2.  Crusades introduced Europeans to luxuries from Asia  Mongol Empire and Silk Road  1400’s Europeans wanted spices as uses for:  Flavoring, medicines, perfumes

3.  Prince Henry- first navigator to discover islands to the west and southwest of Portugal.  1415 discovery of African coastlines

4.  Belief in faster route to Asia by travelling around the African Coast  Henry collected scientists, cartographers and others to redesign ships, make maps and train captains and crews for the voyage.

5.  Following Henry’s death in 1460, Portugal continued the quest until 1488 where Bartholomeu Dias rounded the tip of South Africa  This was named the Cape of Good Hope

6.  1497- led four ships around the Cape of Good hope, but wanted to go farther.  Reached Calicut on the W. Coast of India  Lost many ships and sailors on the journey home, but in the end, it was profitable.

7.  Goal: Reach the East Indies (Indonesia)  No sponsorship by Portugal, finally King Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain agreed to sponsorship.  Set off, Aug. 3, 1492 on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria- land spotted on Oct. 12.

8.  Quest for new lands led to the Pope setting a Line of Demarcation, which divided everything non-European between Portugal and Spain.  Portugal- trading rights to east of line, Spain trading rights to west of line  These terms were agreed to in the Treaty de Tourdesillas.

9.  Spaniard (1519) left in search of a fast route to the Pacific.  Reached South America and searched for a way across to the Pacific.  1520 they found a passage (Strait of Magellan) in southern tip of S.A. that led them to the Pacific.

10.  Upon reaching the tip, everyone wanted to turn around and head home.  Magellan believed that the trip would last 3 weeks through Pacific  He underestimated the size, and the journey home took over 4 months and only 1 ship and 18 sailors survived.  They became first to circumnavigate (sail around) the world.