The Foundations of European Exploration As Europe started to grow, the need to expand became important. Technology and resources were needed for long voyages.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT IMPACTED EUROPEAN EXPANSION Improved Ship Design – (Caravel) Faster, safer The Printing Press More reliable and accurate Magnetic Compass Invention of the Clock Allowed for new navigational methods – eventually Longitude Astrolabe - Latitude More Accurate Maps Gun Powder and New Weapons Cannons and Muskets

PRINTING PRESS- SPREAD INFORMATION

ASTROLABE- LATITUDE MEASUREMENTS IMPROVED COMPASS

WEAPONS

ECONOMIC Rapid economic growth and an increase in business activity Vast amounts of Gold and Silver Flooded into Europe Prices of Goods rose due to inflation and Mercantilist economic policies Too much Gold and Silver drove down the value of the currency More opportunities for the rising Middle Class Majority of Europeans (Peasant Class) saw little improvement in their standards of living Capitalism slowly began to emerge by the 1700s

MERCANTILISM Mercantilism stated that a country’s government should do all it could to increase the country’s wealth. There is a limited amount of money, so you needed to grab what you could Export more then you import….was the policy. Favorable balance of trade Placing tariffs on imports (taxed outsiders) Encouraged exports (subsides) Controlled raw materials

SOCIAL CHANGES Social values became more focused on material wealth and social standing Growing secular trend Rising middle class benefitted the most from new economic and social opportunities Power and wealth in the colonies came to be concentrated in the hands of a few (Europeans) Strict economic and social hierarchy Social and economic issues have continued to plague these regions as a results of this trend This trend has continued throughout South and Central America Christianity spread across the Globe and the Catholic Church became dominant in many colonial regions Very often conversions were forced and or coerced; However, many ever, many truly converted to Christianity