The European Expansion 1400-1550

Iberians and Their Power Epic sea voyages from the order of the Iberian kingdoms of Portugal and Spain began a maritime revolution. The end of the Americas isolation and the increase of global interaction was produced by the Portuguese and Spanish. Two phenomena's were reason of the Iberian overseas expansion. Iberian rulers had a strong economy, religion, and political motives to expand their contacts. The improvements in their maritime and military technologies gave them the power to seize control over maritime trade routes and conquer new lands.

Motives for Exploration The individual ambitions and adventurous personality of these sate leaders was one of the reason for these exploration. Four trends were continued from the Latin West in these voyages. Two of them were the revival of urban life and trade, and a struggle with Islamic powers for dominance of the Mediterranean. The other two consisted of growing intellectual curiosity about the outside world, and a peculiarly Europeans alliance between merchants and rulers. Northern Italy took the lead because of its well-established trade links such as the Indian Ocean and the Black Sea, but they didn’t take the lead for the Atlantic exploration .

Portuguese Voyages When the Muslim government of Morocco showed weakness during the fifteenth century ,Portugal began an attack in Ceuta. The Ceuta attack was led by Prince Henry (1394-1460),also known as Henry the Navigator because of his devotion to promoting new explorations. Portuguese mariners created new vessels that would be appropriate for these exploration, not too large so it would be easy to pass by shallow waters, but strong enough to survive during a storm. New trade ways were discovered during this times to make were found for quicker ways of traveling back and forth. Bartolomeu Dias was the first Portuguese explorer to round the southern tip of Africa and enter the Indian Ocean.

Vasco da Gama’s Fleet Four small ships had sailed for India from Lisbon in June 1497 but encountered new land. Three of Gama’s ships were rigged with square sails on two masts for speed. The fourth vessel was a caravel with lateen sails. Three sets of sail and extra rigging for repairing any damages were carried in each ship. The captains and crews were Portugal's most experienced and received extra pay and other rewards for their service. Pedro Alvarez Cabral had the goal to reach India but landed on the eastern coast of South America, claiming Brazil. (Google)

Spanish Voyages (Google) The Spanish leader for overseas mission was Christopher Columbus (1451-1506). During Columbus’s four voyages, he established the existence of a vast new world across the Atlantic, but insisted that the only thing he had found was a shorter route to the Indian Ocean than the one found by Portuguese. Columbus was rejected to start an exploration to find the new and quicker route to the Indian Ocean twice before winning over Queen Isabella and her husband, King Ferdinand. The expedition included three small ships ,the Santa Maria, the Santa Clara, and the third vessel known as Pinta. The expedition of Ferdinand Magellan completed Columbus interrupted westward voyage. (Google)

QUIZ!!!

1. Portuguese and Spanish produced two main developments, they were... A. New routes and powerful rulers. B. Intellectuality and the en of isolation of the Iberians. C. New lands and new people. D. The end of the Americas isolation and the increase of global interaction. E. Technology and new ways for sharing their culture.

2. Who was the first Portuguese explorer to round the southern tip of Africa and enter the Indian Ocean? Henry the Navigator. B. Christopher Columbus C. Bartolomeu Dias D. Vasco da Gama E. Pedro Alvarez Cabral

3.Christopher Columbus’s expedition included three small ships called… A. The vessels. B. The Ferdinand Magellan C. The Balboas D. The Pinta, Santa Clara, and Santa Bella. E. The Santa Maria, Santa Clara, and Pinta.

Bibliography Book: 1. Bulliet,