Exploration (Unit 10)
I. Exploration
3 names that are all the same between the period of 1450-1650
Age of Discovery (advances in geographical knowledge and
technology)- Trial and Era
Age of Reconnaissance (Exploration of a empty area especially for
Military-outline of Earth)
Age of Expansion (Migration of Europeans to other parts of the
world)
a. Why Exploration now in the mid 15C?
14thC Europe began trading w Asian people in lands such as
China or India. They brought back silk, spices, and other
luxuries.
1. Italy controlled the Mediterranean Sea
If wanted to go to Asia, must pay the Italian tax. Needed to find
a new way.
Land was too dangerous, long, and expensive with tolls.
Wanted to eliminate the middle man
Cheaper to go to the source.
2. Renaissance & Crusades encouraged Europeans to look
beyond the Old World.
3. Scientific Progress
-Ships Larger
-New inventions to help journeys (Compass)-come from the Arabs
or Chinese)
Before this, sailors used to set course by Sun or stars.
4. The Three-G’s -------Gold, God, and Glory
India
Exploration was all about finding a way to Asia by avoiding Italy.
b. Early Exploration
1. Vikings: 800-1000
They were fierce warriors from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark that
terrorized the people of Europe. They came from where the weather was
cold and the soil was poor. They attacked villages for loot not murder
-Settled in Iceland and Greenland
-Finest shipbuilders of the time (swift, light boats that could travel far)
-Leif Ericson (Eric the Red’s son) first European to reach the coast of
North America- Called it Vineland > many grapes growing there—he made
a mistake they were really berries.
-Known for their conquests but could be farmers, merchants & crafts
workers. Europeans settled into Feudalism, which helped protect them from
Viking attacks.
Europeans were afraid of the Atlantic Ocean:
Refereed to as the Sea of Darkness or the Green Sea of Doom.
Viking Ships
2. Marco Polo (1254-1324)
Born in Venice and was a great traveler
Travels to Asia made him famous> saw things that no one in
Europe ever saw. It was detailed in a book, The Travels of
Marco Polo.
-Rock that burned longer then wood (Europeans did not discover coal)
-Rock that could be spun into wool that would not burn (Europeans did
not know about asbestos)
-There was a great ocean to the east of China (No one in Europe knew
about the Pacific Ocean)
Asia in the 13th C was far ahead of Europe
-Street sewers
-Trees along broad, clean
highways
-Chinese used paper $
-Police patrols at night
-Government stable & well-run
Marco Polo was in China when the grandson of
Genghis Khan was the ruler, Kublai Khan.
C. Explorers before Columbus
1.Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460)
He was from Portugal & heard of tales of Africa.
Wanted to increase Portuguese power & spread
Christianity.
African Coast: Traded European goods for gold & ivory
Set up slave trading pos
Hoped to reach Asia by rounding Africa
Never took a voyage >>had sailors do it—had the vision
2. Bartholomeu Diaz
(1450-1500)
He was from Portugal.
He reached the Southern tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope)
He proved there was an all water route to Asia
His men refused to go further and he was forced to turn around.
Portugal
Diaz’s route
Cape of Good
Hope
The goal is to reach Asia (China and India) by avoiding
Italy.
) Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) changed the world
Columbus was Italian but did not take his plan to Italy—Why?
1. Plan- Sail west across the Atlantic
-First went to Portugal w/ his plan in 1484 called the
“Enterprise of the Indies.” –Sail West across the Atlantic
-Thought it would be a shorter trip than around the Africa
(not the first to come up with that theory--Aristotle)
-Needed money and supplies and had to shop his idea
-Portugal said NO because they already found a water route to
China by going around Africa (did not need another).
2. Spain- Next stop
-Queen Isabella eventually supported the trip for two reasons
a. Competition w/ Portugal
b. Wanted to spread Christianity
3. Ships
a. Santa Maria
b. Pinta (Spotted land)
c. Nina
4. Land
-twice they thought they spotted land and it was false
-talk of Mutiny
-Spotted land in October 12
-Landed in the Bahamas (San Salvador)
-Thought he reached the Indies (called the people Indians)
-Thought he was close to China & Japan but really
-found Cuba and Hispaniola
Columbus’s voyages to the “New World”!
5. Colony
He attempted to set up a colony there. He was very cruel to natives.
He made 4 total trips to “New” world
He died never knowing he never got to Asia.
America was named after Amerigo Vespucci.
6. Result
1. Destroyed Native Americans
2. New set of Nations on the Western Hemisphere
3. Opened the door to slavery
4. Colonies set up for Europe to fight over
Why he is credited and not Erickson?
-Not widespread, no proof
-CC bigger impact
-News spread fast
e. Rivalry between Spain v Portugal
Pope “drew” an imaginary line running north to south through the
Atlantic Ocean.
1. All new discoveries WEST of the line would belong to Spain.
2. All new discoveries EAST of the line would belong to Portugal.
Line of Demarcation
Portugal protested the line & it was moved west
(allowing Portugal to claim Brazil)
in the Treaty of Tordesillas ---1494
The explorers of England, France, Dutch ignored the line.
f. Renaissance Explores after Columbus
1. Vasco Da Gama
In 1498, from Portugal, he became the first European to reach India by sea
by going around the Cape of Good Hope.
He helped make Portugal a world power.
He took 4 ships and only 2 returned with half of the men.
It opened East Asia to Europe’s other sea powers (Eng/Spain)
2. Pedro Cabral
He was also from Portugal.
King Manual I wanted more & sent a bigger fleet
wanted him to repeat Da Gama but was blown off course
& went into South America.
3. Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)
Portugal king had no interest in a western world
First voyage around the world for the Spanish Flag
Named the Pacific Ocean which means peaceful
Problems with trip:
1. Some people did not like being under a Portuguese
2. People were marooned
3. Drinking water—Green with slime
4. Biscuit barrel crawling with rats
5. Some ate ship’s leather ropes, sawdust and
the lucky ones ate rats
Magellan did not complete the voyage and was killed in the
Philippine islands.
He started with 5 ships and only one returned. He started
with 265 men and only 17 weak men returned.