.
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During the 1400s they made some major improvements on the ships. For example they changed from square sails to triangular sails. This gave them more contol.
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The best exsisting map as of second century. This map is what makes Columbus believe that you can sail across the Atlantic and reach Asia.
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The Spanish build the first Caravels. They were smaller and faster ships that mostly only the Spanish used.
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In 1420 an Asia ships rounds the Cape of Good Hope to become the first Asian ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Navigation by the stars is greatly improved in 1465. This is important for sailing because it helps them figure where they are at sea more percicely.
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In 1497-1498 the Spainard, Vasco De Gama, rounds the tip of Africa to reach India. This was a huge accomplishment for the Spanish because noow they could trade directly with India and not pay the added taxes by others.
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In 1498 Columbus sails across the Atlantic Ocean and discovers what he beileves to be Asian. What he actually found was the Americas though.
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Smallpox was brought to the Americas by the Europeans in the early 1500's. Smallpox killed of many of the Native American population. This made a big impact on the Europeans because they were using the Native Americans for slave labor in their mines and plantations.
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The Portugal, Megellan, was the first to sail around Cape Horn into the Pacific Ocean.
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In 1522 Megellan became the first person to sail around the entire world.
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In 1588 the Spanish goes to battle with England over seas. The Spanish armanda is defeated by Sir Francis Drake. Making England the worlds greatest sea power.
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In 1606 the Dutch exployers discover the continet of Australia. This was a big discovery because all this time there was this large land mass that no one in Europe knew about.
