1400-1800
I. Europeans Explore the East for “God,
Gold, and Glory”
A. Europeans Seek New Trade Routes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
New desire for contact with Asia develops in Europe in
early 1400s
Main reason for exploration is to gain wealth
Contact during the Crusades spurs demand for Asian
goods
Muslims and Italians control trade
Other European nations want to
bypass these powers
Europeans Explore the East
B. The Spread of Christianity
1. Desire to spread Christianity also spurs exploration
2. Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias wants to serve
God and king
C. Technology Makes Exploration Possible
1. In 1400s, the caravel makes it possible to sail against
the wind (triangular sails)
2. Astrolabe makes navigation easier
3. Magnetic compass improves direction
II. Portugal and Spain
A. The Portuguese Explore Africa
1. Prince Henry, the son of Portugal’s king, supports
exploration
2. In 1419, he founds navigation school on coast of Portugal
3. By 1460, Portuguese have trading posts along west coast
of Africa
B.
1.
2.
3.
Portuguese Sailors Reach Asia
In 1488, Dias sails around southern tip of Africa
In 1498, Vasco da Gama sails to India
In 1499, da Gama returns to Portugal with valuable cargo
Europeans Explore the East
C. A Rival Power
1. In 1492, Christopher Columbus sails for
Spain
2. Convinces Spanish to support plan to
reach Asia by sailing west
3. Reaches Americas instead
4. Opens Americas to exploration and
colonization
5. In 1493, pope divides these lands between
Spain and Portugal
6. Agreement formalized by Treaty of
Tordesillas in 1494
III. Trading Empires in the Indian Ocean
A. Portugal’s Trading Empire
1. In 1509, Portugal defeats Muslims, takes over Indian
Ocean trade
2. In 1510, Portugal captures Goa, port city in western India
3. In 1511, Portugal seizes Malacca, on Malay Peninsula
4. These gains break Muslim-Italian hold on Asian trade
B. Other Nations Challenge the Portuguese
1. English and Dutch begin moving into Asia in 17th century
2. Dutch have more ships (20,000) than any other nation in
1600
IV. Other Explorers Take to the Seas
A. Claims in the New World
1. Pedro Alvares Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal in 1500
2. Amerigo Vespucci identifies South America as new continent
in 1501
3. In 1507, German mapmaker names the continent America
4. Vasco Nunez de Balboa reaches the Pacific Ocean
5. Juan Ponce de Leon claims Florida for Spain in 1513
6. In 1540s, Francisco Coronado explores Southwest, finds little
gold
B. Circumnavigation of the Earth
1. Ferdinand Magellan leaves to sail around the world in 1519
2. Magellan is killed, but some of his men return to Spain in 1522
V. Spanish Conquests
A. Conquistadors
1. In 1519, Hernando Cortes – Spanish Adventurer – lands in
Mexico
2. He and others become known as conquistadors – Spanish
conquerors
B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cortes and Pizarro
Cortes and 600 men reach Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan
By 1521, they conquer Aztec empire
Conquest aided by superior weapons, Native American allies
European diseases wipe out large numbers of Aztecs
Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro leads force to Peru in 1532
Pizarro kills Atahualpa – Inca ruler – and defeats the Inca
VI. Competing Claims in North America
A. Explorers Establish New France
1.
Samuel de Champlain founds New France (Canada) and Quebec
2.
Main activity of the colony is the fur trade
B. The English Arrive in North America
1.
King James permits investors to start North American colony
2.
In 1607, colonists founded Jamestown – English settlement in Virginia
3.
Early years very difficult; many die, but settlement takes hold
C. The Dutch Found New Netherland
1.
In 1609 Henry Hudson explores waterways for Dutch
2.
Dutch claim land, found New Netherland – now Albany and New York
3.
Dutch focus on fur trade; welcome settlers from other lands
D. Colonizing the Caribbean
1.
European nations also start colonies in Caribbean
2.
Large cotton, sugar plantations worked by enslaved Africans
VII. The Atlantic Slave Trade
A. The Causes of African Slavery
1.
Slavery has existed in Africa for centuries
2. Spread of Islam produces more slavery in Africa
3. Need work workers in Americas raises demand for enslaved Africans
4. Atlantic slave trade – forced movement of many Africans to Americas
B. A Forced Journey
1.
Triangular trade – trade network linking Europe, Africa, Americas
2. One trade route – (1) manufactured goods move from Europe to
Africa, then (2) people move from Africa to Americas, then (3) sugar,
coffee, tobacco move from Americas to Europe
3. Voyage of enslaved Africans to Americas known as the middle
passage
4. As many as 20% of Africans die on these journeys
VIII. The Columbian Exchange
A. Definition
1.
Columbian Exchange – global transfer of food, plants, animals
2. Corn, potatoes from Americas become crops in Eastern Hemisphere
3. New animals, plants introduced by Europeans take hold in Americas
4. European diseases kill millions of Native Americans
B. Global Trade
1.
Wealth from Americas, growth of trade changes business in Europe
2. New economic system – capitalism – based on private property,
profit
3. Increase in business leads to inflation – rising prices – in Europe
4. Joint-stock company lets investors share risk, profits of business
5. These companies help fund colonies in America
Columbian Exchange (cont.)
C. The Growth of Mercantilism
1. Policy of mercantilism emphasizes national wealth as a source
of power
2. One way for a nation to increase wealth: gather gold, silver
3. Favorable balance of trade when nation sells more goods than
it buys
4. Colonies provide raw materials that home country uses to
make goods
5. Economic changes spur growth of towns, rise of merchant class
6. Still, most people are poor and live in rural areas