1. An Age of Explorations and Isolation 1400-1800
Mr. Hall
September 1, 2016

2. Europeans Explore the East
By 1400 Europeans ready to venture beyond borders.
The 3 G’s!
Greater demand for foreign goods
What spurred this?

3. Muslims and Italians controlled trade from East to West.
Muslims sold Asian goods to Italian merchants, who controlled trade across the land routes to the Mediterranean region.
Italians resold the items at increased prices to merchants throughout Europe.

4. This angered many European traders
Paying high prices cut into their profits.
By 1400’s the English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French wanted to bypass Italians and wanted to find their own trade routes to Asia.

5. For God
The Crusades left the Europeans with a taste for new spices and bitterness over religious wars. Wanted more opportunities to spread Christianity.
Need to want to convert non Christians
According to a Spanish explorer “To serve God and his majesty, to give light to those who were in the darkness and to grow rich as all men do”

6. Technology Changes
During the 1200’s it would have been nearly impossible for a European sea captain to cross 3,000 miles of open ocean and return back to port.
The main problems is that these ships could not sail against the wind.
In 1400 ship builders designed a new type of vessel, the caravel.
Built much sturdier and its triangular sales made it easy to sail with/against the wind.

7. Portugal Leads the Way
Leader in developing and applying these sailing innovations was Portugal
One of the first European countries to establish trading outposts along the west coast of Africa
Eventually these explores pushed into the Indian Ocean.

8. Portugal took the lead in overseas exploration because of its strong government support
Most enthusiastic supporter of exploration was Prince Henry
Dreams of exploration came from conquering the Muslim city of Ceuta in North Africa.
Found pepper, gold, silver, jewels, peppermint etc.

9. He founded a navigation school for mapmakers, shipbuilders, scientists, instrument makers, and sea captains.
Eventually after Prince Henry died the Portuguese established along western Africa's shores.
Traded for African captives to be sold as slaves.

10. Reaching Asia
Believed that to reach Asia by sea, they would have to sail around the southern tip of Africa
In 1488 Portuguese captain Bartoloemu Dias ventured far down the coast until they hit the tip. As they arrived a large storm arose and battered the ships for days and when the storm ended they realized they were blown around the tip to the other side of Africa.

11. With the tip of Africa finally rounded the Portuguese continued expanding east.
Vasco de Gama- explored the East African coast
Amazed by spices, silks, and gems found throughout Asia
Cargo alone was worth 60X’s cost of voyage.
Entire voyage was 27, 000 miles

12. Spain Also Makes Claims
Spanish monarchs envious or Portuguese routes to Asia. Wanted their own.
In 1492 Christopher Columbus convinced Spain to finance a route to Asia by sailing West.
Took with him 3 ships. Niña, Pinta, Santa María
Eventually reached an island in the Caribbean.
Thought he reached the West Indies but was mistaken.

13. This impact of this voyage will lead to increased tensions between Spain and Portugal
Portuguese believed that he had in fact reached Asia.
Portugal thought that Columbus claimed the land for Spain.
This makes tensions even worse! Eventually war is being threatened and sinking ships therefore Pope Alexander Vi steps in to usher peace.

14. He suggested imaginary line drawn north and south, through the Atlantic ocean.
This is known as the Line of Demarcation
All lands west of the line would be Spain's
What lands will this include?
All land east of the line belonged to Portugal.
Portugal felt it was unfair so it was moved farther west to give Portugal parts of modern day Brazil

15. Test Question
Treaty of Tordesillas- Agreement between Spain and Portugal to honor the line of demarcation.

16. Trading Empires in the Indian Ocean
With Vasco da Gama’s voyage, Europe had direct sea trade route to Asia.
This led to intense competition to settle port cities as well as shops in Asia
Fought each other and locals

17. Portugal’s Trading Empire
Quickly Portugal took over the trading throughout Europe and Asia
Took over spice trade from Muslim merchants
Used cannons to destroy Muslim fleets to take control of many parts of Asia
Built many large forts throughout the region as a way to deter locals and competition
Over time crushed Muslim control over spice trade market

18. Other Nations Challenge the Portuguese
Around 1600 the English and Dutch begin to challenge Portugal
By 1600 the Dutch owned the largest fleet in the world at 20,000 ships strong. This will create pressure on Portugal's control of Asia.
Then the English build up their fleet and begin to get into battles with the Dutch over the Asian spice market.

19. Then the Dutch in retaliation created a trading company called the “Dutch East India Company
It established direct trade routes all throughout Europe and eventually swallowed up the all of the English trade companies/supply lines.

20. Trade in India
The English forced out of many parts in Asia but found prosperity in India!
Created the English East India Company
Will come to learn that along with spices India has a huge diamond supply.
Europeans quickly began to conquer and set up as many trade posts as possible on all water ports throughout Asia