Motives and contributions of individual explorers

Question 1

Dias: who is he?

Answer 1

-Portugese
-Nobel Family
-In his youth - travelled gold coast with Diogo de Azambuja
-Knight of the Portuguese court.

Question 2

What were Diaz’s motivations?

Answer 2

-Making contact with Paster Jhon - a character from Medieval narrative - Christian believed to have created a Kingdom in Africa - possible ally against the Muslims.
-Personal adventure and the status achieved via discovery.
-national aggrandisement
-riches - for his nation and himself.
-alternative route to India

Question 3

What were Dias’s achivements?

Answer 3

-1st to navigate around the Souther tip of Africa.
-Continued exploration of other portugese explorers and navigators - who since the early 15th century had journeyed along the coast of West Africa - progressing more and more south.
-Oversaw preparation of Vasco Dagama’s navigation.
-Navigated with Da Gama and Later with Cabral.

Question 4

Limitations of Dias’s exploration’s?

Answer 4

-Did not reach India - his crew and officers advised him to return to Portugal - scarcity of supplies and difficulty to access new provisions due to the coast not bing hospitable/unknown intentions of people they might meet along the way.

Successful in rounding the Cape of Storms/Good Hope - navigation route considered very perilous - others (Cabral) - chose to naviaget far off the South African coast.

Question 5

Challenges faced by Dias?

Answer 5

-Positioning unchartered waters - in Southern Africa - caught in a storm for 13 days before rounding Africa.
-disease on board
-Lack of/running out of supplies.
-Hostile encounters

Question 6

Padro de Covilhā

Answer 6

-Before Dias returned he was sent to find land route to India through Mediterranean, red sea and North of Africa - did reach Indian + sent dispateches to Portugal.
-King told him not to return without finding Pastor John.
-Christian Coptics of Abyssinia - closest he found - lived their till death.

Question 7

Da Gama: who is he?

Answer 7

-Portuguese
-noble family
-grew up near a port

Question 8

Da Gama: Motivations

Answer 8

-Similar to Dias:
Personal adventure and the status achieved via discovery.
-national aggrandisement
-riches - for his nation and himself.
-alternative route to India

Question 9

Da Gama: Achievements

Answer 9

-1st to reach India 1498 and return home:
1st voyage - benefitted from expertise of Dias - oversaw preparation of 4 vessels, 170 men.

-2nd Voyage: 1502
-at sea with 20 armed ships
-attacked Muslim vessels - established Portuguese trade with the East - breaking and replacing Muslim/Arab and Venetian monopolies.

-Was given governmental role of Viceroy of India on behalf of Portugal - went back to India for role in 1524 - but died that year.

Question 10

Why was there 10 years between Dias and Da Gama?

Answer 10

-awaiting Covilha
-Death of Jhon II
-Preparation for the second trip
-Return of Columbus in 1492 - challenged the rights to the market between Spain and Portugal (Columbus thought he had found the Indies) - settled by Treaty of Tordesillas 1494.

Question 11

Da Gama: Limitations and Challenges

Answer 11

-Usual explorer problems (weather, supplies etc)

-Underestimated the culture he encountered so the goods he had taken were not as appealing as he thought.
-E.g. Mozambique leader was not willing to trade with Da Gama.

-Malandi - hired Muslim navigator to help him to India
-Once in India - struggled with commerce - market was dominated by the Muslim Traders.

-On his 1st return journey - timed departure wrong - unaware of Monsoon season - Da Gama’s crew struggled for a month in the Indian Ocean - Before reaching East African coast - survived only with the help of Sultan of Malindi.

-Needed Malindi’s help as lack of Fresh fruit caused Scurvy with lethal consequences - only 54/170 of Da gama’s men returned to Lisbon in 1499.

Question 12

Columbus: who was he?

Answer 12

-Navigator by trade from Genoa - had travelled to Guinea, England, the levant Island.

-son of weaver and cheese vendor - lived most of his life in Spain/Portugal.

