Unit 2 Columbian Exchange

Day 1

Trade with Asia

• Around 1300, Marco Polo

traveled to Asia for items to sell
back in Europe at a great profit

• Some of the items with which

he returned were salt, spices,
silks, and jewels. Silk Road

• After hearing of his stories,

merchants traveled to Asia and
back in hopes of making a
fortune like Marco Polo

Asia

Europe

Africa

Turn and Talk

Day 1

•What types of items were brought to Europe from
Asia?

•Why were items from Asia likely so profitable?

Day 1

Seeking New Trade Routes

•

Inspired to find faster trade
routes to Asia than by land,
Europeans began exploring for
water routes

•

Europeans also explored -
•

to become wealthier (Gold)

•

to share their religion (God)

•

to have a larger empire than the
empires (Glory) of their rival
countries

Turn and Talk

Day 1

•What were the reasons for European exploration?

•Why would traveling by water be faster than
traveling by land during this time?