A Renaissance Europe 5. The Age of Exploration p. 104 Flashcards
What was the effect of the collapse of the Mongol Empire in 1405?
Trade routes to and from China were no longer secure
What was the effect of the conquest of Christian Constantinople by the Muslim Turks in 1453?
Trade between Europe and the East was threatened.
What did Europeans believe would solve their trade problems?
Creating a sea route the the East would be a solution to their trade problems. It would give them control over their supply of goods. And they hoped to get rich by bringing in spices and other trade goods to sell on the European market.
There was not enough gold to go around, so what do you think the effect of this was?
European mines were running out of gold and silver, so they needed to find new sources of these precious metals so that their economy could continue to grow.
Exploration became more meaningful in search of gold.
Prince Henry
Held the typical attitude of European Christians at this time: they felt threatened by the Muslim nations to the south and east of them.
Prince Henry the Navigator from Portugal:
Prince Henry hoped that Prester John (a mythical Christian monarch) would help Portuguese explorers to convert people in Africa and to join the Christian nations of Europe in a crusade against the Muslims.
So global exploration was becoming more meaningful in this context as well.
He sponsored many voyages along the coast of Africa.
European explorers in Canada and religion
They were often accompanied by missionaries spreading Catholicism and Anglicism by bringing those priests to present-day Canada
E.g. Robert Rundle of the Methodist Church set up a base at Fort Edmonton to serve people throughout the West.
Rundle arrived in Fort Edmonton on 16 October 1840, after almost a month and a half travelling by river. He remained in the Saskatchewan District for eight years before his permanent departure.
European Expansionism
Refers to the actions and attitudes of Europe whose goal is to increase its power and territory.
During the Age of Exploration, countries sent out explorers on voyages of thousands of kilometers to achieve their expansionist goals.
Who were the first few European explorers in the years around 1488-1534?
- Batholomeu Dias (Portugal) first European country to become involved in organized exploration
- Christopher Columbus (Spain) 1492
- Giovanni Caboto (England)
- Jacques Cartier (France)
Slave trade
The portuguese became involved in the slave trade in Africa
Slavery existed in Africa before the arrival of Europeans
During the next three centuries after explorers arrived in Africa, Europeans captured and transported millions of Africans to the Americas as slaves. Many died on route from the terrible conditions on the slave ships or from overwork when they arrived.
How did the Portuguese try to get to Asia?
They focused their attention on reaching Asia by going around Africa.
How did Christopher Columbus’s navigational view differ from the Portuguese?
Columbus was convinced there was a shorter route to Asia by going west across the Atlantic Ocean.
After 33 days sailing west Columbus sighted land. He believed this was Asia, but it was not.
He made four voyages.
He died bitter and poor after his fourth voyage in 1506.
After Columbus, the Spanish continued to look for a western sea route to Asia. What happened?
In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan sailed south along the coast of South America and on into the Pacific Ocean. After four months of sailing he landed in the Philippines.
Magellan was killed after getting involved in a local war, but his ship in new command reached Spain loaded with spices. This was the first voyage known to circumnavigate the world.
The Articles of Agreement between the Lords the Catholic Sovereigns and Cristobal Colon
- outlined rights for those on ships in the expansionism era
- Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand declare power over unknown oceans
- Columbus is given power over the places he visits (he is called Admiral, Viceroy, and Governor General in the agreement)
Cristobal Colon is Christopher Columbus