-for decade - without success - tried to convince European monarchs to finance his westward venture.
-eventually succeeded - his patrons were Spanish Monarchs - Isabella of Castile -1492.
-Although - find finance partly himself.

Question 13

Columbus motivations?

Answer 13

-Not from noble family - had connection to nobility through his wife.
-therefore personal prestige - key motivation - he asked Spanish monarchs to give him a series of title - including Admiral of the Ocean’s and make titles hereditary - also had administrative role as governor of a few settlements.

Question 14

Columbus Achievements

Answer 14

Personal achievements:
-Persistent - finding support for his venture.
-tenacity to sail into the unknown - with the wind behind.
-ability to keep crew together despite uncertainty of goals/distances.

Wider achievement:
-Chartered navigation route that changed world history - despite his blind conviction that he reached India.
-Established 1st Spanish settlements in ‘The New World’.
-Brought unknown items to Europe.
-Brought awareness that there were other cultures and humans that had not previously been known.
-for good and for bad - he changed history.

Question 15

Columbus voyages

Answer 15

FIrst Voyage
-1492
-2 Caravels
-1Carrack
-120 men
-Land fall in what is now the Bahama Islands.
-explored Cuba and Hispaniola and built a stockade on Hispaniola at the new city La Navidad.

Second voyage
-1493-6
-1200 volunteers
-17 ships
-Reached Hispaniola - discovered that Taino natives had destroyed the stockade at La Navidad.
-Left brothers in charge and returned to Spain.

Third Voyage:
-1498-1500
-6 ships
-200 crew
-explored Trinidad, the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela, and the mouth of the Grande River.
-failed to find treasures or a strait to India.

Fourth Voyage:
-1502-04
-4 ships.
-explore Jamaica, southern Cuba, Honduras, the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua, and parts of Panama.

Question 16

What were Columbus limitations and challenges?

Answer 16

Typical explorer challenges

Also:
-Prospect of mutiny - from the crew - possibility of no return - not enough provisions to return.

Did not return to Spain with gold and spices in a promised quantity.

His experience as a governor - faced internal and external hostility and was unsuccessful.

Question 17

Who is Vespucci?

Answer 17

-Part of historic family - in economic decline.
-From Florence
-In Seville on the behalf of the Medici’s as a shipping agent.

Question 18

What were Vespuccis motivations?

Answer 18

-Possibility of wealth and status.
-Gained some experience in navigation.
-Unknown how he gained command for his first voyage - maybe was one of the Shareholders.

-In 1495 - King Ferdinand had abrogated Columbus’s monopoly… private enterprises were allowed - Vespucci embarked with two from Columbus vogages - one who was Juan da la Cosa - author of The ‘New World’.

Question 19

What were Vespucci’s achievements?

Answer 19

-Reached the Amazon basin (which he called the Gulf of Santa Maria).

-reached Brazil the same year as Cabral.
-Contested who did it first.

-Vespucci claimed to gave journeyed South - towards the tip of South America - patagonia. (venturing beyond the lune of Tordesillas, in Spanish territory.

-Comparison to others - not associated with any breakthrough.
-Yet - little in known about his voyages - but he did write a few popular letters.
-Published and known in Europe - one of them - reference to ‘New World’ - perhaps coined the Term.
-explicitly referred to a new continent.

-Made Chief Pilot by Spanish Monarchs.
-German Cartographer named new continent America - become common use by the early decades of the 16th century.

Question 20

Who was Cabral?

Answer 20

-From a noble family

-Member of the court, advisor to Manuel I

-Portuguese

Question 21

What were Cabral’s motivations?

Answer 21

Like other Portuguese explorers who were part of the ruling elite - national aggrandisement.

Cabral returned to his private life once he returned to Portugal after his first and only Voyage.

Question 22

Cabral achivements?

Answer 22

-1500 - Admiral of a fleet of 13 ships - 100 crew - Bartholomew Dias (advisor).
-Objective of expanding the trade connection with Malabar coast - (south west of India).

