1. 19.1 – Europeans Explore the East

2. Exploration & Expansion
Reasons for exploration:
Riches = new sources of wealth
Spread Christianity
Spurred by advances in sailing technology
New Market: Spices & luxury goods from Asia
Demand greater than supply = high prices = high profits
Trade controlled by Italians & Muslims = high prices for Europe
Look for ways to bypass these two

3. Expansion (cont.)
The Crusades created hostility between Muslims & Christians
Hope to Christianize Asia & directly obtain goods
“God, glory, & gold”
1400s: Caravel invented
Sturdier, triangle sails = sail against the wind
Navigation
Astrolabe (Muslims) – track latitude
Magnetic Compass (China) – track direction

4. Portugal Leaders in sailing innovation
Strong government support
First to set-up trading posts in Africa
Prince Henry (“The Navigator”)
Founds a navigation school to perfect & expand exploration
1460: Henry dies, but begins European trade w/ Africa
Gold, ivory, & eventually slaves
Starting blocks for reaching Asian markets

5. To Asia Goal: To reach Asia
Best route = sail around the tip of Africa
1488: Bartolomeu Dias reaches to tip of Africa
Has to turn back
1497: Vasco da Gama explores east coast of Africa
1498: reaches the Indian port of Calicut
Opens a lucrative trade route to Asia for Portugal

6. Spain Envious of Portugal’s advancements
1492: Christopher Columbus sails to find a route to Asia across the Atlantic
Reaches the Caribbean & opens up colonization of the Americas
Believed he had reached the East Indies
Ferdinand Magellan sails around the world
1521: Claims the Philippines for Spain

8. Magellan’s Voyage

9. Spain v. Portugal
Columbus’ voyage leads to tensions between Spain & Portugal
Spain claiming Portuguese lands???
1493: Pope Alexander VI negotiates a peace = Line of Demarcation
West (Spain)/East (Portugal)
Runs through ~middle of Brazil
1494: Treaty of Tordesillas
Agree to honor the line

10. Treaty of Tordesillas

11. Portugal’s Trading Empire
Da Gama’s voyage = Indian Ocean trade empire
Take control of spice trade from Muslims
Break the Muslim-Italian dominated Eastern trade
Gain control of vital trading ports/areas
1510: capture Goa (becomes trade capital)
1511: Control the Strait of Malacca
1514: Control the Straits of Hormuz

12. Dutch The Netherlands: Small nation in NW Europe
1600: Largest fleet in the world (20K ships)
Threaten Portuguese trade
Slowing take over trade
Form the Dutch East India Company = directs trade to Asia
Take the Strait of Malacca from the Portuguese
Gain control of Indonesia & the Cape of Good Hope (Tip of Africa)

14. British & French Britain fought w/ the Dutch to open eastern trade
Create the English East India Company
1700: Britain & France gain a foothold
British trade from India flourishes
France struggles to gain much profit v. competition