Exploration Flashcards
Why was there an age of exploration?
European countries in search of new trade routes to get to eastern countries:
Alternative route to silk road which was mainly over land, took a long time to ship goods.
Rise of absolute monarchies in Europe:
-Centralised power and wealth enabled them to fund expensive trips across the Atlantic. (Christopher Columbus funded by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.)
Dramatic improvements in navigational skills and Technology, could travel further/more accurate.
-Example: improved ship building: carrack and the caravel, allowed explorers to hold more cargo and the venture further than ever before.
Interest in foreign cultures and foods.
Renaissance in Europe caused an expansion of new ideas and new understandings of the world.
How did Renaissance learning and value impact exploration?
Emphasis on the Individual and Bold Action
Humanism:Renaissance humanism celebrated individual potential and achievements - explorers like Columbus - seek personal glory -Emphasis on the Individual and Bold Action
Patronage:Wealthy patrons funded explorations for prestige, fostering a competitive environment that encouraged ambitious - bold ventures.
Emulation of Classical Achievements
Classical Revival: The Renaissance revival of Greek - Roman achievements inspired explorers to emulate classical explorers, viewing themselves as continuing their legacy.
Classical Texts: Rediscovery of texts like Ptolemy’s “Geography” provided knowledge - inspiration, driving curiosity - the desire to verify - expand upon classical information.
Acquisition of Knowledge
Scientific Advances: The Renaissance’s scientific inquiry - technological advancements in navigation - shipbuilding made exploration more feasible - driven by the spirit of discovery.
Intellectual Inquiry:The period’s emphasis on questioning - empirical observation motivated explorers to gather firsthand knowledge - expand human understanding. make significant contributions.
How did trade affect the age of exploration?
A major factor motivating the European age of exploration was a search for direct access to the highly lucrative spice trade.
Spices in demand for reasons such as flavoring dishes, to burn for perfumes, and to use in medicine
Europe’s elite intrigued on how to get spices without being ripped off by the Arab and Eastern merchants.
1453 fall of Constantinople, Capital of Byzantine Empire was lost to ottoman empire, meaning one of the principal land routes for spices into Europe was lost.
Motivation for Europeans to find their own route and achiev control of their production at the source.
There was the bonus, too, that by circumventing the Islamic traders who dominated the trade in the spice markets of Aden and Alexandria, Christendom would not have to give its gold to its number one ideological enemy.
Discovering new agricultural land to grow cereal crops would help reduce trade deficits.
Prospect of acquiring prestige and riches for the European elite and those mariners who sailed into the unknown.
How did religion affect the age of exploration?
Catholic Leaders of European countries - spread religion to natives in colonies - insisted a Priest be taken of the expeditions.
Explorers: Freedom for their own religion - escape the enforced religions of the countries they lived. (perhaps).
Example of Monarchs Spreading: Isabella to sponsor Columbus was her crusading spirit. Determined for Spanish to spread Christianity. Enlisted support of the pope to claim the Spanish Indies. Pope Alexander VI was Spanish was excited about spreading Christianity.
Ovando (Spanish) took 17 Franciscans and four priests to help convert the native in Haiti to Christianity (1502)
1503 Isabella and Ferdinand set up rules to ‘educate’ Natives into ‘civilized Christianity’: Must live under Spanish protector and pay tax. Taught Christianity, baptized into Christian faith, expected to give up non-Christian beliefs. Taught to read, write and dress ‘decently’.
Religion and Protection of the Natives: Reports reached Spain about abuse of the Natives. Archbishop of Saville, horrified, sent a group of Dominican missionaries to Haiti to try stop mistreatment.
1511, Dominican Antonio de Montesinos delivered a sermon - 1st time publicly denounced the encomienda system, for exploitation and abuse of the Indians.
How did Technological change affect exploration?:
Navigation
Navigation
Kamal, which would measure altitude to figure out latitude (the north or south position of a ship). Simpler tool, used by sailors to get back home after a voyage.
1484, group of astronomers consulted Jhon II of Portugal about using the mid-day sun to measure latitude, marked the bringing together of practical skills and academic science in Navigation.
Quadrant, used to measure height north star, or any star (the sun), this height would tell you the latitude, could then stay in a straight line.
