The Age of Exploration

Why did Europeans begin to explore? The desire to grow rich The desire to spread Christianity New advances in sailing and exploration technology

Christopher Columbus Spain financed Columbus’ risky voyage because they wanted an alternate trade route to the far east (why didn’t they just travel on land?)

Columbian Exchange The transfer of goods from one hemisphere to another where they previously never existed – Ships from the Americas brought back goods Europeans had never seen like tomatoes, squash, pineapples, tobacco, and chocolate.

Which countries were successful?

Jamestown, Virginia England’s first permanent settlement in North America. – People originally first arrived searching for gold and didn’t really plant crops. This was disastrous, as 7 out of every 10 people died from hunger, disease, or battles with Native Americans. – Once colonists discovered tobacco, Jamestown became very profitable.

Jamestown

Rivalry between Spain & Portugal Worried that Spain gained an edge when Columbus thought he discovered another route to Asia, Portugal dedicated themselves to exploring the world too. There was a lot of tension between Spain and Portugal. Portugal claimed they had discovered America first. In 1493, Pope Alexander had to step in to keep the peace between the two nations. Eventually, the two countries agreed to sign the Treaty of Tordesillas

Treaty of Tordesillas

Mercantilism Economic theory that a country’s power came from its material wealth. Thus, a country would do everything possible to acquire more gold, preferably at the expense of its rivals. A mercantilist country primarily sought gold in two ways: establishing and exploiting colonies, and establishing a favorable balance of trade with a rival country.

Triangular trade The economic relationship between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, where slaves were exchanged for raw materials, which were exchanged for manufactured goods, which were exchanged for even more slaves and so on

Triangular trade

The Middle Passage The stage of the triangular trade in which millions of people from Africa were shipped to the New World as part of the Atlantic slave trade