Chapter 5: The Age of Exploration

The search for Asia European royalty still wanted to get to Asia easily; even though trade was good, it was still hard Kings and Queens began to send explorers east to find Asia, even though they had no idea what was out there, or how far it would be Spain sent Christopher Columbus

Problems with the Silk Road: 1. Prices for the goods became extremely high 2. Countries began fighting with each other: travel became extremely dangerous

What forms of money do we use today? In the Renaissance, the only “money” used was gold and silver, which was literally running out People needed to find a new source for gold and silver

Expanding Christianity Christian’s were commanded to spread their faith “into all the world…to the whole creation.” Explorers took this seriously, especially when they discovered the “pagan” people in North and South America

Also, Christianity felt threatened that the Muslim religion was becoming more powerful/spread out than their own P.113 – when Europeans settled in Canada, they brought with them their religious beliefs

The “Means” to Explore By “means,” we mean the equipment and skills needed Europeans had been in contact with so many other cultures for so long, they were open to new “worldviews” from the places they found they were curious about what they may find travelling, but they had no way of knowing if the “stories” were true

More “means”… Prince Henry gave a lot of money to people to develop navigation equipment These people used the equipment to make maps and new ways to navigate ships Also, a lot of money was put into ship design (p.118)

European Expansion Most European countries had an expansionist worldview – a goal to increase power by conquering new land

#1: Go East Portugal sent ships southeast, along the coast of Africa to find gold and resources They became involved in the African slave-trade Eventually, Europeans did the same, capturing millions of African slaves The Portuguese also hired local people as interpreters to make trade easier

They were also the first country to travel all the way south, under Africa, to get to the east

After some battles with the locals, the Portuguese conquered parts of Asia, and became the most powerful trading company in Europe

#2: Go West Christopher Columbus was sent by Spain to go west He landed in the Caribbean, making 3 trips Even until he died, he was convinced the place he discovered was Asia

Spain sent Ferdinand Magellan next, who sailed under South America, landing in the Philippines

Magellan was killed in a local war, but his ship eventually made it back to Spain loaded with spices It was the first ship to circumnavigate (completely travel around) the world!!!