LAKE News
Lily Cappuccio, Alyssa Pereira, Katrina Pacheco, Ellie Hojo
International News
The Line of Demarcation was set by Pope Alexander VI after hearing of Christopher Columbus' discoveries in 1493. The purpose of the line was to divide the New World into the East and the West. In the West, Spain had trading rights. In the East, Portugal also had the same trading rights. Part of the Line of Demarcation was in agreement with the Treaty of Tordesillas. The Treaty of Tordesillas was signed by Spain and Portugal, dividing the non-European world into two parts by the Line of Demarcation.
There are many potential impacts of the Line of Demarcation. First, the rest of the world viewed Spain and Portugal as arrogant because they signed a treaty exclusive to the two countries, neglecting other world powers. Also, some saw the line as unclear, and this posed potential conflicts. Eventually, other European countries and powers ignored the line completely.
Prince Henry the Navigator 1394-1460
Prince Henry the Navigator was a Portuguese explorer, soldier, royal prince, and a great supporter of exploration. He was an extremely successful man and greatly contributed to the exploration of our world. He was the third son of King John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster. The successful attack of the Moslem port of Ceutha in Morocco that he set out for with his dad inspired him to explore Africa. Prince Henry put together many explorations but attended very few. Some of these very successful explorations include sailing to the Madeira islands, rounding Cape Bojador, sailing to Cape Blanc, sailing around Cape Vert, and reaching Cape Palmas and the Gambia River. These expeditions were sent forth in an attempt to create maps of the west African coast, spread Christianity, defeat Muslims, and create trade routes. Prince Henry was very important to the Age of Discovery and will be missed greatly. Prince Henry passed away from unknown causes.
Christopher Columbus 1451-1506
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who traveled across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 in an attempt to find a trade route to India to trade spices. He made four complete voyages to the Caribbean and South America throughout his lifetime. Columbus received support for his voyages from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. For his first voyage on August 3, 1482, he took three boats the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. About two months later, he reached the Caribbean. He believed that he had reached the Indies, so he called the inhabitants "indians." Some other of his achievements include: sailing to the islands of Hispaniola and many other small islands. Columbus was truly an amazing explorer and paved the way to European discoveries of the New World. Columbus died from heart failure.
Alfonso I d. 1543
King Alfonso was the fifth king to rule Kongo, Africa. He had formed a tight trade relationship with the Portuguese and adopted Catholicism. He was a devout Catholic and had even changed his name from Affonso to Alfonso because of his acceptance of the Catholic Church. He made Catholicism the main religion of Kongo and converted many. Although he previously agreed with Portugal, he did not believe in slavery and spoke out against the king of Portugal, King John III, in a letter attacking the idea of slavery. As time passed, the need for slaves increased, and Alfonso's ideas were ignored but were truly remarkable and reveals great bravery. King Alfonso died from unknown causes.
Interview with a Korean Native
Interviewer: How long have you and your family been living here in Korea?
Native: I've been living here all my life, and my parents were both also born here, and all four of my grandparents were born and raised here, too. My family has lived here for as long as we can remember, for generations and probably a couple centuries.
I: When did Japan first invade your country?
N: Japan first invaded us in 1592, five years ago.
I: How do you feel about these invasions?
N: I feel outraged and appalled. I do not think these people should invade our land without our consent. They barged in and tried to take over, and I think that is just wrong. They caused us a lot of damage, and many of us are now homeless and starving. Also, illnesses have killed many of us.
I: How has it affected you and your family?
N: The Japanese burned down a town close to mine, and I have been housing a homeless family for months. I barely have enough food for everyone, and it is really hard. I lost several relatives, especially young and old, to illnesses, and it is just very sad. My situation is very difficult because there is not a lot of food left, and, if anyone in my household gets sick, we will probably all get sick, which would just be even more devastating.
I: How would you say this second attack has affected your nation as a whole?
N: We were unprepared for this second attack, so we lost many people. The rest of us have all been hanging on to our lives. Our country is struggling to survive. There are a lot less of us left, and, if we all go, our culture (obviously) goes with us.
The Slave Trade
Slaves! Slaves! SLAVES!
Spices for YOU!
Ship Crew WANTED
The Philippines
The Philippines has now been claimed by Spain. Thanks to Magellan, in 1521, this archipelago is now under Spain's control. Spain has now renamed the islands after their king, Phillip II. Many people tried to convert the Filipinos to Christianity. This worked, and the Filipinos later tried to convert China and Japan. The Philippines were also a key component in Spain's trading. Spain shipped silver mined in Mexico and Peru overseas to the Philippines. They used the silver to buy goods in China. This way, large quantities of American silver flowed into the economies of Asian nations.
The Philippines are a beautiful country to visit with many mountain ranges, volcanoes, and beaches. The locals are welcoming and open to new cultural ideas. Although they converted to Christianity, the locals still hold on to their old roots. This country has a tropical charm that would whisk away any of your problems. Tickets for this journey will begin at 30 Euros.
New Advances in Technology
Many new technological advances are being introduced to aid in exploration and discovery. Exploration of the New World is very dangerous and pain-staking and requires many new advances. While traveling to new lands, it is crucial for sailors to use maps and new technology in order to successfully seize and discover new lands. Some very important technological advances are quadrants and astrolabes. Many new explorers such as Prince Henry the Navigator and Christopher Columbus used these inventions during their explorations. Astrolabes were used by sailors to measure the angles of stars. This was unique because it was new and no other machinery could do the same things. It predicted the movements and locations of the sun, moon, planets, and stars and determined latitude on land. It was invented by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus. Another important discovery is the quadrant. The quadrant is used by astrologers to determine an eclipse of the sun. It simply measures the angular height of the sun or a star. These inventions are very simple to use and very helpful in exploration and discovery of new lands and the universe.