Motivations for Exploration

Gold Demand for gold, spices, natural resources for Europe Inflation in Spain Wealth that could be gained from trade with India and China Wealth that could be gained from cheap land Colonies New products (Columbian Exchange)

God Support for the diffusion (spread) of Christianity ** --Migration of colonists to new lands --Influence of Catholics and Protestants who carried their faith as missionaries to new lands --Conversion of indigenous people Desire for religious freedom

Glory Political and economic competition between European countries Colonies Development of Empires (British Empire) Desire to be the first to discover something or successfully complete a dangerous voyage

Gadgets Innovation in navigational arts—European and Islamic ideas—made it possible to safely cross oceans Compass Astrolabe, Sextant Mapmaking techniques Shipbuilding

MERCANTILISM Economic principle based upon gaining wealth by taking it from someplace else. (Mercantilism assumes there is a fixed amount of wealth in the world.) In the age of exploration, “someplace else” meant colonies.  

European nations gained wealth from colonies in three ways: A. Accumulation of gold and silver—accomplished by mining gold and silver.

Mercantilism: Colonies B. Importation of cheap raw materials such as sugar and spices from colonies and exportation of expensive finished goods. This created a favorable balance of trade. Balance of trade--the difference between imports and exports. Countries want a favorable balance of trade so they try to sell more goods than they buy.

Mercantilism: Colonies C. Trade with colonies—colonies provided an easy market for finished products because the colonists could only get them from the “mother” country.