The Age of Exploration
Why did Europe begin exploring the world?
1. Crusades introduced Asian luxury
goods, sparking desire for wealth.
1. Global trade disrupted by Black
Death, Europe recovering by 15th C.
•
Demand for spices increased
-Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper
•
Renewed interest in lands beyond
Europe.
•
Improvements in technology
-Accurate maps & sea charts, astrolabe,
caravel ships
Navigation Advancements
The Muslim world had long been connected to a thriving Asian trade
network that encouraged the development and spread of ideas, knowledge,
and goods. The Middle East was home to immeasurable sources of wealth.
al-Idrisi’s
1154 world
atlas map
Brass
astrolabe
with Arabic
numerals
The European Renaissance helped develop a curiosity and drive for
adventure, wealth, and knowledge among its people. The Catholic Church
sought ways to strengthen its base and gain new converts.
What a great chance to put new navigation techniques to the test!
Why did Europe begin exploring the world?
•
Europe wanted direct
access to Asian trade goods.
•
Desire to expand Christianity
around the globe.
What nations led the way in global exploration?
• Portugal (Henry the Navigator – Africa, Vasco da Gama – India)
• Spain (Christopher Columbus – Americas)
Spain & Portugal rivaled for land claims in the Americas, so Pope
Alexander VI set the Line of Demarcation, allowing each nation
trade/exploration rights in half of the non-European world.
Prince Henry “The Navigator”
• Patron of Portuguese
explorations.
• Sent expeditions down
Africa’s west coast to
outflank the Muslims,
establish trade routes,
and spread Christianity.
• Established school for
navigators in 1450.
Bartolomeu Dias
• Portuguese navigator who
discovered the Cape of Good
Hope and probably named it.
• He set the stage for explorers
following him to reach India
by sea.
• Dias died at sea when his ship
sunk in a storm in the south
Atlantic in May, 1500.
Vasco da Gama
• Followed Dias' route around
the Cape of Good Hope to
continue sailing along the
eastern side of the African
continent.
• Discovered a route to India,
and defeated the Arab fleet in
1502.
• Known for opening the way
for Portuguese trade routes to
the East Indies.
Christopher Columbus
• After securing support from
King Ferdinand & Queen
Isabella of Spain, he explored
the uncharted seas to the west.
• In 4 voyages, discovered the
Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba,
Dominica, Guadeloupe,
Jamaica, Central America, and
South America.
• Sought passage to the Orient
(India) by going west.
Ferdinand Magellan
• Portuguese explorer who
led the first
circumnavigation of the
earth by sea for Spain.
• He discovered the Strait of
Magellan (S. America).
• He was killed by natives in
the Philippines (1521) and
his voyage was completed
by ship’s crew.
Primary Source Account:
•Ferdinand Magellan was the
first to circumnavigate (sail
completely around) the globe.
•Not understanding how huge
the world was, many early
explorers found themselves
under-supplied.
•Sailor Antonio Pigafetta’s
journal details the desperate
conditions Magellan’s crew
faced as they crossed the Pacific
Ocean:
“We remained 3
months and 20 days
without taking in
provisions or other
refreshments and ate
only old biscuit
reduced to powder,
full of grubs and
stinking from the
dirt which rats had
made on it. We
drank water that
was yellow and
stinking.”
Hernan Cortes
• Born into a Spanish noble family,
he chose to pursue his livelihood
in the New World.
• Known for defeating Moctezuma
and bringing down the powerful
Aztec Empire.
• Advantages: guns, horses, armor,
tribal divisions, disease pathogens
• Cortes used relationships with
natives to his advantage
(translation, military assistance)
Francisco Pizarro
• Inspired by the success and
Cortes in Mexico, Pizarro
sought his wealth in Peru.
• Led 2 failed expeditions against
the Inca, but successfully
captured Emperor Atahualpa in
1532.
• After conquering the Inca
capital at Cuzco, he founded the
city of Lima (capital today).
What were the Europeans encounters in
the Americas like?
1. Spanish conquistadors wanted to
find wealth & glory.
•
•
Search for gold
Desire for Christian converts
1. Many factors contributed to the
success of the Spanish conquests:
•
•
•
•
Superior European military
technology
Divisions among native
populations
Disease ravaged the natives
Native doomsday superstitions
= less resistance
What were features of European colonies in
the Americas?
• Spanish settlers & missionaries
arrived, seeking fortune & converts
(souls).
• Encomienda system forced natives
to pay tribute to Spanish
authorities, increasing wealth &
trade goods.
• Catholic missionaries forced
Spanish culture on the natives,
including faith, language, and
education.
How did slavery begin in the Americas?
• European colonies in the Americas
required more labor than enslaved
native populations could provide.
• Africa had long been explored by the
Portuguese on their spice
expeditions to Asia.
• Their explorations had revealed a
new source of labor for silver & gold
mining, as well as sugar plantation
work in the Americas.
What was the Atlantic Slave Trade?
• The Europeans quickly came to
believe that SLAVES were the most
important item in African trade.
• Spanish & Portuguese traders set up
trade networks in Africa to get the
large number of slaves that were
needed in the American colonies.
• The Europeans used African rulers
and middle men to capture the
slaves and bring them to the coast.
What was the Middle Passage?
• The Middle Passage was the
journey of slaves from Africa
to the Americas.
• Slaves were packed below
decks in horrible conditions:
⚫Filth, disease, abuse,
starvation, rape, etc.
• 10-15% died just from the
journey. This led to the ships
being called “floating coffins”.
What was the Triangular Trade?
• A business system known as
the Triangular Trade
connected Europe, Africa, and
the Americas.
• Slaves brought from Africa to
labor & produce raw materials.
• Raw materials transported to
Europe to be manufactured
into commercial goods.
• Commercial goods sold &
traded globally to increase
wealth of European nations.