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European Expansion
Expansionism
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Europeans had both the desire
and the means to set off on
journeys of exploration
They advanced from simply
sailing around Europe to
circumnavigating the world
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They were in competition to
establish trade routes
Countries were trying to increase
their wealth and power by
expanding their territory
– This led to them having an
“expansionist” worldview

Expansionism refers to the
actions and attitudes of a state or
country whose goal is to increase
its power and territory
Exploration Begins Discussion
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Turn to page 120 of your textbook and examine
the map
The map shows the four routes of the most
important explorers
What countries did they come from?
How may the geography of their countries have
aided in an expansionist/explorer worldview?
Going East
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Portugal was the first European country to
start organized exploration
Prince Henry sent voyages south along the
west coast of Africa to find gold-producing
areas
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Trading posts were set up further and
further south
Dozens of ships eventually were
travelling between these posts bringing
gold to Portugal
Prince Henry established practices in Africa
that proved to be very helpful for future
explorers

They hired members of the local
population as interpreters
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Could get reliable information about
the land
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They also helped establish
relationships with indigenous people
The Slave Trade
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Portugal also became involved
in the slave trade
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They bought slaves to work
on sugar plantations on
islands in the Atlantic Ocean
Slavery existed in Africa before
the European Slave Trade, but it
was very different
– See source at right
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During the next three centuries,
Europeans captured and
transported millions of Africans
to the Americas as slaves
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Millions died on the voyages
from the terrible conditions
Millions also died from being
over-worked
The nature of African slavery [before the
arrival of the Europeans] varied from one area
to another and changed over time, but most
slaves were people captured in warfare.
Others had been criminals or debtors, or were
given away by their families as part of a dowry
settlement . . . Over a generation or two,
slaves could often earn or be granted their
freedom, and free people and slaves
sometimes inter-married
Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama
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Bartolomeu Dias led the first Portuguese
expedition around the Cape of Good
Hope
Unfortunately, his crew mutinied against
him and prevented the continued
journey to India
Columbus' crossing of the Atlantic in
1492 increased the pressure on
Portugal
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They needed to reach the East
before the Spanish
Five years after Columbus' journey, an
expedition led by Vasco da Gama sailed
around Africa and across the Indian
Ocean to land in Calicut
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Da Gama returned in triumph with
precious cargo of spices having
established a route to the East
The Battle of Diu
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After Da Gama's successful voyage,
Portuguese fleets began making yearly
voyages to the Indian Ocean
Arab merchants did not like this – they
saw them as intruders in their trading
territory
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They often attacked the Portuguese
ships
This eventually led to a decisive battle
between a large Arab fleet and a smaller
Portuguese fleet off the Indian port of Diu
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Although much smaller, the
Portuguese won the battle because
of their use of cannons
This caused them to establish control
of this area – they set up trading forts
across S. Asia

They became the most powerful
trading country in Europe
Going West
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Christopher Columbus was convinced
there was a shorter way to Asia by
crossing the Atlantic and heading west
After a 33 day voyage, Columbus sighted
land which he thought was Asia
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He hunted for many years trying to find
the sources of gold and spices!
The Spanish continued to look, however
In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan sailed along
the coast of South America and into the
Pacific Ocean
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He eventually landed in the Philippines
after a horrible four month voyage
He got involved in a war and was killed,
but his ship returned with spices and
goods and was the first recorded ship
to circumnavigate the world
Expansionism Begins
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Before Columbus left
Spain on his voyage, he
and Queen Isabella and
King Ferdinand made an
agreement
This agreement was
called “The Articles of
Agreement between the
Lords the Catholic
Sovereigns and Cristobal
Colon”
Firstly, that your Highness, as actual Lords
of the said Oceans, appoint from this date
the said Cristobal Colon to be your
Admiral in all these islands and mainlands
which by his activity and industry shall be
discovered or acquired . . .
Likewise, that your highnesses appoint the
said Don Cristobal Colon to be your
Admiral/your Viceroy and Governor
General in all said islands and mainlands .
..
. . . that of all and every kind of
merchandise, whether pearls, precious
stones, spices and other objects and
merchandise whatsoever . . . which may
be bought, bartered, discovered, and
obtained . . . that he may have and take
for himself, the tenth part of the whole . . .