Unit 2: Age of ExplorationUnit 2: Age of Exploration

Reasons for ExplorationReasons for ExplorationSearch for spices & benefit from the

profits (highly profitable)◦Wanted direct route to Asia

Spread Christianity◦Inspired by the Crusades &

Reformation, duty to convert non-Christians

New Technology◦Cartography (better & more accurate

maps)◦Astrolabe (determine accurate latitude)

Henry the NavigatorHenry the NavigatorPrince of PortugalWanted to explore

the western coast of Africa, started in 1415◦ Gold◦ Christianity

Then wanted to sail around Africa to India in search of spices

Henry died in 1460

Vasco de Gama finally made it in 1488!

Bartholomew Dias

Vasco Da Gama

Strait of Malacca Strait of Malacca

Brazil, Africa & India Brazil, Africa & India

Pedro Alvarez CabralPedro Alvarez Cabral

Christopher ColumbusChristopher ColumbusFrom Genoa, ItalyAsked for financial backing from

the PortugueseWanted to find the Indies by

sailing west◦Didn’t plan on the Earth being this

large◦Didn’t plan on two continents getting

in the way

Ferdinand and IsabellaFerdinand and IsabellaPortugal refused

ColumbusSo, he moved on

to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain◦ Spain wanted to

strengthen its power

◦ Isabella wanted converts to Christianity

““Land! Land!”Land! Land!”

Set sail August 1492

Reached present-day Caribbean October 1492

Thought he reached India… named the inhabitants “Indians”

LINE OF DEMARCATIONLINE OF DEMARCATION

Pope Alexander VI divided non-European world into two zones:Spain = lands to the westPortugal = lands to the east

Search for Direct Route Search for Direct Route to Asia Continues…to Asia Continues…

Balboa finds water on the opposite side of Panama (named South Sea)

Magellan sets out in 1519 & sails under tip of South America where he finds the South Sea – renamed Pacific Ocean

Strait of Magellan

Conquest in the AmericasConquest in the Americas

Juan Cortes in MexicoJuan Cortes in MexicoLanded in 1519 with hundreds of men,

16 horses and a few cannonsConnected with an Indian woman,

Malinche (“Dona Maria”), who helped them form alliances with other Indians who were angry at Aztecs

Aztecs, 1519Aztecs, 1519Montezuma, the emperor, was

afraid the Spaniards were Quetzalcoatl, the god-king who vowed to return from the east

Cortes continued towards Tenochtitlan & his men eventually destroyed the city

They built Mexico City in the ruins, and it became the heart of the Spanish empire in the Americas

Pizarro in PeruPizarro in PeruPizarro was a Spanish conquistador (conqueror). He arrived in Peru in 1532 with a thirst for gold & treasureHe overthrew the Incan ruler,

Atahualpa, and demanded a ransom for his return

He overran the Incan empire (from Peru to Ecuador to Chile)

Much of South America was under Spanish rule. Pizarro founded the city of Lima, capital of modern day Peru

How’d they do it?How’d they do it?Superior military technologyDivision & discontent among the

IndiansDisease (brought from Europe to

the Americas– wiped out natives who had no immune defenses to those germs)

Many natives feared that they were facing the end of the world

Spanish & Portuguese Spanish & Portuguese Colonization in the AmericasColonization in the AmericasForced Indians to mine for gold &

silver; many died….Many Catholic missionaries

arrivedBy the 1500s, Spain controlled an

empire from California to South America!

