The Three G's: God, Gold, and Glory
- 1. Exploration God, Glory, or Gold?
- 2. "Gold, God, and Glory" is a phrase giving the reasons why the early Italian explorers went to the Americas. When you think of the actual trip the Spanish had to endure to reach America from Italy, they had to have very important reasons to risk starvation, drowning, disease, and murder.
- 3. Explorer Explorers are people who travel to or investigate unknown places.
- 4. Why did people explore new lands?
- 5. GOD Some went believing that they must bring their religious beliefs to the peoples of the Americas, and that God would reward them for doing it Religion was very important to people, and many explorers left their own country to spread their religion to new lands.
- 6. GLORY Glory was to be found in the adventure and in the land they might claim, making them rich lords instead of poor sailors. Many average people longed to have “celebrity status” so they would set out on an adventurous voyage on the open seas to see what they could find.
- 7. GOLD Rumors of gold - amounts beyond their wildest dreams - made men believe they could get rich quickly. Explorers took the risk of setting sail because the pay off could be HUGE. If an explorer found new land, he would be paid in gold and riches by the king and queen.
- 8. Henry the Navigator To bring Portugal more trade and power and to spread Christianity, this prince sponsored expeditions. Glory, God or Gold?
- 9. Christopher Columbus He set sail looking for riches to bring back to the King and Queen of Spain. God, Glory, or Gold?
- 10. Ferdinand Magellan He searched for a passage to the Pacific Ocean because he wanted his crew to be the first to circumnavigate the world. God, Glory, or Gold?
- 11. Ponce de Leon He searched for the “fountain of youth”, but was unsuccessful. He later established St. Augustine Florida. God, Glory, or Gold?
- 12. Vasco de Balboa He sailed to the new world to claim land, gold, and other riches for his country of Spain. GOD, GLORY, or GOLD?
- 13. What would you do?