THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

15TH AND 16TH CENTURY

AN OVERVIEW

BACKGROUND- 15TH CENTURY

RISE OF NATIONISM AMONG THE NEW NATION-STATES OF EUROPE

EMERGENCE OF POWERFUL NEW NATION-STATES WITH ASSERTIVE MONARCHS

INVENTION OF THE PRINTING PRESS EXPANSION OF TRADE AND BUSINESS

ACTIVITY RENAISSANCE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE RECONQUISTA COMPLETED IN SPAIN-

1492

MOTIVATING FACTORS FOR EUROPEAN EXPANSION

DESIRE TO ENHANCE NATIONAL PRESTIGE (NATIONALISM)

– NATIONAL WEALTH AND TERRITORY– PRESTIGE FOR MONARCHS

POSSIBILITY OF PERSONAL WEALTH, FAME, AND SOCIAL PRESTIGE

QUEST FOR NEW GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE DESIRE TO SPREAD CHRISTIANITY INTENSIFYING INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AMONG THE POWERFUL NATION-

STATES OF EUROPE DESIRE TO FIND NEW TRADE ROUTES TO THE

EAST – INCREASE PROFITS

NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT IMPACTED EXPLORATION

BETTER AND FASTER SHIP DESIGN PRINTING PRESS MORE RELIABLE MAGNETIC COMPASS THE INVENTION OF THE CLOCK

– ALLOWED FOR NEW NAVIGATIONAL METHODS- EVENTUALLY LONGITUDE

ASTROLABE- LATITUDE NAVIGATION MORE ACCURATE MAPS GUN POWDER AND NEW WEAPONS

– CANNONS AND MUSKETS

CARAVEL

PRINTING PRESS

ASTROLABE

NEW WEAPONS

IMPROVED COMPASS

MAJOR NATION- STATES INVOLVED IN

EXPLORATION

PORTUGAL

WEST AFRICAPARTS OF ASIASOUTH AMERICA (Brazil)

MAJOR EMPHASIS WAS ON TRADEGOLD SLAVE TRADE-WEST AFRICANEW PRODUCTS AND SPICES

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR OF PORTUGAL National policies

strongly supported exploration and trade

Portugal had a long tradition of navigation and trade

SLAVE TRADE – WEST AFRICA African slaves were

brought to the New World to primarily work in agriculture

Portugal was the major slave trading European nation

SPAIN

– CARIBBEAN ISLANDS– CENTRAL AMERICA– SOUTH AMERICA

(EXCEPT BRAZIL)– MEXICO – SOUTH WEST NORTH AMERICA– PHILIPPINES

FERDINAND AND ISABELLA OF SPAIN SUPPORTED EXPLORATION AND EXPANSION

MAJOR EMPHASIS

ACCUMULATION OF GOLD AND SILVER EXPANSION OF TRADE FARMING - SUGAR PLANTATIONS SOME SLAVE TRADE – LIMITED

– Spain outlawed the slave trade in the 1700’s ACTIVE IN THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY-

– JESUITS MISSIONARIES ACQUISITION OF LAND-

– NATIONAL AND PERSONAL ENHANCE PERSONAL PRESTIGE AND SOCIAL

STANDING– STRICT SOCIAL HIERARCHY IN SPAIN – (FEUDAL IN MANY RESPECTS)

LINE OF DEMARCATION1493 OFFICIAL AGREEMENT THAT DIVIDED

THE TERRITORIES CLAIMED BY SPAIN AND PORTUGAL IN THE NEW WORLD

IMAGINARY LINE DRAWN BY POPE ALEXANDER VI

LANDS EAST OF THE LINE– -PORTUGAL

LANDS WEST OF THE LINE– -SPAIN

LINE OF DEMARCATION

ENGLAND

EAST COAST OF NORTH AMERICACANADAINDIA

MAJOR EMPHASIS

EXPANSION OF TERRITORYTRADENEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIDDLE

CLASSFLEEING RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

MAJOR EUROPEAN EXPLORERS

VASCO DA GAMA- first to sail around the Cape of Good Hope

MAGELLAN-first voyage to circumnavigate the globe COLUMBUS-first European voyage to arrive in the

New World CORTEZ-conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico PIZARRO-conquest of the Incan Empire in Peru BALBOA-first to see the Pacific- crossed Panama PONCE DE LEON-explored Florida CORONADO-first European to see the Grand Canyon

and explore the southern US

VASCO DA GAMA- PORTUGUESE

MAGELLAN-PORTUGUESE

MAGELLAN DID NOT SURVIVE THE VOYAGE

OF THE 270 MEN WHO BEGAN THE VOYAGE AROUND THE GLOBE, ONLY 18 FINISHED AND RETURNED TO EUROPE

COLUMBUS- ITALIANLED THREE VOYAGES TO THE NEW WORLD

CORTEZ- SPANISH

PIZARRO- SPANISH

PIZARRO-CONQUEST OF THE INCAN EMPIRE IN PERU

INCAN EMPIRE IN PERUTHE ANCIENT INCAN CITY OF MACHU PICCHU

BALBOA

CROSSING THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA

FIRST EUROPEAN TO CROSS FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC

CORONADO EXPLORED THE SOUTHWEST (GRAND CANYON)

