The Age of Exploration

Causes of Exploration Renaissance ideas of humanism and intellectual progress God: Reformation and Counter-Reformation create desires to convert people to religions Gold: Desire for Luxury Goods and Wealth Glory: Could become famous (and rich!) off of exploration Advances in Technology Better navigation devices (compass) Shipbuilding improved (larger, faster ships)

The Caravel & the astrolabe

Who Started the Age of Exploration? Portugal Prince Henry the Navigator funded many expeditions to the Atlantic Ocean and Africa Main Goal: Find a water route around Africa to India Bartolomeu Dias Vasco de Gama Pedro Alvares Cabral Portuguese empire included: Ports in Africa Port of Macao (China) Port of Goa (India) Brazil

Who Started the Age of Exploration? Spain Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) Supported by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella Main Goal: Wanted to seek new routes to the East (India and China) Christopher Columbus Vasco Nunez de Balboa Ferdinand Magellan Spanish empire: Philippeans, the majority of the Americas & Pacific Islands

Who else was exploring? Looking for northwest passage to India Britain The Netherlands France Looking for northwest passage to India Discovers Hudson Bay (New England) More serious in 1600s Colonized eastern coast of USA & the Caribbean Won independence (1648) Dutch East India Company Colonized much of eastern US & Brazil Ousted Portugal from Indonesia Crossed Atlantic in 1543 Settled in Canada & northern US

Consequences of the Age of Exploration Colonialism one country taking over and settling in land in another region Starts a larger trend of Europeans moving to the Americas Columbian Exchange Global exchange of goods, plants, animals and diseases between the Americas and Europe

The Columbian Exchange From Europe, Africa, and Asia to the Americas From the Americas to Europe Cattle Chickens Donkeys Horses Pigs Bananas Sugar Coffee Diseases: Smallpox, Influenza, Measles, Cholera Guinea Pigs Turkeys Beans Chocolate Corn Potatoes Pecans Pineapples Rubber Tobacco Tomatoes Vanilla

Results of the Columbian Exchange Crops native to Americas became key parts of the European diet (i.e. Potato in Ireland) Improved health of Europeans and Asians  Increased life expectancy and population growth New economic activities in Americas (coffee plantations, cattle ranches) Introduction of new diseases dramatically decreases Native American population

Mercantilism Theory that a state’s power depended on its wealth Mercantilism fueled colonialism under the belief that a large empire was the key to wealth Sought to export more than import- balance of trade Image: Adam Smith Mercantilism Theory that a state’s power depended on its wealth Bullion – measure of wealth Balance of trade – export > imports Mercantilism is the economic theory that a nation's prosperity depended upon its supply of gold and silver, that the total volume of trade is unchangeable. This theory suggests that the government should play an active role in the economy by encouraging exports and discouraging imports, especially through the use of tariffs. The economic policy that flourished in the early modern period is often referred to as mercantilism or as the mercantile system. These ideas stemmed from bullionism, a theory that precious metals equal wealth. The term was coined by the political economist Adam Smith in 1776, from the Latin word mercari, which means "to run a trade", from merx, meaning "commodity". It was initially used solely by critics, such as Smith, but was quickly adopted by historians Smith’s Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations studied the development of industry and commerce in Europe, and helped to create the academic discipline of economics.

2 ways to gain wealth/power Extract gold/silver from your (or others who you have conquered) mines Sell more goods to other countries to get their gold - Balance of Trade: difference in value between imports and exports over time

Additional Consequences of the Age of Exploration Impact on Native American Population New diseases killed millions of Native Americans 80% of population died Colonization leads to need for more workers Creation of the Atlantic Slave Trade Caused by decline in Native American population Needed a labor force 15-20 million Africans to Americas

Primary Source Document Christopher Columbus Who was this letter written to? Why would Columbus write a letter to them? What type of language (or word choice) did Columbus use and do you think that the language you use is important? What types of things were discussed or highlighted in Columbus’ letter?

In-Class Group Exercise In groups of four (or less), come up with a way to ask a king or queen for permission & funds to explore the New World Be SPECIFIC Name a specific King or Queen Name the country you are sailing for & where you want to go Give dates if applicable You can… Write a LETTER: provide the correct structures of a formal letter…remember you’re writing to a KING or QUEEN! Write a JOURNAL/DIARY entry describing your goals, hopes, aspirations or observation about an exploration Create a POSTER or ADVERTISEMENT about the benefits of exploration Other ideas are welcom! Be creative (Just okay an idea with me first)