ECO/SNY 128 Spring 2015

Lecture 3The Age of Sail

M. Aykut Attar

Imperialism & the Age of Sail

Imperialism: conquest of one set of people by another.

◮ Very old in history

◮ But on the global scale, it was new.

Two Waves of Global Imperialism by Europeans

1. The Age of Sail (1450-1850)

2. The Age of Steam (1850-1950)

Today’s discussion is on the Age of Sail.

Imperialism & the Age of Sail

Imperialism: conquest of one set of people by another.

◮ Very old in history

◮ But on the global scale, it was new.

Two Waves of Global Imperialism by Europeans

1. The Age of Sail (1450-1850)

2. The Age of Steam (1850-1950)

Today’s discussion is on the Age of Sail.

Imperialism & the Age of Sail

Imperialism: conquest of one set of people by another.

◮ Very old in history

◮ But on the global scale, it was new.

Two Waves of Global Imperialism by Europeans

1. The Age of Sail (1450-1850)

2. The Age of Steam (1850-1950)

Today’s discussion is on the Age of Sail.

Imperialism & the Age of Sail

Imperialism: conquest of one set of people by another.

◮ Very old in history

◮ But on the global scale, it was new.

Two Waves of Global Imperialism by Europeans

1. The Age of Sail (1450-1850)

2. The Age of Steam (1850-1950)

Today’s discussion is on the Age of Sail.

The Age of Sail: Causes

—— Silk Road —— Spice Road

The Ottoman expansion closing the trade routes to AsiaThe first sails of discovery looking for a direct sea route to Asia

The Age of Sail: Causes

—— Silk Road —— Spice Road

The Ottoman expansion closing the trade routes to AsiaThe first sails of discovery looking for a direct sea route to Asia

The Age of Sail: Causes

—— Silk Road —— Spice Road

The Ottoman expansion closing the trade routes to AsiaThe first sails of discovery looking for a direct sea route to Asia

The Age of Sail: Causes

European disunity as a source of power:

◮ Few big centralized kingdoms with many smaller politicalrealms in a constant struggle for supremacy leading theminto rivalry and warfare.

◮ This stimulates advances and innovations in◮ technology,◮ tactics,◮ weapons, and◮ ship designs.

◮ And these explain the creation of some wealth.

Let’s look at this mechanism a bit more closely!

The Age of Sail: Causes

European disunity as a source of power:

◮ Few big centralized kingdoms with many smaller politicalrealms in a constant struggle for supremacy leading theminto rivalry and warfare.

◮ This stimulates advances and innovations in◮ technology,◮ tactics,◮ weapons, and◮ ship designs.

◮ And these explain the creation of some wealth.

Let’s look at this mechanism a bit more closely!

The Age of Sail: Causes

European disunity as a source of power:

◮ Few big centralized kingdoms with many smaller politicalrealms in a constant struggle for supremacy leading theminto rivalry and warfare.

◮ This stimulates advances and innovations in◮ technology,◮ tactics,◮ weapons, and◮ ship designs.

◮ And these explain the creation of some wealth.

Let’s look at this mechanism a bit more closely!

The Age of Sail: Causes

European disunity as a source of power:

◮ Few big centralized kingdoms with many smaller politicalrealms in a constant struggle for supremacy leading theminto rivalry and warfare.

◮ This stimulates advances and innovations in◮ technology,◮ tactics,◮ weapons, and◮ ship designs.

◮ And these explain the creation of some wealth.

Let’s look at this mechanism a bit more closely!

The Age of Sail: Causes

European disunity as a source of power:

◮ Few big centralized kingdoms with many smaller politicalrealms in a constant struggle for supremacy leading theminto rivalry and warfare.

◮ This stimulates advances and innovations in◮ technology,◮ tactics,◮ weapons, and◮ ship designs.

◮ And these explain the creation of some wealth.

Let’s look at this mechanism a bit more closely!

Kings realizing a virtuous circle of money and power:

precious metals

advanced technology success in conquest

The Logic of Mercantilism: Trade is a zero-sum war!

Maximize exportsMinimize imports

Accumulate all the precious metals

Kings realizing a virtuous circle of money and power:

precious metals

advanced technology success in conquest

The Logic of Mercantilism: Trade is a zero-sum war!

Maximize exportsMinimize imports

Accumulate all the precious metals

Some technical advances were necessary for Europeans to sailacross the globe

◮ compass & sextant

◮ new ship & rigging designs

◮ new metal alloys (lighter but powerful cannons & muskets)

Ottoman & Venetian galleys fragile in open oceanEuropean ships having more powerful arms & suitable for long sailsImportant difference with Europe and the rest:Big empires like those of Chinese & the Ottoman having no needto advance technologically or militarily because of no constantthreat of war.