1478, Abraham Zacuto compiled tables to translate the elevation of the sun into the observer’s latitude, using the suns declination. Made it easier to understand readings from a quadrant or astrolabe.
Astrolabe, used for measuring the current latitude of the ship, the time of day or night, and the position of stars or planets in the sky. Used by Columbus and Magellan.
What was the impact of ottoman expansion on the age of exploration?
Progressive expansions:
-East and North Africa at the expense of other Muslim dominions.
-South-East - expense of Europe: Made Balkans their vassal, and reached as far as Vienna - under siege in 1529.
-In Mediterranean at the expense of Venetian powers.
1453, Ottoman Empire took control of Constantinople blocked European access to area, severely limiting trade, also blocked access to North Africa and the Red Sea, two important trade routes to the far east.
The Ottomans had a monopoly over trade between Europe and Asia, it gained many of the land routes to East Asia.
Ottoman taxes and restrictions on trade in its territory encouraged Europeans to seek new trade routes to Asia.
What were the motives for patronage of exploration?
Religious motives:
To crusade Christianity: Catholic Leaders of European countries set on spreading their religion to the Natives of the places they colonized. It was insisted that a Preist should be taken of the expeditions.
There was the bonus, too, that by circumventing the Islamic traders who dominated the trade in the spice markets of Aden and Alexandria, Christendom would not have to give its gold to its number one ideological enemy.
Economic Motives:
Prospect of acquiring prestige and riches for the European elite.
Discovering new agricultural land to grow cereal crops would help reduce trade deficits.
Europe’s elite intrigued on how to get spices without being ripped off by the Arab and Eastern merchants
How did Technological change affect exploration?:
Ships
Ships
caravel was developed specifically for long-distance trade by Prince Henry the Navigator from Portugal. It had two or three masts that used square sails on open water but switched to triangular lateen sails when closer to shore. Due to a rounded bottom, caravels were also very fast and because of this many pirates liked to use them. Lanteen sails - allowed sail against the wind - crucial for navigating unpredictable winds and currents of open ocean.
carrack had a rounded stern and two large structures on top. The one at the front was the forecastle, and the back was the aftcastle. They also used lateen and square sails and could have two to four masts depending on the size of the ship—which could reach 2,000 tons.
-cargo carrying capacity
-storage space
-Defensive armament
-Long voyages
General facts of Portugal
-Chivalric nobility
-One secondary university
-Market dominated by Venetians and genoese
-Hardly touched by Renaissance.
-Had extensive west facing coast line and favorable winds towards Africa.
Muslims in Portugal and Spain?
Portugal kept Muslims away from their land during the Medieval period, unlike Spain.
Last Moors expelled from Portugal in 1249.
Spain only completed territorial Reconquista in 1492, with the fall of Granada.
1415, Portuguese conquer the fortified muslim outpost of Ceuta in North-West Africa - first Portuguese foothold in Africa.
Portugal and Castile?
-Castile - biggest Spanish kingdom, east of Portugal, remained a threat to contend with.
-Under Queen Isabella from 1474-1504.
-Relations muted depending on familial and monarchical connections - E.g. when King Pedro I married a Castillian Princess.
-However, accession of Jhon I to throne - anti-Castillian sentiment grew - led to the invasion of Portugal by Castille.
-English intervention on the side of Portugal - led to defeat of Catille in the Battle of Aljubarotta (1385)
-Further strengthen English - Portuguese alliance - daughter of English King John ‘the Guant’ daughter marries Portuguese Jhon I - Henry ‘the Navigator’ - their son.
The growth of Castille in Spain
-On going conflict with Muslims in southern half of Spanish peninsula.
-In process Catille emerged the strongest/largest Kingdom, went through a period of expansion and stability.
-Union of major Kingdoms of Aragon and Castille - 1469 - Marriage Ferdinand and Isabella.
-Together Complete reconquista (from Muslims) 1492.
-In competition with Portugal (already in Africa 1415) Isabella supports Columbu’s venture.
Affect of the Catholic zeal of the Spanish monarchs?
-establishment of the strictest inquisition in Europe.
-Expulsion of any Muslims and Jews that would not convert to Christianity.
