The Age of Exploration Patten & Valdner Global History Regents Review Trade European trade with Asia was controlled by Italian and Muslim merchants. Spain & Portugal wanted directed access because they wanted goods to be less expensive Exploration Advancements Advancements Useful for Exploration Printing Press More books=access to new ideas & topics like geography Gunpowder Use of weapons helped win control of trade networks Naval Technology Better maps, use of compass & the astrolabe Explorers Vasco de Gama Portuguese Traveled across the Indian Ocean Established a successful all-water route to Asia Ferdinand Magellan Portuguese 1st Circumnavigation of the world Claimed the island chain (Philippines) Christopher Columbus Italian Landed on an island in the Caribbean Later realized he had reached the Americas Conquistadors Hernando Cortes Aztec Empire Franciscon Incan Pizarro Empire Used armor, horses & weapons that the Indians had never seen Found Allies among Native American groups who hated the Azztecs & Incans Diseases brought by Europeans killed millions of Natives The Columbian Exchange The Global Exchange Columbian Exchange Goods from the Americas Potato Beans Pumpkin Tobacco Tomato Cocoa Corn Goods from Europe Wheat Cattle Chicken Grapes Measles Smallpox Mercantilism An economic policy by which a nation sought to export more than it imported in order to build its national wealth Mercantilism Colony provides the mother country with Raw Materials Mother country sends the colony Finished Goods Merchants Wealth was based on trade