Some technical advances were necessary for Europeans to sailacross the globe

◮ compass & sextant

◮ new ship & rigging designs

◮ new metal alloys (lighter but powerful cannons & muskets)

Ottoman & Venetian galleys fragile in open oceanEuropean ships having more powerful arms & suitable for long sailsImportant difference with Europe and the rest:Big empires like those of Chinese & the Ottoman having no needto advance technologically or militarily because of no constantthreat of war.

Some technical advances were necessary for Europeans to sailacross the globe

◮ compass & sextant

◮ new ship & rigging designs

◮ new metal alloys (lighter but powerful cannons & muskets)

Ottoman & Venetian galleys fragile in open oceanEuropean ships having more powerful arms & suitable for long sailsImportant difference with Europe and the rest:Big empires like those of Chinese & the Ottoman having no needto advance technologically or militarily because of no constantthreat of war.

Some technical advances were necessary for Europeans to sailacross the globe

◮ compass & sextant

◮ new ship & rigging designs

◮ new metal alloys (lighter but powerful cannons & muskets)

Ottoman & Venetian galleys fragile in open oceanEuropean ships having more powerful arms & suitable for long sailsImportant difference with Europe and the rest:Big empires like those of Chinese & the Ottoman having no needto advance technologically or militarily because of no constantthreat of war.

Some technical advances were necessary for Europeans to sailacross the globe

◮ compass & sextant

◮ new ship & rigging designs

◮ new metal alloys (lighter but powerful cannons & muskets)

Ottoman & Venetian galleys fragile in open oceanEuropean ships having more powerful arms & suitable for long sailsImportant difference with Europe and the rest:Big empires like those of Chinese & the Ottoman having no needto advance technologically or militarily because of no constantthreat of war.

Some technical advances were necessary for Europeans to sailacross the globe

◮ compass & sextant

◮ new ship & rigging designs

◮ new metal alloys (lighter but powerful cannons & muskets)

Ottoman & Venetian galleys fragile in open oceanEuropean ships having more powerful arms & suitable for long sailsImportant difference with Europe and the rest:Big empires like those of Chinese & the Ottoman having no needto advance technologically or militarily because of no constantthreat of war.

Finance: An Important Element for the Age of Sail

◮ Europeans needed to finance all these voyages and conquest.

◮ Merchant and banking corporations in Europe were on therise.

◮ Charters were given to private corporations for conquest bykings.

◮ Conquistadors were more entrepreneurs than royal servants,driven by visions of gold, spices, silver & slaves.

Finance: An Important Element for the Age of Sail

◮ Europeans needed to finance all these voyages and conquest.

◮ Merchant and banking corporations in Europe were on therise.

◮ Charters were given to private corporations for conquest bykings.

◮ Conquistadors were more entrepreneurs than royal servants,driven by visions of gold, spices, silver & slaves.

Finance: An Important Element for the Age of Sail

◮ Europeans needed to finance all these voyages and conquest.

◮ Merchant and banking corporations in Europe were on therise.

◮ Charters were given to private corporations for conquest bykings.

◮ Conquistadors were more entrepreneurs than royal servants,driven by visions of gold, spices, silver & slaves.

Finance: An Important Element for the Age of Sail

◮ Europeans needed to finance all these voyages and conquest.

◮ Merchant and banking corporations in Europe were on therise.

◮ Charters were given to private corporations for conquest bykings.

◮ Conquistadors were more entrepreneurs than royal servants,driven by visions of gold, spices, silver & slaves.

Imperialism, Deaths, and Diffusion

◮ Imperialism was almost invariably a disaster for theconquered people.

◮ Mexico before the Spanish conquest: 25 million peopleMexico after the Spanish conquest: 2 million people

◮ Similar devastating losses of native populations elsewhere inthe Western Hemisphere.

◮ Not only Guns, Germs and Steel but also values &organization

◮ political, economic, social, psychological, ideological, andtechnical forces of modernity VERSUS the traditionallives of the traditional people in the conquered places

Imperialism, Deaths, and Diffusion

◮ Imperialism was almost invariably a disaster for theconquered people.

◮ Mexico before the Spanish conquest: 25 million peopleMexico after the Spanish conquest: 2 million people

◮ Similar devastating losses of native populations elsewhere inthe Western Hemisphere.

◮ Not only Guns, Germs and Steel but also values &organization

◮ political, economic, social, psychological, ideological, andtechnical forces of modernity VERSUS the traditionallives of the traditional people in the conquered places

Imperialism, Deaths, and Diffusion

◮ Imperialism was almost invariably a disaster for theconquered people.

◮ Mexico before the Spanish conquest: 25 million peopleMexico after the Spanish conquest: 2 million people

◮ Similar devastating losses of native populations elsewhere inthe Western Hemisphere.

