European Exploration

By the fifteenth century, Europeans were aware of places as distant as Africa, India and China. However, they had no idea of the existence of the Americas. Yet by 1650, most of the Atlantic coastline of the Americas would be under the control of European powers.

Europe Explores the “New World”

Why did Europeans begin to explore the world during the 15th and 16th

centuries?

Curiosity Curiosity

• Wanted to know “what was really out Wanted to know “what was really out there”there”

• During the Renaissance period, During the Renaissance period, people became more educated and people became more educated and curious about the worldcurious about the world

• Started asking Started asking questionsquestions

Economic ReasonsEconomic ReasonsWealth (Gold)Wealth (Gold)

• Spain acquired a great deal of Spain acquired a great deal of wealth in goldwealth in gold taken from the taken from the Americas (Aztecs, Inca)Americas (Aztecs, Inca)

• People were seeing new wealth People were seeing new wealth from investment and trade. from investment and trade.

• European countries hoped to European countries hoped to increase their increase their profitsprofits through through exploration. exploration.

Political Reasons Political Reasons Fame & GloryFame & Glory

• With fame came wealth With fame came wealth which which motivated explorers and the motivated explorers and the monarchs who funded them.monarchs who funded them.

Political ReasonsPolitical ReasonsNational Pride & National Pride &

GloryGlory

• In the early 15In the early 15thth century countries in century countries in Europe (Spain, France, Portugal, Europe (Spain, France, Portugal, England, & Netherlands) hoped to England, & Netherlands) hoped to extend their influence through extend their influence through exploration. exploration.

• LAND LAND = = WEALTH WEALTH = = POWERPOWER

• Spain, France, & England constantly Spain, France, & England constantly fought wars to control the most landfought wars to control the most land

Religious Reasons Religious Reasons

Religion & GodReligion & God

• European missionaries, European missionaries, especially from Spain and especially from Spain and Portugal, sought to Portugal, sought to spread spread the Christian religion. the Christian religion.

• Christian missionaries Christian missionaries believed they not only believed they not only have a superior religion, have a superior religion, but also a superior culture. but also a superior culture.

Foreign GoodsForeign Goods• Marco Polo wrote of what he found in

China – silks, spices, jewels, and gold.

• Polo’s writings encouraged an increase in trade.

Better Trade Better Trade RoutesRoutes

• European merchants and rulers were anxious to find a sea route to reach China and the Spice Islands of the East Indies.

• This would allow European merchants to ship these luxury goods more easily back to Europe.

• Traveling by land was slow, expensive, and dangerous

• Columbus believed he could travel west across the ocean and reach Asia (up to this point everyone had traveled east, never west).

Spain, France and England were ready to claim land in the Americas.

Reasons For European Reasons For European Colonization Colonization (Gold, Glory & (Gold, Glory & God)God)

Nation Purpose

SpainSpread Religion, Gain Wealth, Expand Empire

France Fur Trade, Expansion

England Religious Freedom, Economic Opportunity

•Italian sea captain, Christopher Columbus found support for his voyage from the King and Queen of Spain.

•Columbus was looking for a faster route to the Indies to– find gold, jewels and spices– possibly convert heathens to Christianity

Heathen - an offensive term that deliberately insults somebody who does not acknowledge the God of the Bible, Torah, or Koran

Columbus set sail in 1492. He never reached Asia, but instead landed in

the West Indies, where he established Spain’s first settlements in what became known as the “New World.”

The “Columbian The “Columbian Exchange”Exchange”

• Columbian Exchange – The exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres that occurred after 1492.

• Europeans learned about new foods, such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and chocolate from the Americas.

• Europeans introduced the Americas to sugar, wheat, oranges, grapes and onions.

The “Columbian The “Columbian Exchange”Exchange”

• Europeans also introduced many new animals to the Western Hemisphere, including horses, sheep, goats, cows, cats, and rats.

• The Americas exposure to the Europeans also brought diseases like smallpox, typhus, cholera, and measles. Approx. 2 to 18 million Native Americans died from European diseases since they had no immunity.

The “Columbian The “Columbian Exchange”Exchange”

The “Columbian The “Columbian Exchange”Exchange”

A conclusion best supported by this illustration is that the Columbian Exchange(1) increased the isolation between Europe and the Americas(2) ended the slave trade in the Eastern Hemisphere(3) led to the spread of disease to the natives of the Americas(4) resulted in a decrease in trade between North America and

Europe