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Article: The age of exploration.
- Article from:
- Calliope
- Article date:
- November 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Age of Exploration's greatest prize--the continent of Africa--could not be kept secret for long. This was especially true after it took center position on a new world map drawn by a Portuguese cartographer whose name remains unknown to this day. A race between the superpowers of Europe had begun. The quest was to find new trade routes from their home ports to the gold, silver, and spices in the East. The conquest of new lands would be an added prize--and incentive.
A STOLEN MAP
The Portuguese cartographer had taken great care to mark his country's claims on the new continents. He dotted the African coasts with Portuguese flags and images of stone ...