AP EUROPEAN HISTORYMAGISTER RICARD

Chapter 15: European Exploration and Conquest

1450-1650

Chapter 15 Objectives

Analyze the relative importance of political, economic, and cultural causes of European exploration

Assess the impact of 15th/16th century European exploration on politics and economics

Analyze changes in the European economy brought about by 15th/16th century exploration and colonization

Examine the impact of 15th/16th century European expansion on European culture and society

Compare and contrast development of Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish commercial empires

CHAPTER 15 : 1450-1650

World Contacts Before Columbus

The Trade World of the Indian Ocean

The center of the pre-Columbian world trade network was the Indian Ocean Since Han and Roman times, seaborne trade flowed across

the Indian OceanMerchants congregated in port cities with

diverse populationsChina played a key role in the 15th century

revival of Indian Ocean trade Admiral Zheng He led 7 voyages of exploration (1405-

1433)India was the link between the Persian Gulf and

the SE and E Asian trade networks

Africa

Africa played an important role in world trade before Columbus Cairo was a hub for Indian Ocean trade goods Slaves, gold, major goods exported to Europe during

15th century Legends about Africa shaped European imagination

about outside world

The Ottoman and Persian Empire

Middle East was crucial to late medieval world trade Silk Road linked East with West

Turkish Ottomans and Persian Safavids dominated the region Turkish expansion frightened Europeans Safavids opposed Ottoman regional ambitions

Genoese and Venetian Middlemen

Europe was western terminus of trade network

Venice grew in importance with creation of crusader kingdoms Peaked during 1400s Specialized in luxury goods and slaves

Genoa was Venice’s ancient rival Focused on finance and the Western Mediterranean Also active in the slave trade

CHAPTER 15 : 1450-1650

The European Voyages of Discovery

Causes of European Expansion

A revival of population and economic activity increases demand for Eastern luxury goods

Religious fervor pushed expansionismCuriosity and desire for glory also pushed

expansionismPolitical centralization in Spain, France, and

England helps shape policies for expansionTales of the travels of Marco Polo (1254-1324)

are published and widely readRecovery of ancient geographical writings

(Strabo, Ptolemy)

Technological Stimuli to Exploration

Developments in shipbuilding, weaponry, and navigation provided another spur to expansion Needle compass (direction) Astrolabe (determined latitude) New ships (the caravel) Better maps created during 14th/15th centuries

The Portuguese Overseas Empire

Portugal leads expansion Seeks to Christianize Muslims Importing gold from West Africa Seeks direct access to gold in Niger River basin, long

controlled by Berber tribesmen from North Africa Searches for overseas route to India for spices Seeks contact with Prester John, mythical Christian

ruler of Ethiopia

The Portuguese Overseas Empire

Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) played leading role in early phases of exploration

In 1415, Portuguese send ships down west coast of Africa Captured Ceuta on Moroccan coast, begins colonizing

Azores and Canary IslandsReach India in 1497-1499Reach Brazil 1500Gain control over Indian Ocean from Muslim

rulers

The Portuguese Overseas Empire

In 1487, Bartolomeo Dias (1450-1500) rounds the Cape of Good Hope

Vasco de Gama (1460-1524) reaches India on voyages between 1497-1499 Returns with spices worth 40-60x cost of trip

Alfonso de Alburquerque (1453-1515) develops string of Portuguese trading posts in the Indian Ocean by force

The Problem of Christopher Columbus

Extremely religiousKnowledgeable about the seaFocused on finding a direct sea route to AsiaDescribes Caribbean as a Garden of EdenWhen he settles the Caribbean and enslaves

inhabitants, was acting simply as “a man of his times”

Keep in context!

Later Explorers

New of Columbus’ voyage quickly spreadsTreaty of Tordesillas (1494) divides non-

European world between Spain and PortugalSearch for profits sets direction for Spanish

explorationFerdinand Magellan (1519) rounds Cape

Horn and enters Pacific Ocean, circumnavigates the globe for Spain

Later Explorers

Dutch East India Company expelled Portuguese from many of their East Indian holdings in first half of 17th century

Dutch West India Company establishes posts in Africa, Spanish colonial areas, North America

John Cabot (1497) explores NE coast of North America for England

Jacques Cartier explores the St. Lawrence River region in Canada for France (1534-1541)

New World Conquest

(1519-1522) Hernando Cortes sailed from Hispaniola to Mexico, crushing Aztec Empire

(1531-1536) Francisco Pizarro conquers the Inca Empire in the Andes

CHAPTER 15 : 1450-1650

Europe and the World After Columbus

Spanish Settlement and Indigenous Population Decline

In 16th century, 200,000 Spaniards immigrated Altering the landscape and bringing diseases

Spaniards establish encomienda system Conquerors gain right to employ Amerindians

Disease, malnutrition, overwork, and violence lead to drops in indigenous population

Missionaries sent to convertDecline in Amerindian population creates

labor shortage

Sugar and Slavery

Before 1400s, virtually all slaves were white Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (1453) cut off

slaves from Black Sea regionPortuguese voyages to West Africa, Canary

and Madeira islands merged slavery with sugar

Native Americans did not survive long under conditions of slavery and forced labor

Spaniards brought in enslaved AfricansAtlantic Slave Trade reached its peak in 18th

century

The Columbian Exchange

Most important changes from Columbian voyages might be bio-social

Flora, fauna, and disease traveled across Atlantic New World foods become Old World staples European disease ravages Amerindian populations Sailors and settlers bring back syphilis

Silver and the Economic Effect of Spain’s Discoveries

During the 1500s and 1600s, a huge influx of precious metals into Spain from Americas

Population increase in Spain and establishment of colonies creates need for new goods Economy could not meet demand, leads to inflation

Inflation forces Spanish government into bankruptcy

Payment of Spanish armies in bullion leads to inflation throughout Europe Hurts nobles on fixed incomes

Chinese demand for silver for products and taxes shapes world silver trade

The Birth of Global Economy

Intercontinental seaborne trade creates 3 commercial empires Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch

16th century, Portuguese have hegemony over sea route to India Brazil produced most of the sugar consumed in Europe (16th

– 17th centuries)Spain has land empire in New World, seaborne

empire in PacificCommercial boom 1570-1630Dutch specialize in seaborne trade 2nd half of 17th

century

Spain’s Global Empire

Spanish expansionism in New World, Asia, and Europe

Phillip II inherits a vast but unwieldy empire Intense religiosity bred political flexibility

Backs a plot to replace Elizabeth I (England) with Catholic Mary Queen of Scots Plot fails, Mary is executed Sends Armada to invade May 9, 1588 Armada is destroyed

Spain recovers, but defeat of Armada prevents Philip from re-imposing religious unity by force

CHAPTER 15 :1450-1650

Changing Attitudes and Beliefs

New Ideas About Race

There was no particular connection between race and slavery in the ancient world

Europeans brought ideas about race with them to New World

Medieval Christians and Arabs shared negative views of blacks

Slavery in New World contributed to more rigid notions of racial inferiority

Michel de Montaigne and Cultural Curiosity

Montaigne (1533-1592), French noblemanCreates the essay as a means of clarifying his

own thoughtsA skepticRejects the notion that any single human

being knew absolute truthRejects the notion that any one culture is

superior to another

Elizabethan and Jacobean Literature

Literature and drama boom in England under Elizabeth I and James I (r. 1603-1625)

William Shakespeare’s playsKing James’ Bible