The European Age of Exploration

“Old Imperialism” and The Birth of the Global Economy

Causes for Exploration:Christian Crusaders in 11th to 13th centuries created European interest in Asia and Middle EastMongol domination of central Asia disrupted flow of goods over the Silk Road routes.Ottoman Turks restricted trade to Asia after conquest of Constantinople in 1453.Portugal and Spain sought to break the Italian (Venetian) monopoly on trade with Asia.

Causes for Exploration:

Desire to spread Christian religion; Francis Xavier Catholic missionary in 16th c.

Rise of nation states (“New Monarchs”) resulted in competition for empires and trade.

Technology facilitated sea travel: astrolabe, better maps, lateen sails, caravels.

Commercial revolution resulted in capitalist investments in overseas exploration

Impact of Renaissance: search for knowledge, adventurism, monopoly of Italian trade with East

Early ExplorersMarco Polo

Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled through Central Asia and China.His Book of Travels was received with astonishment and disbelief. His book stimulated interest in the Orient. It was widely read. It stimulated exploration and trade.

Portugal: Explorers

Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460): financed exploration, established schools

Bartholomew Diaz (1450-1500): rounded southern tip of Africa

Vasco da Gama (1469-1525): route to India

Portugal: Explorers

Alphonso d’Albuquerque (1453-1515): established empire in Spice Islands after 1510

Pedro Cabral (1467-1520): sighted Brazil, defeated Arabs in Indian Ocean

Amerigo Vespucci: explorer and mapmaker. “America” named after him

Spain: ExplorersChristopher Columbus (1451-1506) – pursuing western route to AsiaBartholomew de las Casas (1474-1566) – writings helped spread “black legend” (mistreatment of natives) The Destruction of the India 1542Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1517): cross the Isthmus of Panama, first European to see the Pacific Ocean

Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)

Set out looking for a western root to Asia.He was killed in a battle with the natives in the Philippines.Crew continued journey home by going westward, completing the first circumnavigation of the world.

Spain: Conquistadores: began creating empires by conquering Indians

Hernando Cortès (1485-1547): Aztecs Francisco Pizzaro (1478-1541): IncasMestizos: mixed white and Indian descentCreoles: American-born SpaniardsAudencias: Board of 12 to 15 judges served as advisor to viceroy and highest judicial body.Encomienda: Indians worked for owner certain # days per week; retained other parcels to

work for themselves.

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) Line of Demarcation established by Pope Alexander VI (Spaniard) in 1493 between Portuguese and Spanish territories.Renegotiated by King John II of Portugal and Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain to be moved 270 leagues further west.Establish Spanish domination in the New World and Portuguese domination in Asia for the next century

CartographyMartin Behaim (1459-1507) and Schoner

Martin Waldseemuller – created map in 1507 based on Amerigo Vespuci’s voyages – gave name “America”

The Netherlands

Establishment of Dutch East India Co.

Expansion in Asia (specifically Indonesia and South Africa… replaced Portuguese)

Henry Hudson explores North America

Establishment of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island.

France

Giovanni da Verrazano (1480-1527): explored northern Atlantic coast of modern-day U.S.

Jacques Cartier (1491-1557): search for Northwest Passage (explored Canada)

Samuel de Champlain: “Father of New France”

England

John (1425-1500) and Sebastian (1474-1557) Cabot: explored northeast coat of N. America

Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596): led English “sea dogs” against Spanish shipping

Sir Martin Frobisher (1535-1594): northeastern Canadian coast

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), Roanoke Settlement

Atlantic Economy in the 17th and 18th Centuries

Characteristics World trade became fundamentalSpain and Portugal revitalized their empires and began drawing more wealth from renewed development.Netherlands, Great Britain, and France benefited most; Great Britain the leading maritime power.Britain’s commercial leadership based on mercantilism

Atlantic Slave TradeBasis of the Triangular Trade System.Nearly 10 million transported.Millions more died in the ordeal.In the 1780s, European participation died off, but it was not outlawed by Britain until 1807.