Download Business Opportunities

Unit 2: The Exploration of the Americas
Business Opportunities
A demand for new products (spices & silks) from Asia created
opportunities for countries to make money.
By the mid –1400’s the only way to get products from the Far East
was by land route.
Problem: Lots of middlemen caused high prices
Solution: Find a passage by sea.
Portugal-
became the 1st country to focus on sea travel.
Advancements were considered state secrets and were
carefully guarded.
First Portuguese Explorers:
Dias1st to sail to the tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope)
DaGama1st to make it to India by sailing around Africa
Results of these voyages:
the price of goods drops by
4/5ths
Christopher Columbus
Born in Genoa, Italy
Influenced by the writings of:
Ptolemyancient Greek mathematician
Marco Polo Italian explorer who visited China and Japan
“…many of the apartments have small
tables of pure gold of considerable
thickness…”
-Marco Polo
As a young man Columbus traveled to Portugal and married the
daughter of a Portuguese Sea Captain. This is where he learns to be a
captain.
Later in life he proposed sailing west in order to get to the east.
Several rulers refuse the offer but King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
of Spain agree to finance the trip.
Aug 3rd 1492 he set sail with three ships (Nina, Pinta, and Santa
Maria)
Reaches land on October 12th 1492
Columbus insisted that he found India. He kidnapped several natives
he came in contact with and claimed the new lands for Spain.
Effects of Columbus’s discovery:
1. Spanish influence in the America’s
a. language- Spanish is spoken in most of the countries of the
America’s
b. religion- Catholicism is worshipped in most of the countries
of the America’s
2. Exchange of goods (Columbian Exchange)
a. famines end in Europe because of corn and potatoes brought
from America.
b. Europeans bring to America horses, livestock, and
unfortunately also diseases.
3. Harsh treatment of Native Americans
a. used by the Spanish as slaves
b. killed to find riches
c. tortured in order to convert to Christianity
SPAIN’S THREE G’S
Three driving forces created the demand for further exploration of the
America’s.
1. GOLD-
Spanish soldiers known as Conquistadors
(Conqueror’s) invaded the wealthy native populations
in search of riches.
I.
Hernando Cortes- conquered the rich
Aztec civilization of Mexico
II. Francisco Pizarro- conquered the rich
Incan civilization of Peru.
2. GLORY-
Spaniards wished to become famous by being the
first to discover something.
I.
Ponce de Leon- searched for the fountain
of youth and discovered Florida.
II. Balboa- discovered the Pacific Ocean
III. Coronado- searched for the Seven Cities
of Gold and charted the south western part
of the US. Discovered the Grand Canyon.
3. GOD-
Catholic Monks (Dominican’s) came to the
America’s in order to convert the heathen native
tribes.Missions were created as centers of
communities and Catholic teachings.
I.
Bartolome de Las Casas- monk that
fought for the rights of Indians.
Challenges to Spanish Dominance
All of the gold that Spain took from the new world made them the
richest most powerful nation in the world.
Gold was loaded on huge ships known as Galleons. This wealth
caused other nations to look to America.
Countries that challenged Spain:
I.
Portuguese(Portugal)
Discovered most of the African coast as
well as Brazil (South America)
The Pope intervenes and settles dispute by splitting the new found
lands with the Line of Demarcation.
The Pope’s decision was that all newly found lands to the
east of the line was Spain’s and all land to the west was
Portugal’s
II.
DutchSearched the Northern part of North America.
(Netherlands)
They established a colony in modern day New
York City called New Amsterdam
III. French(France)
Settled regions of Canada and the North
American Gulf Coast. (New Orleans)
Created close ties with the Native Americans.
Early French settlements in Florida were attacked and
destroyed by Spanish conquistadors.
IV. English- The English became Spain’s greatest rivals.
(England)
 King Henry VIII (1491-1547)
 Wanted a male heir to the throne
 Wife : Catherine (Spanish Nobility)
 Did not have a son
 Henry dissolved the marriage in spite of threats from the
Catholic Church that he would be excommunicated.
 Started his own church Anglican Church (Protestants gain
foothold in England)
 Puritans- people that want to purify the Church
 Henry eventually marries six different time in an attempt to
have a male heir to the Throne
 Edward VI – dies by age 15 (tuberculosis)
 First Daughter Mary takes power shortly after but
dies only a few years (Bloody Mary)
 Line of succession passes to Henry’s next daughter
 Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
 Commissioned privateers to attack Spanish galleons
• Sir Francis Drake was the most famous of the
English Privateers.
 England’s Navy defeated the Spanish Invincible Armada
• England had faster ships
• Trapped much of the Spanish fleet in port
• Hurricane destroyed the remainder of the fleet