Motives for European Exploration

Expansion of TradeA. Crusades opened Europe up to the riches and technology

of the Far and Middle East.B. Northern Italy – Venice, Genoa dominated Far East tradeC. Travels of Marco Polo (not the swimming pool game)

stimulated interest in AsiaD. Hanseatic League – German and Scandinavian cities along

the Baltic SeaE. Products and profits from Asia (silks, spices) spurred

interest in Far East trade. Remember the Silk Road from World History classF. Expansion of the Merchant Class in Europe – new source of

wealth and power to support kings which assisted in weakening the power of feudal lords.

Far East Trade Routes – 1400s

Technology

A. Compass – navigation tool for finding direction on the oceanB. Gunpowder – military advantage for subduing native peoplesC. Astrolabe – navigation tool using the stars to locate ones’ position in the oceanD. caravel (ship) – hull design and sails allowed ships to sail the

oceansE. moveable type – Gutenberg press allowed information to spread more easilyF. cartography – map making improvedG. Prince Henry (Portugal) – founded a navigation school

Technology that aided navigation and exploration

Astrolabe

Caravel Ship

Compass

•Rise of Nation States

A) Spain – Ferdinand and Isabella (Reconquista 1492)B) England – Elizabeth IC) France

•Geography – Atlantic replaces Mediterranean as center of trade

A) Nations involved in global exploration and trade all had Atlantic Ocean ports – Spain, Portugal, England, France, Netherlands (Dutch)

Unification of Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella and the Reconquista

Renaissance and Humanism – revival started new way of thinking that human possibilities were unlimited, spurred new schools Portuguese Explorers – African gold and slaves

A. Bartholomew Diaz – Cape of Good Hope 1488B. Vasco da Gama – India 1498

Columbus – “Enterprise of the Indies”

A. Four voyages (Caribbean)B. Reports of wealth and slaves (Indians) spurs the Spanish invasion of AmericaC. Intercontinental Exchange or Columbian ExchangeD. Amerigo Vespucci – Italian geographer whose name is the source of the word America, one of the first to theorize that the New World was not part of Asia.