Age of Exploration

Exploration Necessities Changes in Ship design Knowledge and tools to sail by stars, Arabs Compass from China Gunpowder Weapons for protection, thanks China Black Pepper wealth as motivation

Portugal

The Portuguese First to send large exploration trips Prince Henry Called the Navigator Patron of exploration Established navigation court Sailors Mapmakers Astronomers Others

Henry’s Dream Find water route around Africa to India Get those spices Died before complete attempts not abandoned Bartolomeu Dias became first to sail around southern tip of Africa

da Gama In 1497, Vasco da Gama led four ships around Africa Used piracy and violence in the Monsoon Marketplace Later Portuguese explorers used similar tactics Established Portuguese dominance Made a lot of money in India

Asian Expansion Established trade with Japan Traded Japanese silver for Chinese Silk Profits used to purchase spices and other goods became rich, powerful European nation

Spain

Background Reconquista Spanish Inquisition Iberian Peninsula long ruled by Muslims These crusades lasted until about 1492 Spanish Inquisition Execution or forced conversion of non-Christians Lost 150,000 people, many educated

The Union Two major Kingdoms They Married in 1469, made Spain Aragon: King Ferdinand Castile: Queen Isabella They Married in 1469, made Spain Began funding exploration to compete with neighbor Portugal

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) was an Italian navigator, colonizer and explorer. He sailed for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. His voyages began a period marked by European empires. “Discovered America” Note: He was NOT the first European to reach the Americas. He’s important because, after his trip, more Europeans traveled to the New World.

Spanish motivation The Spanish reasons for Empire: God—The Spanish brought Catholicism to America, forcing natives to convert. Glory—Individuals like Cortez and Pizarro became wealthy national heroes. Gold—Spain became the most powerful nation in the world due to the gold of the Americas.

Reasons for Easy Conquest Civil Wars and rivalry divided natives Old World diseases decimated populations Horses and advanced weaponry Spanish use of treachery

Other Explorers Ferdinand Magellan Zheng He Circumnavigated the world (paid for by Spain) Zheng He Ming Dynasty Admiral Sailed huge treasure fleets

Iberian Wolrd 1493 Pope Alexander VI divided lands between Spain and Portugal Called the Line of Demarcation (1494) Treaty of Tordesillas