Ch. 1 – Exploration & ContactCh. 1 – Exploration & Contact European Motives for European Motives for

Exploration in the Age of Exploration in the Age of DiscoveryDiscovery 1) Emerging 1) Emerging nation-states nation-states

sought powersought power and hoped to and hoped to out-compete rivalsout-compete rivals

2)  New 2)  New military technologymilitary technology enabled Europeans to enabled Europeans to dominate from c. 1500 ondominate from c. 1500 on

3)  3)  EconomicsEconomics Need for new marketsNeed for new markets

(especially from East - (especially from East - e.x.: spices)e.x.: spices)

MercantilismMercantilism required required new sources of precious new sources of precious metals & fursmetals & furs

  

European Motives for European Motives for Exploration in the Age of Exploration in the Age of Discovery (cont.)Discovery (cont.) 4) 4) Competition between Catholics Competition between Catholics

and Protestantsand Protestants became conflict of became conflict of national purposesnational purposes

5) 5) Navigational technologyNavigational technology allowed for extended exploration:allowed for extended exploration:

Compass, Astrolab, Compass, Astrolab, Portuguese Portuguese caravelscaravels (ships)               (ships)               

6) 6) RenaissanceRenaissance (late 14th c. -16th c.) (late 14th c. -16th c.) Atmosphere of rebirth, Atmosphere of rebirth,

optimism, explorationoptimism, exploration

Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus Spain eager to compete with Spain eager to compete with

Portugal. Queen Isabella & Portugal. Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand financed King Ferdinand financed voyage.  voyage. 

Set sail in Set sail in 14921492 to find a short to find a short trade route to Asia by sailing trade route to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic west across the Atlantic Ocean.Ocean.

Instead, landed on Caribbean Instead, landed on Caribbean islands Oct.12, 1492. islands Oct.12, 1492. Believed he had reached Believed he had reached “Indies”. “Indies”.

Credited with discovery of the Credited with discovery of the “New World”.“New World”.

Effects of VoyageEffects of Voyage 1) 1) Columbian ExchangeColumbian Exchange – – global global

transfer of living thingstransfer of living things (plants, (plants, animals, diseases).animals, diseases).

2) 2) Europeans Europeans a. a. Began to colonize Americas, Began to colonize Americas,

global empires global empires for first time in for first time in human historyhuman history

b. b. Explosion of capitalismExplosion of capitalism c. c. Improved diet, higher Improved diet, higher

populationpopulation 3) 3) Native Americans Native Americans

a. a. Forced to workForced to work on plantations on plantations

b. Many b. Many died from European died from European diseases (smallpox)diseases (smallpox)

c. c. Horses, cattle, firearmsHorses, cattle, firearms changed Indian culture changed Indian culture

4) 4) AfricansAfricans a. a. Slave trade increasedSlave trade increased need for need for

more labor on plantationsmore labor on plantations..

Summary of relations between European Summary of relations between European Colonial Powers & Indians: Colonial Powers & Indians: SpanishSpanish - sought to - sought to Catholicize, control, use Catholicize, control, use

Indians for forced laborIndians for forced labor (mission system, (mission system, encomienda, hacienda) encomienda, hacienda)

FrenchFrench - sought - sought trade relationstrade relations with Indians; with Indians; Jesuits sought to Jesuits sought to convert them to Catholicismconvert them to Catholicism

EnglishEnglish - sought to - sought to remove Indians from landremove Indians from land or or exterminate themexterminate them