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An Age of Exploration and Isolation
Chapter 3
Honors World History
Europeans Explore the Past
-Prior to the 1400’s, Europeans had been relatively isolated from the rest of the world
-Around 1100, Crusaders battled Muslims in the Holy Lands of SW Asia
-In 1275, Marco Polo reached the court of Kublai Khan in China
-Spurred by Renaissance ideals and new found wealth + technology, Europeans were
now ready to venture outside the safety of their own borders
-Traders were eager to gain wealth through the lucrative spice trade from the East
-Spices and other Eastern goods were first introduced in Europe during the
Crusades
-Nutmeg, ginger, and pepper were a few of the most desired spices
-The Italians who held a favorable position for trade in the Mediterranean, were the main
suppliers of the spice trade to the rest of Europe
-By the 1400’s, rising monarchies in Spain, Portugal, England, and France were
all looking for a source of direct trade with the East to bypass the Italian
middleman
-Needed a direct sea route to Asia
-Another reason for European exploration was the attempt to spread Christianity across
new lands
-Gold, God, and Glory became the rallying cry for European explorers
-Technological advancements in sailing and navigation helped explorers travel further
than ever before
-The caravel (ship with triangular sails) and astrolabe (measure latitude) were two
of the most important advancements
-Portugal became the leader in applying and developing sailing innovations
-Under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator, who established a sailing
school, Portugal slowly advanced down the West African coastline, establishing
outposts along the way
-Employed the leading mapmakers, instrument makers, shipbuilders,
scientists, and sea captains of the time
-From Africa, the Portuguese reaped the benefits of gold, ivory, and slaves
-In 1487, Bartolomieu Dias, became the first European to Sail around the Cape of Good
Hope, but was forced to return home under threats of mutiny
-In 1498, Vasco da Gama completed the journey to India bringing home valuable spices,
silks, jewelry, and other goods
-His journey covered 27,000 miles
-In 1492, Christopher Columbus, attempting to find a western route to Asia ran into the
Americas
-Portugal and Spain both claimed the Americas, so Pope Alexander VI issued the Line of
Demarcation separating the two claims by a line on the globe
-Later the two countries would formally agree to the Treaty of Tordesillas, which
allowed for Portugal to control present-day Brazil
-Portugal’s direct sea route to India not only opened the door to trade with the East, but
led to an outbreak of conflict between European nations
-They also had to battle native inhabitants as they set up outposts
-In 1509, Portugal solidified their dominance of the spice trade when they
defeated a Muslim fleet off the coast of India
-Then built a fort on the Straits of Hormuz to eliminate Muslim traders
access to India
-Once the Portuguese seized control of the Strait of Malacca, they now
controlled trade to the Spice Islands or Indonesia, today
-Portugal’s control of the spice trade reduced the cost to 1/5th the price that Italian
and Muslim merchants had been charging
-Other Europeans still looked for their opportunity to cash in on the spice
trade
-Spaniard, Ferdinand Magellan, would be the first to attempt circumnavigating the earth
in 1521
-His fleet landed in the Philippines and Spain soon began to colonize the islands
-When the Dutch separated from Spanish rule in 1581, they had the largest fleets of ships
in the world
-The English and Dutch eventually surpassed Portugal in the Far East and battled
one another for control
-The Dutch East India Company was able to surpass the English East India
Company to establish Dutch dominance in the region
-The city of Amsterdam became the leading commercial center by
the late 1600’s