THE AGE OF EXPLORATION
Dec 27, 2015
THE AGE OF EXPLORATION
New desire for contact with Asia develops in Europe in early 1400s Main reason for exploration is to gain wealth Contact during Crusades spurs demand for Asian goods and
spices Italy profited the most from trade with the East after the Crusades Muslims and Italians control trade from East to West
Desire to spread Christianity and find new sources of wealth spurs exploration
Advances in sailing technology made long voyages for the purpose of exploration possible
In 1400s, the caravel makes it possible to sail against wind Astrolabe makes navigation easier Magnetic compass improves tracking of direction Prince Henry of Portugal influences European exploration by
setting up (founding) a navigational school Portugal was the leader of sailing innovations in the 15th century
(1400s)
Portuguese explorer who was the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa
Cape of Good Hope is the name of the location Dias sailed to
His route stopped just east of Cape Town
Portuguese sailor who succeeded in gaining a sea route between Portugal and India
The easternmost city Vasco da Gama reached was Calicut, India
Portugal complained that the Line of Demarcation (1493), which was a boundary between Spain and Portugal, gave too much to Spain
Spain and Portugal argued over which nation had the rights to the land Columbus had claimed
In 1494, both countries signed this treaty Portugal won control over the east – Africa, India, and Asia Spain won control over the Americas
In the 1600s, the English and the Dutch (Netherlands) controlled trade in the East Indies
They were able to secure power in the Indian Ocean because they set up East India Companies to control Asian trade
The Dutch dominated Indian Ocean trade in the 1700s These companies were like governments that had the power to
make money, sign treaties, and create armies
Catholic priest from Spain Protested terrible treatment of Native Americans He did, however, advocate using African laborers Spoke out against the encomienda system Encomienda system - Spanish forced Native Americans to work
for them; provided a cheap labor source Spanish felt it was their God-given right to demand labor from
Native Americans
Genoese sea captain Christopher Columbus reached Americas in1492
He believed he was in the East Indies (present-day India), so he called the natives “los indios” (Indians)
Actually landed on an island in the Bahamas (San Salvador)
1519 – Hernando Cortes landed in Mexico He is known as a conquistador, or Spanish conqueror Cortes and 600 men captured the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan and
by 1521, they conquered the Aztec empire Cortes and the Spanish were able to conquer the Aztec due to
superior steel weapons, the use of horses, and other Native American allies
European diseases also wiped out large numbers of Aztecs
Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, led a force to the conquer the Inca Empire (present-day Peru) in 1532
Pizarro killed the Inca ruler, Atahualpa, and eventually crushed the Inca Empire
Pedro Alvares Cabral claimed Brazil for Portugal (1500) By the 1530s, the Portuguese settled in Brazil and began growing sugar Italian explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, identified South America as new
continent (1501) In 1507, German mapmaker named the continents (North and South
America) “America” Vasco Nunez de Balboa was the first European to reach the Pacific
Ocean Ferdinand Magellan left Spain to sail around the world (1519); he was
killed and his crew completed the first voyage that circumnavigated the world in 1522
Spanish men and Native American women have children
Result is large mestizo—mixed Spanish and native—population
Encomienda system—Spanish force Native Americans to work for them
Spain abolished encomienda system (1542) Enslaved Africans were now used as labor in mines and
on farms Some Native Americans resisted Spanish conquerors In 1680, Popé leads rebellion against Spanish in modern
New Mexico Spanish were driven out, but returned 12 years later to
stay
Several European nations fought for control of North America, and England emerged victorious
French, English, Dutch started colonies in North America European nations also started colonies in Caribbean where large
cotton and sugar plantations were worked by enslaved Africans
Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec New France—French colony in North America New France included Great Lakes and Mississippi River
valley New France was very large but had few inhabitants Main activity of the colony was the fur trade
King James permitted investors to start North American colony In 1607, colonists founded Jamestown—English settlement in
Virginia (first English colony in Americas) Early years were very difficult; many died, but settlement took hold Pilgrims—group persecuted for religion—founded Plymouth in
1620 Puritans—group that sought religious freedom—settled in
Massachusetts
In 1609, Henry Hudson explored waterways for Dutch Dutch claimed land and founded New Netherland—now
Albany and New York City New York City was called New Amsterdam under the
Dutch Dutch focused on fur trade; welcomed settlers from
other lands
In 1664, English forced Dutch colonists to surrender control of New Netherland; New Netherland became New York
By 1750, about 1.2 million English settlers in 13 colonies English settlers, pushing west, collide with French possessions French and Indian War—part of Seven Years’ War—begins
(1754) In 1763, France loses to Britain, gives up its American colonies
Wars were less deadly to Native Americans than European diseases
Colonists used enslaved Africans to work in place of Native Americans
Slavery existed in Africa for centuries Spread of Islam produced more slavery in Africa In African Muslim lands, slaves had some rights Need for workers in Americas raised demand for enslaved Africans Africans were able to withstand diseases, had farming skills, and
were unlikely to escape Atlantic slave trade—forced movement of many Africans to
Americas; many African families were torn apart
Triangular trade—trade network that linked Europe, Africa, Americas
Manufactured goods move from Europe to Africa People move from Africa to Americas Sugar, coffee, tobacco move from Americas to Europe Voyage of enslaved Africans to Americas known as the Middle
Passage As many as 20 percent of Africans died on these journeys
Columbian Exchange—global transfer of food, plants, animals Corn and potatoes from Americas became crops in Eastern
Hemisphere New animals and plants introduced by Europeans take hold in
Americas European diseases killed millions of Native Americans
New economic system—capitalism—based on private property and making a profit
Increase in business led to inflation—rising prices—in Europe Hauls of gold and silver from Americas caused high inflation in
Spain Joint-stock company allows investors to share the risk and profits
of businesses These joint-stock companies helped to fund colonies in America
Policy of mercantilism emphasizes national wealth as source of power
One way for nation to increase wealth: gather gold, silver Favorable balance of trade when nation sells more goods than it
buys Colonies provide raw materials that home country uses to make
goods