The Age of (European) Exploration

Map of the New World—Sebastian Munster, 1540

Why did the Europeans wish to explore? 1st and Foremost: TRADE Trading what? SPICES: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper. Why were these spices so important? Preserve food (no refrigerators!) Flavor Medicines and perfumes Where did the spices come from? Moluccas (Indonesia), Southeast Asia

God, Gold and Glory The motives of the explorers to the New World, especially the conquistadores, can be summed up in the following: God = to spread the Christian faith. Spanish and Portuguese especially wanted to spread Catholicism Gold = wealth of the natives of the Americas. Many myths circulated of golden cities (Cibola; El Dorado) with wealth beyond imagination Glory = fame throughout Europe and recognition in history

Conquistador

Cortes, Montezuma, and the city of Tenochtitlan

Francisco Pizarro Invaded what is now known as Peru Defeated the Incas, brutally and underhandedly As a result, the Spanish took over much of South America. This is the Spanish Empire in the 17th-18th centuries

Reasons for Spanish Victory 1. Military technology 2. Division among the natives 3. Disease 4. Native belief in apocalypse Apocalypto

The Ships of the Explorers Carrack = popular ship used by explorers. The “Santa Maria” used by Columbus in his first voyage to the New World is an example. Caravel = combination of European square sails and triangular sails of Arabs. Portuguese used these ships, especially