AGE OF EXPLORATION
(1450-1750)
Exploration (1450-1750)
• 1271-1275: during Middle Ages, Marco
Polo tells Europeans about China (people
become interested about Far East)
• Italy (Genoa/Venice) dominates trade with
Asia for spices.
• Other countries either break monopoly or
find other route to the Far East.
Innovations
• Compass
• Astrolabe (perfected by Muslims) used to
determine a ships latitude
• 1400’s European ships worse than
Chinese, Arab, Indian ships
• 1600’s European ships best in world
• Ships with triangular sails could sail with or
against the wind
Portugal
• 1415 began
exploring west coast
of Africa
• 1439 Portuguese
concerned that if
Turks control
Constantinople they
would cut of trade of
charge higher prices
for trading
• 1441 discover
Africa’s Gold Coast
Portugal
• Prince Henry the Navigator built navigation
school and financed voyages
Reasons: 1) win new lands for
Christianity
2) acquire share of African
slave trade, gold trade
3) gain trade with China and
India for spices
Portugal
• Problems with Exploring further south
– Sailed using north star which you can’t see when you
travel south of the equator
• Solution:
– Toscanelli created a map of the world using grid lines
but was inaccurate because Marco Polo exaggerated
the size on Eurasia. This made the route west across
the ocean look shorter than it actually was.
– Toscanelli gave his maps to a captain in 1483 who
proposed to sail west but was rejected by the officials
in Portugal. He was financed to sail his proposed
route by Spain.
• His name: Christopher Columbus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Portugal (Explorers)
• 1487: Bartholomeu Dias sailed around tip
of Africa
• 1498: Vasco Da Gama sailed around
Africa into the Indian Ocean to India and
brought back spices to Portugal.
• This event causes trade with Italy and
the Mediterranean sea to decline.
Spain
• Columbus thought route west was shorter
than it was and he could reach China by
sailing west
• 1492 landed on island in Caribbean Sea
• Columbus died believing he found Asia
• 1497-1503: Amerigo
Vespucci make voyages
west and describes new
world
• German mapmaker
drew up new map after
reading Vespucci’s info
and name new area
“America”
Portuguese Empire
• 1st country to develop
overseas empire
• West coast Africa
• East coast Africa
• Southwest coast
• India
• Island in Indonesia
• Ports in Japan and China
Portuguese Empire (Decline)
• Government not strong or well organized
• Every year sent strongest young men out
as sailors and traders
• Intolerant views towards non-christians in
their colonies (effect of Reconquista)
• 1580: Spain added Portugal to its land but
did not help support the colonies they had
created
Spanish Empire
• West Indies
• Mexico (Cortez conquers Aztecs for their
gold using horses and guns)
• Peru (Pizarro conquers Incas for their
silver and gold)
• Florida (De Soto)
• Central North America (Coronado)
• Established settlements in New World
Spanish Empire (Decline)
• Other countries attacked Spanish ships returning
form the New World with riches (This caused a
war between Spain and England which Spain
lost.)
• Spanish nobles thought work was degrading (no
innovations)
• Muslim Moors and Jews were driven out
• Spain had to send its riches to other countries
who produced the good they needed.
England
• 1588: Phillip II of Spain
used his Spanish
Armada to attack
England because they
were attacking Spanish
ships carrying riches
• 1600’s founded colonies
along east coast of
North America
Dutch (Netherlands)
• 1602: Dutch East
India Trading
Company created
to trade with Africa
and the West Indies
• 1626: bought
Manhattan Island in
New York from
Indians for $24.
French
• 1535-1536: Cartier
sails up the St.
Lawrence River and
claims most of
eastern Canada,
Great Lakes region,
and inland along
Mississippi River.
Russia
• North
Western
coast of
North
America
Effects of Exploration
• Increased use of money
• Banking: deposits, credit, loans
• Medici family in Florence gains wealth
through banking
• Growth of capitalism where individual
people make decisions based
on supply and demand