Sept 29th, 2010
The Age of
Exploration
Old Imperialism
Advances In Learning
Influence of the Renaissance &
Humanism
►Inspired
the search for
knowledge
►Re-emphasis on Math
►Invention of the printed book:
resulted in the spread of
accurate texts & maps
Cartography
►Definition:
maps
The production of
Martin Behaim
► developed
the
terrestrial
globe in
1492
Martin Waldseemuller’s
World Map
► 1st
to label the
American
continent
“America” to
honor Amerigo
Vespucci
Gerardus Mercator’s
Map 1575
► had
lines of longitude
& latitude which aided
navigation
Technological
Advances
Advances in Astronomy
►Helped
ships navigate
Magnetic compass (ca. 1300)
Tools to Determine Latitude by
measuring the altitude of the stars
►Quadrant
►Astrolabe
►Cross
Staff
►Lighter,
faster ships
than the Spanish
Galleons & much
better suited for
exploration along
the African Coast
►Could sail into the
wind
Caravel
Improved Sails & Rope Riggings
►Sails
could quickly &
efficiently be maneuvered
to take advantage of wind
Axial rudder (side rudder)
►Improved
direction
change of
Gunpowder & Cannons
►Provided
protection
against hostile ships &
enabled the domination of
indigenous peoples in
lands explored
Causes For The Age of Exploration
►“God,
Glory & Gold”
Crusades
►Made
th
(11
&
th
14
Centuries)
Europeans
interested in Asia & the
Middle East
Rise of Nation States (New Monarchs)
“Glory”
►Monarchs
compete w/ each other
in terms of the size of their empire
& trade
►Ex. Portugal & Spain wanted to
break the Italian monopoly on
trade w/ Asia.
Renaissance
►Empowered
a thirst & search
for knowledge
►Math
►Printing Press -> Books, Maps
Commercial Revolution
“Gold”
►Capitalism
inspired &
helped fund overseas
exploration
Religion
“God”
►Desire
to convert
pagan peoples in the
New World
Portuguese
Exploration
Economic Motive
►Sought
an all-water
route to Asia
►Find Spices, Gold &
Slaves
Religious Motive
►Desire
to Christianize
Muslims
Prince Henry the Navigator
(1394-1460)
►Rich
supporter of navigation
►Est a school for navigation
►Financed many expeditions
along the West African
coastline in hopes of finding
gold
Bartholomew Diaz
► 1488
Rounded the
southern tip of
Africa
Vasco da Gama
► 1498
Completed
an all-water
expedition to
India
►Ruined
Italy’s monopoly
over trade w/ Asia
►Another cause of the
decline of Italian city-states
Amerigo Vespucci
► 1497
Explored Brazil & Venezuela
Brazil
►Portugal’s major colony in the
New World
►Large #s of slaves were taken
from Africa & used in Brazil to
produce
 Coffee
 Cotton
 Sugar
Spanish Exploration
Christopher Columbus
►Italian
Navigator
►Dreamed of an all ocean
trading route to Asia
►Rejected by Portugal (da Gama
had just returned from India) &
Spain until 1492
►Ferdinand & Isabella finances
his voyage
1492 – Reaches the Bahamas but
thinks it’s Japan
Columbus’
rd
3
Voyage
Columbus’
th
4
Voyage
Significance
►Ushered
in an era of
European exploration &
the domination of the
new world
Bartolome de las Casas
►Priest
& former conquistador
whose father had accompanied
Columbus on his 2nd voyage
►Publicly criticized the
ruthlessness w/ which
Columbus & his successors
treated the Amerindians.
►His
writings helped
spread the “black legend”
in Protestant countries
where Spain was accused
of using Christianity to kill
natives
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)
►Spain
sought to secure Columbus’
discoveries in the New World.
►New World divided between Spain
and Portugal (at the request of Pope
Leo V)
►Portugal was granted exclusive rights
to the African slave trade (asiento).
north-south line down
the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean: Spain’s
west of the line;
Portugal east
Portugal retained Brazil
& Africa
Spain received the rest
of the Americas
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
► Discovered
the Pacific Ocean after crossing
the Isthmus of Panama in 1513 & claimed it
for Spain.
Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)
► His
ship was the 1st to circumnavigate the
globe
► Charted the enormous size of the Pacific Ocean