AGE OF EXPLORATION The First Global Age 1500-1800

Intro: When the Black Death ended, the population of Europe increased again, The growing population wanted Asian Goods, particularly SPICES (used to keep foods from spoiling, to make medicines and perfumes). During the 1400s, Muslim & Italian merchants controlled the trade routes between Asia and Europe. Europeans knew direct trade w/Asia would make them rich. . . . So, they began to look for new routes to Asia.

Three motives for exploration: gold – opportunities for riches Europe & Asia (1415-1796) What were the motives for exploration? Three motives for exploration: gold – opportunities for riches God – religious zeal glory – spirit of adventure

Advances in Technology * astrolabe * cartographers * magnetic compass * caravel

Who are these men?

Voyages to the Americas The Portuguese were the first successful European explorers. Who was the most important figure in the History of Spanish Exploration? Christopher Columbus sails the Atlantic Ocean in August 3, 1492 and lands in Hispanola in October 12, 1492.

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* The triangular trade marked the emergence of a new world economy The Slave Trade Page 416 * The triangular trade marked the emergence of a new world economy (connected Europe, Africa, the Americas; manufactured goods from Europe were sent to Africa, where they were exchanged for slaves, who were sent to the Americas, where they were exchanged for raw materials that were then sent to Europe)

African slaves were shipped to Brazil and the Caribbean to work on the plantations -- sugar plantations The journey of slaves from Africa to America was called the middle passage (the middle portion of the triangular trade)

A line of demarcation Treaty of Tordesillas 1494: established a line of demarcation between territories controlled by Portugal (east of the line) and Spain (west of the line)

Europe, the Americas, and Africa (1492-1750) Why did Spanish explorers travel to the Americas? How were the Spanish able to conquer the Aztec Empires? Spanish explorers traveled to the Americas to: - find riches - to convert people to Christianity

The Spanish conquer Mexico Hernan Cortes landed on the coast of Mexico in 1519 -- in 1521, Cortes conquers Tenochtitlan . . . With about 600 men, 16 horses, 6 canons and with the help of “la Malinche”

Reasons for victory: 1- Superior technology; horses; Spanish muskets & canons; metal helmets & armor protected the Spanish from the Indians’ arrows & spears 2 – Native Americans allied w/the Spanish 3 – Disease wiped out the Indian population

Remaking the Americas: Spanish introduced new forms of gov’t, religion, economy, and culture to the Americas; New social structures developed Spain kept strict control over their colonies; Catholic Church helped run the gov’t; Indians were converted to Christianity Encomienda: grants of land given to the Spaniards where Indians were used as slave labor. Indians were forced to work on sugar plantations since sugarcane became a large business Spanish brought slaves from Africa to do the work since many Indians were dying

Global Changes How did European exploration lead to a global exchange? What economic changes occurred in Europe in 1500-1600s? A global exchange of people, plants, animals, ideas and technology began. Since this exchange started w/Columbus, it is called the Columbian Exchange.

From the Americas TO Europe, Africa, Asia: silver, gold dyes tobacco cotton beans peanut squash pumpkin turkey vanilla hides potatoes* (Peru) sweet potato Cacao beans maize (corn) tomato pineapple chili pepper avocado

From Europe, Africa, Asia TO the Americas : wheat, rice, barley, oats, coffee banana onion grape (wine) dandelion citrus fruits sugar cane cattle, horse, goat, sheep, chicken, cat, dog, goose, rabbit, pig honey bee smallpox, influenza, malaria, measles hoe, scissors

Economic Impact and Competion The increase of trade w/colonies encouraged European capitalism: -- investment of $$$ * European nations adopted a new policy: mercantilism: dominated economic thought in the 17th century; the prosperity of a nation depended on a large supply of gold and silver – mother country benefited from the colonies’ $; colonies were used to support mother country w/ raw materials & to buy its goods

The Spice Trade Why were Europeans and Muslims traders so interested in Southeast Asia? * the growing spice trade resulted in the creation of an Islamic trade network *the Moluccas were known as the Spice Islands * spice trade was extremely profitable * 1600 – the Dutch begins to control the spice trade by limiting the cultivation of clove to one island and stop others from growing it * spices: clove, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg