1. Age of European Exploration and Conquest
Voyages that changed the world forever

2. Link Between Renaissance and European Exploration and Conquest
Humanism.
Invention of printing press.
Role of Church.
Rise of the Nation State.
Merchant class.

3. Further Context for European Exploration and Conquest
Global trade exists
Prior exploration
Empires in the Americas

4. Overview of European Exploration and Conquest
Voyages forever change world: affecting diets, economies and lives of those in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas
Explorers first; then conquistadors and empire builders
Extensive exploration and colonization by Portuguese, Spanish, French, English and Dutch
Great competition as fight for global domination
First 100 years is mostly Portugal and Spain; gradually other English, Dutch and French get involved
Final outcomes:
Dutch (and to some extent English) dominate Southeast Asia
Spain dominates South America and Central America
England dominates North America
Various European countries dominate individual islands in the Caribbean

5. Overview of European Exploration and Conquest
European contact with Asia: not have great effect on Asians
European contact with the Americas: Native Americans and Africans changed lives forever
Most notable effects: Elimination of almost entire Native American communities due to European diseases, and the rise of African slave trade as alternative labor force
Significant change in how Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans saw the world

6. EARLY EXPLORATION

7. Motives for Exploration
Desire to get rich
International trade of luxury items like silk and spices had made Muslim and Italian merchants rich (controlled trade routes)
After 1453, Ottoman Turks took control of Mediterranean and much of Silk Roads (Europeans could not longer use as route to Asia)
European merchants and monarchs wanted to bypass Muslim and Italian merchants and find alternative route directly to Asia
Desire to spread Christianity
European countries felt sacred duty to continue fighting Muslims and convert non-Christians in world
Summary of motives for exploration:
God
Glory (for nation and self)
Gold

8. Technology Makes Ocean Voyages Possible for Europeans in 1400s
Improved ships
1400s: Invention of the CARAVAL by Portuguese = could sail against wind
Triangular sails (from Arabs) = for against wind
Square sails = for power
Large cargo area

9. Technology Makes Ocean Voyages Possible for Europeans in 1400s
Improved navigational tools
Astrolabe (from Muslims): able to calculate latitude (how far north or south from equator)
Magnetic compass (from Chinese)

10. Portugal Leads the Way to Expansion
Strong support of Portuguese government through king’s son “Prince Henry the Navigator”
Wanted luxury goods like spices, gold, silver, jewels
Also wanted to spread Christianity
Formed navigation school bringing mapmakers, instrument makers, shipbuilders, scientists and sea captains together to perfect trade

11. Portugal in Africa and Asia
By death of Henry the Navigator  Portugal already establishing trade posts along West African coast
1488: Portuguese BARTOLOMEU DIAS sails around southern tip of Africa and explores east coast of Africa
1498: Portuguese VASCO DA GAMA reaches southwest coast of India
Returns to Portugal with ship full of goods
Selling price for goods = 60x cost of voyage!!!!!

13. Spain Also Wants New Routes and Trade
1492: Christopher Columbus, an Italian working for the Spanish, seeks western route to Asia
Columbus lands in modern day Caribbean but thinks it is India
Claims for Spain
Calls people “indios”

14. Rivalry Between Portugal and Spain
Portugal thinks Columbus reached India and claiming land already claimed by Portugal
Pope gets involved
1494 Treaty of Tordesillas
Draws imaginary line in Atlantic Ocean
Everything east of line  Portugal (included Africa and Asia)
Everything west of line  Spain (the Americas)
Later modified so that Portugal could get Brazil

15. Other Explorers at Sea
1500: Portuguese PEDRO CABRAL discovers modern day Brazil and claims for Portugal
1501: AMERIGO VESPUCCI, an Italian in service for Portuguese, also travels to east coast of South America and declares it not part of Asia but a “New World”
Where name “America” comes from: German mapmaker named new continent America in honor of Amerigo Vespucci

16. Explorer Ferdinand Magellan
Portuguese sponsored by Spanish government
Intended to sail to Asia going around tip of South America
Strait where pass into Pacific Ocean now called Straits of Magellan
Magellan names the Pacific Ocean
Claimed Guam and Philippines for Spain
Magellan dies in Philippines during skirmish
18 of the original 250 men crew survive the return to Spain
FIRST TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

17. Route of Ferdinand Magellan

18. Trading Empires in Southeast Asia
Europeans powers compete to set up trading posts along coasts in Southeast Asia
: Portugal dominates, setting up trade posts in India and throughout Southeast Asia
By 1600s: Other European countries descend on Asia to set up trade posts
By 1700s: Dutch replace Portugal as dominant trade power in Southeast Asia

19. Trading Empires in Southeast Asia
Dutch pose greatest challenge to Portuguese
Dutch becomes the leading sea power with 20,000 vessels
Sets up East India Company
Authorized by Dutch government
Set up to establish trade throughout Asia
Great deal of power:
Make money
Sign treaties
Raise own army
Dutch increase control of trade in Southeast Asia and by 1700s, they control it
English and French also set up relatively minor trading posts

21. European Contact in Asia = Limited Influence on Inland Asia
Take control of port cities but not affect inland
Why Europeans not have greater effect in Asia:
Long way to get there
Asian empires prepared for battle
Europeans not have support system like have in colonies so few Europeans settle there
Unlike colony, trading post not involve deep penetration into political system
Very different than European experience with the Americas