1. Chapter 4 Traders, Explorers, and Colonists
Section 2

2. Trade Between Europe and Asia— The Spice Trade
Before the Renaissance, European traders traveled across the Mediterranean to North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
They wanted spices—pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, etc.-- from Asia to preserve their food and add flavor.

3. Trade Between Europe and Asia— The Spice Trade (Cont’d)
For centuries, the Italians controlled the spice trade; they would bring the spices to Europe.
Transporting spices long distances was very expensive, and spices cost a lot of money.
European merchants wanted to find a new route so they could get spices cheaper.

4. Leaders in Exploration--Portugal
Portugal is located on the westernmost region of the European continent.
Portuguese sailors traveled the Atlantic Ocean for centuries, and traveled to Africa, Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands.

5. Prince Henry of Portugal
Did not travel at sea but was known as “The Navigator” because he organized expeditions to the west coast of Africa.
Founded the School of Navigation in Sagres in southwestern Portugal.
The school taught astronomers, geographers, and mathematicians new methods of traveling across the seas.
Planned expeditions using maps, tools, information about winds, and currents of the Atlantic Ocean.

6. Exploring the African Coast
In the early1400s, Prince Henry sent explorers down the coast of Africa to find a shortcut to Asia.
Explorers returned with gold dust, ivory, and more knowledge of navigation.
By Prince Henry’s death, explorers had gone as far as modern-day Sierra Leone.

7. Exploring the African Coast (Cont’d)
In 1488, Bartolmeau Dias rounded the southern tip of Africa and named it the Cape of Good Hope.
In about 1498, Vasco da Gama led an expedition to Asia and reached the coast of India in 317 days and by traveling13,500 miles.
The riches of Asia were brought directly to Europe.
Portugal now ruled the waterways!

8. Christopher Columbus
Believed the shortest way to Asia was to sail west and across the Atlantic Ocean.
Queen Isabella of Spain funded the expedition.
In August, 1492, Columbus left Spain with three ships—the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina.
Spotted land on October 12, 1492, and landed off the coast of an island in the Caribbean.

9. Ferdinand Magellan
Left Spain in 1519 with 5 ships and more than 200 sailors.
Traveled west and battled storms and rough seas with little food or water.
After 18 months at sea, he reached the Philippines in Asia.
Magellan was killed in a battle with the natives.
First expedition to travel around the globe.
Only one ship and 18 sailors survived the three-year journey.

10. John Cabot
King Henry VII of England did not want Portugal and Spain to claim all of the riches of Asia so he funded a voyage by John Cabot, an Italian.
Cabot thought a northern route across the Atlantic Ocean might be a shortcut to Asia.
Sailed from England in May, 1497, with one ship and 18 sailors.
One month later, he landed in modern- day Newfoundland, Canada.

11. The Outcomes of Exploration
A clash of cultures.
Religious conversion.
The spread of disease.
Slavery.

12. A Clash of Cultures
Founded many new colonies along the coastal areas of North and South America and Africa.
This colonization—or controlling the government and economy—of another country is imperialism.
The conquered lands already had self-ruling populations with their own cultural traditions.
The lives of the indigenous people were changed forever!

13. Religious Conversion
The European monarchs were Christians with strong religious beliefs.
Monarchs sent missionaries and other religious officials to convert conquered peoples to Christianity.
The rulers hoped that the converts would overcome other powerful religions, especially Islam.

14. The Spread of Disease
European explorers and colonists carried diseases with them, including small pox, malaria, and measles.
The indigenous people had no immunity to the diseases, and thousands (perhaps millions) died.

15. Slavery European explorations led to an expanding slave trade.
Portuguese purchased West Coast Africans to work as slaves because workforce was reduced because of plague.
In conquered areas, such as Mexico and South America, Europeans forced the indigenous peoples to work on the land where they lived.
Africans and conquered peoples would be forced to work under horrible conditions for hundreds of years.

16. Questions?