Most important colonies were New Spain (Mexico) & Peru

Missionaries Missionaries Franciscan, Jesuit and others Baptized thousandsBuilt many mission churchesForced European culture on the

natives◦Clothing◦Spanish language◦New crafts/fields –

carpentry

Economy in the AmericasEconomy in the AmericasColonies were allowed to export to

and import from Spain onlySugar cane became key in the West

Indies on large plantations◦Refined into sugar, molasses & rum◦Finding labor was a problem◦Forced Indians to work

Bartolome de las Casas, a priest, fought against the cruelties of forced labor◦New Laws of the Indies (1542 forbid

enslavement of Native Americans)◦Encouraged the use of African workers b/c

they were “immune to the tropical diseases”

Society & ClassSociety & Class

Darkness Brought by the Darkness Brought by the EuropeansEuropeans

Took natural resources, particularly gold

Enslaved Native AmericansEnslaved AfricansForced the natives to adopt

ChristianityDisease killed as many as 90% of

the Native American population of the Caribbean (graphic slide next)◦Smallpox◦Measles◦influenza

Smallpox

Measles

Europeans in AfricaEuropeans in AfricaStarted arriving in the 1400s

while looking for a sea route to India

Built small forts along the coastsAttacked some coastal cities –

expelled Arabs who controlled the East African trade network

Eventually, these African cities were no longer profitable from simply trading goods….

FortsForts

Atlantic Slave Trade, Atlantic Slave Trade, 1500s1500s

Slaves became the most important (and valuable) commodity

Began to fill the need for Spanish labor

Business boomed! Thousands of slaves were sent to work on sugar & tobacco plantations in the Americas

Horrors of the Middle Horrors of the Middle PassagePassage

Impact of the Slave TradeImpact of the Slave Trade1500s– approx. 2,000 Africans

enslaved each year1780s– approx. 80,000 Africans

enslaved each yearApprox. 11 million enslaved

Africans reached the AmericasApprox. 2 million died along the

wayWestern African nations dwindled

in population

Triangular TradeTriangular Trade

Changes in EuropeChanges in EuropeNew foods

◦Tomatoes◦Potatoes◦Pumpkins◦Peppers ◦Bananas◦Sugar cane

Population growth (better nutrition)Migration of millions of peopleNew words added to the language

◦Pajama (India)◦Hammock (American)◦Canoe (American)

Other European Other European SettlementsSettlementsSpain became the most powerful

& wealthiest European nation/empire & other nations took notice and began building their own empires:◦French◦Dutch◦English

The Rest of Europe JoinsThe Rest of Europe JoinsEnglish sent John Cabot to seek

northerly route to India (found Newfoundland)

French sent Jacques Cartier who found St. Lawrence River (connects Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean)

Dutch sent Henry Hudson who found present day Hudson River (in NY)

Search for a Northwest Passage continued

Dutch East India CompanyDutch East India Company

Formed in 1602Captured

Malacca from Portuguese in 1641

Opened trade with China

Made fortunes!

New FranceNew FranceSamuel de Champlain built the

first permanent settlement in Quebec in 1608

Jesuits & other missionaries arrived

Fur traders & Native Americans ventured inland and soon the empire stretched to the Gulf of Mexico

Trade– farming & fur trapping & fishing

Population remained small; only Catholics allowed

13 English Colonies13 English ColoniesFirst permanent colony in

Jamestown, VA in 1607Colony eventually grew b/c of

tobacco growth and tradeIn 1620, Pilgrims land in Plymouth,

MAEstablished 13 colonies in the

1600s & 1700sSouthern colonies required labor for

their plantations (leads to slave trade)

Colonies had their own self-governments with crown & parliament control

OthersOthersSpain took over

the PhilippinesDutch, English,

and the French set up trading posts throughout the Indian coast

British East India Company eventually drives away the French; starts taxing the Indians

Competing for PowerCompeting for PowerCompetition for North American

land & tradeEnglish took Dutch colony New

YorkFrench took HaitiEnglish took Barbados & JamaicaFrench & Indian War (1754-1763)

◦English settlers infringed on French held lands

◦The French joined forces with Indians◦English won & pushed the French out

Commercial RevolutionCommercial RevolutionInflationGrowth of capitalismJoint stock companies (basically

investment firms)Guilds became less importantMercantilism (high exports, low

imports)