15 Exploration & Trade1200 - 1700

European Exploration (chapter 15) Causes & Effects

CAUSES:1. DESIRE FOR WEALTH AND POWER – European explorers

hoped to find riches in distant countries and to discover new sea routes to Asia.

2. RELIGIOUS GOALS – Europeans hoped to spread Christianity (their form) and to drive Muslims out of other lands.

3. RENAISSANCE SPIRIT – Europeans adventurers wanted to test the limits of human ability (humanism) and to explore the unknown.

4. IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY – Europeans began to build stronger, faster sailing ships. They developed better navigation and more accurate maps.

God – Glory – Gold!

Europe

Portuguese Influence on Trade in the 1400’s

• 1419 – land on the island of Madeira, expeditions encouraged by Prince Henry The Navigator

• 1419 – set up schools for navigation at Sagres to search for a sea route to India – caravel developed

• 1434 – Gil Eanes sails around Cape Bojador• 1441 – Henry built fort on Arguin Island for slave

trade• 1445 – Dinís Dias explored Senegal River• 1446 – Nuño Tristão sighted Gambia River• 1455 & 1456 – Alvise Cã da Mosto and Diogo Gomes

found Cape Verde Island’s

“Baby steps”… why?

Portuguese Influence on Trade in the 1400’s

• 1460 –reached as far south as Sierra Leone• 1471 – Fernão Gomes reached the Gold Coast and the

Kingdom of Benin by 1475• 1482 – Diogo Cão found the Congo River• 1470’s reach the Guinea Coast where a fort was built by

King John II to protect trade• 1487 – Bartolomeu Dias sails down West coast of

Africa reaching the southern tip of Africa later renamed Cape of Good Hope

• 1497 – Vasco da Gama set sail with goal to reach Calicut, India reaching it in 1498

• 1499 – returned with Indian pepper, cinnamon, and other spices officially opening up India to trade with Europe by sea

Continued from Thursday’s notes

European Exploration Causes & Effects

IMMEDIATE EFFECTS:• Sailors learned more about geography and improved navigation• The Portuguese discovered a sea route to India• Columbus was the first European to reach the Americas (the West

Indies)• Magellan's crew sailed around the world (circumnavigate)

• The LINE OF DEMARCATION decided by the pope to prevent disputes over newly discovered lands. Spain was given possession of lands west of Europe while Portugal claimed lands to the east of the line.

• Arguments further settled by TREATY OF TORDESILLAS (1494)

European Exploration Causes & Effects

LONG TERM EFFECTS:• European nations competed to establish colonies in the

Americas and greatly expanded their wealth and power.• Europe established sea trade with India.• The slave trade expanded.