◮ Not only Guns, Germs and Steel but also values &organization

◮ political, economic, social, psychological, ideological, andtechnical forces of modernity VERSUS the traditionallives of the traditional people in the conquered places

Imperialism, Deaths, and Diffusion

◮ Imperialism was almost invariably a disaster for theconquered people.

◮ Mexico before the Spanish conquest: 25 million peopleMexico after the Spanish conquest: 2 million people

◮ Similar devastating losses of native populations elsewhere inthe Western Hemisphere.

◮ Not only Guns, Germs and Steel but also values &organization

◮ political, economic, social, psychological, ideological, andtechnical forces of modernity VERSUS the traditionallives of the traditional people in the conquered places

Imperialism, Deaths, and Diffusion

◮ Imperialism was almost invariably a disaster for theconquered people.

◮ Mexico before the Spanish conquest: 25 million peopleMexico after the Spanish conquest: 2 million people

◮ Similar devastating losses of native populations elsewhere inthe Western Hemisphere.

◮ Not only Guns, Germs and Steel but also values &organization

◮ political, economic, social, psychological, ideological, andtechnical forces of modernity VERSUS the traditionallives of the traditional people in the conquered places

Imperialism, Deaths, and Diffusion

◮ Imperialism was almost invariably a disaster for theconquered people.

◮ Mexico before the Spanish conquest: 25 million peopleMexico after the Spanish conquest: 2 million people

◮ Similar devastating losses of native populations elsewhere inthe Western Hemisphere.

◮ Not only Guns, Germs and Steel but also values &organization

◮ political, economic, social, psychological, ideological, andtechnical forces of modernity VERSUS the traditionallives of the traditional people in the conquered places

Justification

How did the Europeans justify their conquest of otherpeoples and lands?

◮ Non-Christian world as terra nullius.

◮ Europeans: remaking the world in their own image.

◮ Pope’s bill of 1494: Dividing the entire non-European worldbetween Spain and Portugal.

By the mid-1550s: Spanish & Portuguese controlling all ofCentral & South AmericaIn 17th & 18th centuries: North America controlled by French &English

Justification

How did the Europeans justify their conquest of otherpeoples and lands?

◮ Non-Christian world as terra nullius.

◮ Europeans: remaking the world in their own image.

◮ Pope’s bill of 1494: Dividing the entire non-European worldbetween Spain and Portugal.

By the mid-1550s: Spanish & Portuguese controlling all ofCentral & South AmericaIn 17th & 18th centuries: North America controlled by French &English

Justification

How did the Europeans justify their conquest of otherpeoples and lands?

◮ Non-Christian world as terra nullius.

◮ Europeans: remaking the world in their own image.

◮ Pope’s bill of 1494: Dividing the entire non-European worldbetween Spain and Portugal.

By the mid-1550s: Spanish & Portuguese controlling all ofCentral & South AmericaIn 17th & 18th centuries: North America controlled by French &English

Justification

How did the Europeans justify their conquest of otherpeoples and lands?

◮ Non-Christian world as terra nullius.

◮ Europeans: remaking the world in their own image.

◮ Pope’s bill of 1494: Dividing the entire non-European worldbetween Spain and Portugal.

By the mid-1550s: Spanish & Portuguese controlling all ofCentral & South AmericaIn 17th & 18th centuries: North America controlled by French &English

Justification

How did the Europeans justify their conquest of otherpeoples and lands?

◮ Non-Christian world as terra nullius.

◮ Europeans: remaking the world in their own image.

◮ Pope’s bill of 1494: Dividing the entire non-European worldbetween Spain and Portugal.

By the mid-1550s: Spanish & Portuguese controlling all ofCentral & South AmericaIn 17th & 18th centuries: North America controlled by French &English

Justification

How did the Europeans justify their conquest of otherpeoples and lands?

◮ Non-Christian world as terra nullius.

◮ Europeans: remaking the world in their own image.

◮ Pope’s bill of 1494: Dividing the entire non-European worldbetween Spain and Portugal.

By the mid-1550s: Spanish & Portuguese controlling all ofCentral & South AmericaIn 17th & 18th centuries: North America controlled by French &English

Triangular trade routes

EuropeAmericas

West Africa

Deliver trade goods to West AfricaDeliver African slaves to AmericasDeliver valuable trade goods from Americas to Europe

Triangular trade routes

EuropeAmericas

West Africa

Deliver trade goods to West AfricaDeliver African slaves to AmericasDeliver valuable trade goods from Americas to Europe

For the Next Week

READ [required] Nester’s Chapter 5: “The

Nation-State”

READ [required] Kissinger’s Chapter 3:

“From Universality to Equilibrium: Richelieu,

William of Orange, and Pitt”