Early European Explorations Why did the Iberians (Portuguese and Spanish) sail first? Why did Europeans go on voyages at all?

Portuguese possessions at their height Red = actual ownership Pink = areas of influence Blue = area of first European Exploration LESSON: EUROPEANS GAINED SMALL COASTAL ENCLAVES – THAT’S IT!

1.Internal Factors Poor, faced ocean Small country (Portugal), primogeniture Excellent navigators and ship builders (gained compass, astrolabe, improved sails, caravel)

/1492 C.E. Year that Muslims were defeated in Portugal and Spain No more Muslim rule Wars create a sense of national identity Monarchs consolidated power

3. Trade Asian/North African cities were hit hard by Plague Luxury goods scarce & $$$ Around 1400, Europe was in recovery, perfect time to make $$$ through trade! Black Plague Buboe

4. Fall of Constantinople 1453 C.E., Muslims in total control of trade routes cuts off access to Slavs (slaves = cheap labor) from the Balkans Jacked up prices on luxury goods

5. The Middle Man Desired to cut Muslims out Wanted GOLD Wanted pepper/spices Wanted porcelain Desired to go directly to the source

5. Collapse of Pax Mongolica Silk Road unsafe How to get Indian cotton, E. African gold, S.E. Asian Spices? –go around Africa to reach the riches of India by H 2 O!

Need + Opportunity + Skill = European Exploration

Portugal Makes its Move 1415 C.E. – Sack Moroccan city of Ceuta Discover there is a LOT of gold there New Goal = reach Songhai by sailing around West Africa to the source Ceuta

Difficulties Water Currents – can go down not up Prince Henry the Navigator; opens a school to figure it all out 1462 – Reach around the bulge of W. Africa Songhai – Portugal LEASED a port and traded peacefully for gold, ivory, pepper Were NOT strong enough to dominate – had to pay for trading rights Exchanged guns, cannons, metal goods

Trade Develops/Atlantic Slave Trade Begins West African Kingdoms = Empire Building Kongo, Benin, Ashanti W. African Empires begin using male POWs from African wars to extract gold to trade w/ Europeans. Europeans traded guns for slaves Slave trade was controlled by Africans at first After about 100 years, slaves were the #1 export. This disrupted population patterns, b/c so many men were taken into slavery.

Changes in IOMS Trade Before = no central control. Traders operated independently of governments Portuguese introduced use of organized gov’t military force to the system Governments invested in the success of trading operations Sugar was produced by slaves off the coast of Europe/West Africa – slave trade from W. Africa picks up A new “Atlantic System” of trade develops