Age of Exploration

Exploration of the New World 15 th century- New World and Far East – 1400 – 1325: no regular traffic b/w northern and southern Europe

Why did Europeans begin exploring at this time? Population- Black Death- never recovered Role of national governments – Italy and Germany cut out Scarce items – Couldn’t produce themselves Renaissance – No desire to look ‘beyond’ during Middle Ages- Renaissance led to curiosity – World as sphere 1409 (Ptolemy) – New inventions

The Beginnings of Exploration Portuguese – Led in exploration along Africa – Prince Henry the Navigator – Gold Coast (Africa) – Bartholomew Diaz – Slave trade – Treaty of Torsedillas in divided world – Vasco De Garna- reached India – Trading posts in India – Spread Christianity Jesuits in Japan in 1549

The Beginnings of Exploration Spanish – Columbus- landed at San Salvador Population of Hispanola: 1,000,000 in 1493 to 100,000 by 1510 Black slaves – Ferdinand Magellan Found the Pacific Arrived in Philippines – Conquistadors Cortes- Aztec empire (Mexico) Pizarro- Incan empire (Peru) – Influx of wealth created inflation in the rest of Europe

Social Results of Exploration and Expansion Technology – Ship building – Galleons before; Caravel developed by Portugeuse Gold and silver coming in – Bullion led to price increases Price of food rose Some things no longer ‘luxuries’ Industry thrived

Social Results of Exploration and Expansion Slavery – Portugal dominated – Chief market was South America – Almost always got slaves from other African tribes Africans already practiced slavery – Why? – Conditions – Pace at which they were taken increased – Controversy at once Inhumane vs. economic necessity

Social Results of Exploration and Expansion The Columbian Exchange – Alfred W. Crosby – Transfer of biological materials Most important: food – Potato, fish, tomato, corn Sugar trade- Brazil Beverages – Coffee, chocolate and tea – Approved by Protestants Cooking techniques – Barbecue Disease – Measles, small pox, mumps, pneumonia – 90% w/in first decade – Total drop: million to less than 5 million in 150 years after Columbus

Columbian Exchange

Commercial Revolution World-wide capitalism Mercantilism – Government regulated – Non-unified countries couldn’t compete – Amount of wealth was fixed

Commercial Revolution Spain and Portugal Early lead in exploration Population of Portugal was too small Spain – Hurt agricultural base – Religious persecution – Money from overseas = inflation

Commercial Revolution Netherlands – Dutch East India company – West India company Private authorized by state – Better ships and lower freight rates – Religious toleration – Too small in numbers

Commercial Revolution England – Prevailed in long run – Inferior in population to France – Geographic isolation – Laws benefitted trade and banking Navigation Acts – Had to put into English ports – Relative religious toleration – Distance from mother country to colonies shorter

Commercial Revolution Other economic developments – Banking and accounting Bank of Sweden; Bank of England Joint stock companies

Commercial Revolution The Domestic System – ‘Cottage industry system’ a.k.a. putting out system Suitable for cloth, buttons and knives First in England – Advantages: Increased employment Not regulated by guilds Specialization

Commercial Revolution Second Agricultural Revolution – Fortunes in trade = buying land Middle Ages: 1/3 left fallow Farmers alternated crops – Systems of rotation developed Bigger & healthier herds Large amounts of land Enclosure- took land of commoners- new class of tenant farmers