Download Columbus was Italian but did not take his plan to Italy—Why?

I.
Exploration
Exploration (Unit 10)
3 names that are all the same between the period of 1450-1650
1. Age of Discovery (advances in geographical knowledge and
technology)- Trial and Era
2. Age of Reconnaissance (Exploration of a empty area especially for
Military-outline of Earth)
3. Age of Expansion (Migration of Europeans to other parts of the
world)
a. Why Exploration now in the mid 15C?
14thC Europe began trading w Asian people in lands such as China or
India. They brought back silk, spices, and other luxuries.
1. Italy controlled the Mediterranean Sea
If wanted to go to Asia, must pay the Italian tax. Needed to find a
new way. Land was too dangerous, long, and expensive with tolls.
Wanted to eliminate the middle man- Cheaper to go to the source.
2. Renaissance & Crusades encouraged Europeans to look beyond
the Old World.
3. Scientific Progress
-Ships Larger
-New inventions to help journeys (Compass)-come from the
Arabs or Chinese)
Before this, sailors used to set course by Sun or stars.
4. The Three-G’s -------Gold, God, and Glory
b. Early Exploration
1. Vikings: 800-1000
They were fierce warriors from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
that terrorized the people of Europe. They came from where the
weather was cold and the soil was poor. They attacked villages for
loot not murder.
-Settled in Iceland and Greenland
-Finest shipbuilders of the time (swift, light boats that could travel far)
-Leif Ericson (Eric the Red’s son) first European to reach the coast of
N. America- Called it Vineland > many grapes growing there—he made
a mistake they were really berries.
-Known for their conquests but could be farmers, merchants and crafts
workers.
Europeans settled into Feudalism, which helped protect them from
Viking attacks.
Europeans were afraid of the Atlantic Ocean:
Refereed to as the Sea of Darkness or the Green Sea of Doom.
2. Marco Polo (1254-1324)
Born in Venice and was a great traveler
Travels to Asia made him famous> saw things that no one in
Europe ever saw. It was detailed in a book, The Travels of Marco
Polo.
-Rock that burned longer then wood (Europeans did not discover
coal yet)
-Rock that could be spun into wool that would not burn (Europeans
did not know about asbestos)
-There was a great ocean to the east of China (know one in Europe
knew about the Pacific Ocean)
People thought they were fairy tales—what he saw during his
lifetime must have shocked Marco Polo.
Asia in the 13th C was far ahead of Europe
-Street sewers
-Trees along broad, clean highways
-Chinese used paper $
-Police patrols at night
-Government stable and well-run
Marco Polo was in China when the grandson of Genghis Khan was
Ruler---Kublai Khan, they were good friends.
C. Explorers before Columbus
1. Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460)
Portugal, he heard of tales of Africa and wanted to go.
Wanted to increase Portuguese power and spread Christian
faith.
African Coast:
Traded European goods for gold & ivory
Set up slave trading post
Hoped to reach Asia by rounding Africa
Never took a voyage >>had sailors do it—had the vision
2. Bartholomeu Diaz
(1450-1500)
He was from Portugal.
He reached the Southern tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope)
He proved there was an all water route to Asia
His men refused to go further and he was forced to turn
around.
D) Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) changed the world
At this time the Atlantic Ocean was known as Ocean Sea
Columbus was Italian but did not take his plan to Italy—Why?
1. Plan- Sail west across the Atlantic
-First went to Portugal w/ his plan in 1484 called the
“Enterprise of the Indies.” –Sail West across the Atlantic
-Thought it would be a shorter trip than around the Africa (not the
first to come up with that theory--Aristotle)
-Needed money and supplies and had to shop his idea
-Portugal said NO because they already found a water route to
China by going around Africa (did not need another)
2. Spain- Next stop
-Queen Isabella eventually supported the trip for two reasons
a. Competition w/ Portugal
b. Wanted to spread Christianity
Just got rid of the Moors
3. Ships
a. Santa Maria
Left in August of 1492
b. Pinta (Spotted land)
c. Nina
4. Land
- twice they thought they spotted land and it was false
- talk of Mutiny
- Spotted land in October 12
- Landed in the Bahamas (San Salvador)
- Thought he reached the Indies (called the people Indians)
- Thought he was close to China and Japan but really found Cuba
and Hispaniola
5. Colony
He attempted to set up a colony there. He was very cruel to natives.
Arawak Indians; anyone over 14 years old had to make gold contributions if not
hands cut off and bleed to death
He made 4 total trips to “New” world
He died never knowing he never got to Asia
America was named after Amerigo Vespucci.
6. Result
1. Destroyed Native Americans
2. New set of Nations on the Western Hemisphere
3. Opened the door to slavery
4. Colonies set up for Europe to fight over
Why he is credited and not Erickson?
-Not widespread, no proof
-CC bigger impact
-News spread fast
e. Rivalry between Spain v Portugal
Pope “drew” an imaginary line running north to south through the
Atlantic Ocean.
1. All new discoveries WEST of the line would belong to Spain.
2. All new discoveries EAST of the line would belong to Portugal.
Line of Demarcation
Protest the line, moved it west (allowing Portugal to claim Brazil)
in the Treaty of Tordesillas ---1494
The explorers of England, France, Dutch ignored the line.
f. Renaissance Explores after Columbus
1. Vasco Da Gama
In 1498, from Portugal, he became the first European to
reach India by sea by going around the Cape of Good
Hope. He helped make Portugal a world power. He took 4
ships and only 2 returned with half of the men. It opened
East Asia to Europe’s other sea powers (Eng/Spain)
2. Pedro Cabral
He was also from Portugal.
King Manual I wanted more and sent a bigger fleet
Wanted him to repeat Da Gama but was blown off course and
went into South America.
3. Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)
Portugal king had no interest in a western world
First voyage around the world for the Spanish Flag
Tip of South America and prove the Spice Islands lay on the Spanish side of
the line of Demarcation
Named the Pacific Ocean which means peaceful
Problems with trip:
1. Some people did not like being under a
Portuguese
2. People were marooned
3. Drinking water—Green with slime
4. Biscuit barrel crawling with rats
5. Some ate ship’s leather ropes, sawdust and the
lucky ones ate rats
Magellan did not complete the voyage and was killed in the
Philippine islands.
He started with 5 ships and only one returned. He started
with 265 men and only 17 weak men returned.
Elcano finished the voyage. Other nations got involved and staked
claims in the New World and other places.