Instead of coasting Africa - navigated west using prevailing winds and currents reported by Da Gama - unexpected winds carried him mission further west.

Discovered (by accident) land that extended to the east of the line drawn by Treaty of Tordesillas - came under Portugal’s sphere of influence - Brazil - called it ‘Vera Cruz’.

Brazil wood found - produced washable black and red dye - commercialised and profitable.
Portuguese established 2 factories in 1519 - Brazil named after this.

used easterly winds - till reached same latitude as Cape of Good Hope - the head eastward.

In India - established trading settlement in Cochin - South of usual trade route - due to enmity of Muslims traders.

Question 23

Cabral Limitations?

Answer 23

-Could not link with Calicut due to the hostility of the Muslim traders in the areas.

-4 ships and their crew died - caught in a storm off the coast of the Cape of Good hope - this included Dias.

Question 24

Who is Cortes?

Answer 24

-Spanish
-Conquistador
-Lawyer
-minor nobility of Spain
-In the army that conquered Cuba.

Question 25

What were Cortes’ motivations?

Answer 25

-Personal status - adventure and determination.
-Usual motivations for young noble explorer.

Question 26

What were Cortes’ achivements?

Answer 26

-Prime mover that lead to conquest of the powerful Aztec Empire (under Montezuma).

-Had to act with strategic acumen, unwavering determinations, brutality towards his subjects and natives - considered a great leader.

-narrowly escaped death a few times.

-Took the Aztec Empire - 1519-1520 eventually chosen by Charles V as governor of ‘New Spain’ -1522 - renamed the the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan ‘Mexico City’.

-Established colonies

-Promoted further exploration.

-Supported Franciscan and Dominican effort to convert the natives.

Question 27

Cortes: Challenges, limitations and failures.

Answer 27

-Charles V - tried to control Cortes - appointing 4 Royal officials to help him govern the New Spain - one reporting of the council of the Indies.

Minor setbacks - pale in comparison with what he conquered:
-his ambition to connect the Pacific Coast of Central American coast with Asia - not realised.

Internal opposition from Velasquez among others.

Spanish monarchs worried about great power of Cortes - wanted to curtail his independence.

Question 28

Cortes - Aztec population

Answer 28

-brutally repressed the left leaders of the Aztec.
-Population of 25 million reduced to 6 million.
-Many perished because of disease - small pox.

Question 29

Laws of Burgos?

Answer 29

1512
-Missionaries - increasing concern about the mistreatment of the native people.

-Laws introduced - confirmed encomienda system - however - salary paid - rules about working hours and conversions applied.

Question 30

Who is Pizarro?

Answer 30

Spanish

From lower nobility

Illiterate

Part of exploration of panama

Question 31

What were Pizarro’s motivations?

Answer 31

-personal success, wealth and prestige - considering his actions against the Inca.

Question 32

What were Pizarro’s achievements?

Answer 32

Less known about his conquest - did not have someone to document it like Cortes (Del Castillo).

Encountered raft with good cotton sail - carrying silver and gold items 1526 - led him to explore further.

His conquest greatly helped by internal dispute about the Inca rule - brothers Atahulpa and Huscar.

3 ships - 180 men - 27 horses - single handedly took over and annihilated the Inca Empire - proceeded to the conquest of Peru (where the Inca empire extended).

Spains main conquest since Cortes taking over Mexico.

Inca - wealthy/well organised administration with plenty to offer - including man power and developed urban area like Calamarra and Cuzco.

Question 33

Pizarro achievements - rebellion?

Answer 33

-His army crushed major rebellion in 1536 - led by Inca leader Manca.

-Only major rebellion after Pizzaro - due to acts of bad administration and brutal retaliation against the natives:
-leaving the complex irrigation system in disrepair.
-slaughter of the Llamas - key to transport and economy of Inca Empire.

