The Age of Exploration

A Map of the Known World, pre- 1492

What was the Age of Exploration? A time period when Europeans began to explore the rest of the world. Improvements in mapmaking, shipbuilding, rigging, and navigation made this possible. Blue water sailing, not just coastal boats. Policy of mercantilism drives the exploration.

Foundations of Exploration Renaissance spirit of discovery and innovation in Europe Spirit led Europeans to set sail on voyages of discovery Period is sometimes called the Age of Exploration Search for wealth Europeans desired expensive luxury goods Flow of goods controlled by Italian merchants Charged high prices for these rare goods Drive to Explore Hoped to find new, faster routes to Asia to gain trade foothold Wealth not only goal Some set out to find fame, glory Hoped making great discoveries would bring honor to their names New Routes Other explorers hoped to spread their faith into new lands Another motive—simple curiosity Writings like Marco Polo’s very popular in Europe, intrigued many with tales of exotic lands, peoples Faith, Curiosity

Advances in Technology Whatever reasons for exploring, Europeans could not have made voyages of discovery without certain key advances in technology Some advances made in Europe during Renaissance Others borrowed from people with whom Europeans had contact, especially Chinese, Muslims Navigation Sailors needed precise means to calculate location Compass brought to Europe from China, let know sailors know which direction was north at any time Europeans learned to use astrolabe from Muslims Navigators could chart location based on sun, stars in relation to horizon

New Maritime Technologies Better Maps [Portulan] Hartman Astrolabe (1532) Mariner’s Compass Sextant

Shipbuilding Improvements Just as important as advances in navigation were advances in shipbuilding Europeans learned to build ships that rode lower in water than earlier ships Deep-draft ships could withstand heavier waves; also had larger cargo holds Caravels Caravel, light, fast sailing ship; two features made it highly maneuverable Steered with rudder at stern, rather than with side oars Also lateen, triangular, sails; could be turned to catch wind from any direction Popular for Exploratory Voyages Caravel would also be equipped with weapons, including cannons Ships could face off against hostile ships at sea Maneuverability, defensive ability made caravel most popular for exploring

What was mercantilism? Policy that said there was a limited amount of money in the world. Each country needs to grab what they can before it is gone. Export more than you import…more money in your pocket. Colonies and markets were needed to keep everything in the system.

Other Voyages of Exploration

The Explorers and their Journeys around the World Map Key:

The Travels of Marco Polo One of the earliest travellers. 1271, left Venice to explore China. Explored huge parts of Asia for many years. 1298, told his story to a fellow prisoner while in jail in Genoa. Showed the value of exploration.

The Explorers: Portugal

Prince Henry, the Navigator School for Navigation, 1419

Prince Henry the Navigator: Henry the Navigator seldom left Portugal, but he helped make it possible for the first Europeans to explore Africa. In Henry’s time, the ocean was very dangerous and Africa was a mysterious place that seemed to contain endless miles of sand. Today we know this sand as the Sahara Desert. Although it isn’t endless, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world. On the other side of the Sahara were many great cultures that were isolated from the rest of the world. Henry wanted to find a water route to India. The passage to India over land was long, slow, and dangerous. A ship could carry more goods to and from India than the largest caravans, but Europeans could only guess that sailors could circumnavigate, or go around, Africa. Prince Henry helped unlock the secrets of Africa. Henry set up a school for sailors to learn the secrets of the ocean. He paid for many sailing expeditions out of the Portuguese treasury. Henry also employed cartographers who created the most sophisticated maps of their time. The maps made it possible for sailors to learn from previous expeditions.

Bartolomeu Dias Sailed around Cape of Good Hope at southern tip of Africa. Found route to Indian Ocean Trade can go from Europe to Asia by sea.

Vasco da Gama Landed in India in 1498. Important trade route from Europe to India and East Indies.

Ferdinand Magellan His crew made first round-the-world voyage. Proved for certain that the world was round. Magellan was killed in the Phillippines, did not make it home.

The Explorers: Spain

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Believed a shorter route to Asia could be found by sailing westward instead of around Africa. Found the Americas instead. Oops.

The Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494 & The Pope’s Line of Demarcation

What was the Colombian Exchange? Massive exchange of plants, animals and diseases. These things moved between the New and Old Worlds. Started with Columbus. To the Americas: cows, horses, wheat, smallpox, plus much more. To Europe: potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, corn, plus much more.

The Slave Trade Europeans began to use slave labor in their colonies to grow crops, mine, etc. Native Americans used for a while, but Africans began to be brought to the Americas. The slave trade then became the main focus of Europe’s relations with Africa.

What was the Triangular Trade? System of trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Stage 1: Raw materials to Europe (tobacco, rum, sugar) Stage 2: Manufactured goods to Africa (guns, cloth, rum) Stage 3: Slaves to the Americas to make raw materials.

The Triangular Trade