LABOR AND INDUSTRY IN THE NEW WORLD

ENCOMIENDATRIBUTE LABOR SYSTEM – NATIVE PEOPLES WERE REQUIRED TO GIVE LABOR TO THE EUROPEAN SETTLERS

MINING

SILVER MINES AT POTOSIVAST AMOUNTS OF

GOLD AND SILVER WERE SENT TO SPAIN FROM THE NEW WORLD

PRIMARY LABOR FORCE WAS THE INDEGENOUS POPULATION

PLANTATIONS-SUGAR BECAME A MAJOR EXPORT CROPNATIVE PEOPLES AND AFRICAN SLAVES WORKED THE FARMS AND PLANTATIONS

15TH AND 16TH CENTURY ECONOMIC MODEL

MERCANTILISM BASED ON THE ACCUMULATION OF GOLD AND

SILVER (PRECIOUS METALS) GOLD AND SILVER WERE THE MEASURE OF

WEALTH- – NOT BUSINESS OR PRODUCTION

THE PURPOSE OF THE ECONOMY WAS TO SERVE THE STATE

TRADE WAS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON EXPORTING AND SELLING GOODS IN THE NEW COLONIES

LITTLE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN BUSINESS COLONIAL HOLDINGS WERE SEEN AS

– A SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS– MARKETS FOR EUROPEAN GOODS

THE IMPACT OF EUROPEAN EXPANSION –

AGE OF EXPLORAITON

ECONOMIC

RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH AND AN INCREASE IN BUSINESS ACTIVITY

VAST AMOUNTS OF GOLD AND SILVER FLOODED INTO EUROPE

PRICES OF GOODS ROSE DUE TO INLFATION AND MERCANTILIST ECONOMIC POLICIES

EXPANDED OPPORTUNITES FOR THE RISING MIDDLE CLASS

MAJORITY OF EUROPEANS SAW LITTLE IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING

CAPITALISM BEGAN TO EMERGE – (EXCEPTION WAS IN SPAIN)

POLITICAL

WESTERN EUROPE BEGAN TO DOMINATE THE GLOBE– NEW LANDS WERE CLAIMED AND

COLONIZED– WESTERN POLITICAL MODELS WERE

INSTALLEDTHE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE

NATION-STATES OF EUROPE INTENSIFIED

INTERNATIONAL TENSIONS GREW

SOCIETAL

SOCIAL VALUES BEGAN TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON MATERIAL WEALTH AND SOCIAL STANDING

GROWING SECULAR TREND RISING MIDDLE CLASS BENIFITTED FROM

NEW ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

POWER AND WEALTH IN THE COLONIES CAME TO BE CONCENTRATED IN THE HANDS OF A FEW – SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES HAVE

CONTINUED TO PLAGUE THESE REGIONS AS A RESULT OF THIS TREND

RELIGIOUS

CHRISTIANITY SPREAD ACROSS THE GLOBE– THE AMERICAS– PARTS OF ASIA

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES WORKED TO CONVERT NATIVE POPULATIONS

– THE JESUITS WERE VERY ACTIVE– STARTED MISSIONS– ESTABLISHED SCHOOLS

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAME DOMINANT IN MANY COLONIAL REGIONS

VERY OFTEN CONVERSIONS WERE FORCED AND OR COERCED; HOWEVER, MANY TRULY CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY

CHRISTIANITY OFTEN BLENDED WITH TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

– SYNCRETICISM

GLOBAL

MILLIONS OF AFRICANS WERE IMPORTED TO THE NEW WORLD AS SLAVES

ANIMALS WERE BROUGHT TO THE AMERICAS– HORSES AND CATTLE

NEW PLANTS AND CROPS WERE EXCHANGED– TOMATOES– POTATOES– CORN– ETC.

INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS

NATIVE POPULATIONS IN THE NEW WORLD WERE DECIMATED – ESTIMATED THAT FROM 1500-1600 THE

POPULATION SHRANK FROM 20 MILLION TO 2 MILLION

– DISEASE AND MALNUTRITION– WAR AND CONFLICT– HARSH LABOR

INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS MIXED WITH EUROPEANS AND AFRICANS – NEW CULTURAL AND RACIAL GROUPS– BLENDING OF CULTURES

LANGUAGERELIGIONCUSTOMSMUSICART

THE AGE OF EXPLORATION WAS IN MANY WAYS A

REFLECTION THE IDEALS AND VALUES OF THE

RENAISSANCE