Question 34

Advocate for good treatment of the natives

Answer 34

-Dominican Bartolome de las casas - pleaded on behalf of the natives against the cruelty of the coloniser and the problems of the Ecomienda system.

-Same who had argued for the huminisation of the native in the Valladolio debate (1550-1).

-1516 made ‘protector of the Indians’ by new King Charles V/I.

-Wrote popular account of the condition of the Indians: ‘A History of the destruction of the Indies’ - 1542.

Question 35

What were Pizarro’s failures?

Answer 35

-destruction of a civilisation and the pace of it in the 1530s.

-unable to administrates peacefully the vast empire he took over.

-Had to deal with repeated rebellions from other conquistadors:
-At las Salinas - Pizarro’s brothers prevailed and the other conquistador Almagro was killed.
In 1541 - Almagro’s faction killed Pizarro.
In 1546: The last of Pizarro’s brothers rose against the viceroy - who wanted to impose the New laws and managed to rule for 2 years - until he was killed and defeated in 1548.

Question 36

Who was Balboa?

Answer 36

-Spanish
-Lower nobility
-head of first stable settlement in South America (1511)
-first European to sight the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean - 1513

Question 37

Balboa’s motivations?

Answer 37

lower nobility - sought fortune in the Indies.

Question 38

Achievements?

Answer 38

-On expedition found survivors of the Colony founded by Ojeda - led by Pizarro - Odjeda had departed.

-On Advice of Balboa - settlers moved across Gulf of Uraba to Darien - less hostile Coast of Isthmus of Panama:
-Founded town of Santa Maria de la Antigua - first stable settlement on the continent.
-Began to acquire gold through barter/war with local Indians.
-Balboa elected as town magistrate/head of Colony.
-1511 King Ferdinand II sent orders that named Balboa interim governor and captain general of Darién.

-Told by Indians of sea and province rich in gold (Pacific ocean and Inca Empire.)
-Sent for reinforcements - however without waiting - sailed in Sep 1513 - accompanied 190 Spaniards - hundreds of Indian Porters.

Sep 25 1513 - sighted Peak.
-few days later - reached shore of the Gulf of San Miguel and took possession of the Mar del Sur (South Sea) and the adjacent lands for the king of Castile.

-His letters announcing ‘South Sea’ - gained him royal favor.

Eventually allowed by Pedrarias to explore the South Sea - fleet of ships built and transported in pieces across the mountains to the Pacific shore, where he explored the Gulf of San Miguel (1517–18)

Question 39

Challenges: Balboa?

Answer 39

Bolboa sent word to Spain to request reinforcements to find the land and ocean of gold, however not given command.
-Powerful nobleman Pedrarias - expedition numbering 2,000 - left Spain 1514.

Troubled relations between the two men - to settle Pedrarias betrothed his daughter Maria to Balboa.

Padrarias - seized and charged Balboa with rebellion, treason, mistreatment of the Indians etc - found guilty - condemned to death.

Question 40

Magellan

Answer 40

1480 - 1521

Who was he?
- Portuguese
- Noble family
- embarked on voyages for the Indian Viceroy for previous experience

Question 41

Magellan What were his motivations?

Answer 41

• for adventure
• find westward route to the spice islands
• expensive overland trade routes existed but were controlled by Arabs and Venetians
• rich goods to boost economy and wealth such as spices unknown to europeans

Question 42

Magellan What were his achievements?

Answer 42

• 1519 first voyage to find the spice islands westward
• circumnavigate the globe
• navigated the straights
• passed through the south tip of America
• crossed the Pacific ocean and reached the spice islands in 1521
• His crew finished the circumnavigation in 1522

Question 43

Magellan What were the limitations and challenges faced by Magellan?

Answer 43

• shortage of supplies
• hostile encounters
• difficult passages of waters such as the straits
• completely uncharted waters
• disputes and lack of communication between natives leading to conflict
• died in the Philippines due to conflict with locals and one of his ships (1521)