Download European Exploration

European
Exploration
Motives and new
Technology
1400-1600
Introduction
• Europe’s inspiration for trading came during the
Crusades. The European Christians saw the
splendors, advancements, and connections the
Muslims had with others areas of the world.
• New technology was mostly of foreign influence,
such as the Chinese compass and the Arab astrolabe.
• These innovations and improvements allowed
European powers to pursue their main objectives in
exploration; profits and Christian converts.
Reasons for Exploration –
The 3 G’s
• God – spread of Christianity
• Goods – to trade and become
wealthy (gold and spices)
• Glory– explorers were seen as
heroes if they discovered new lands
Main countries involved in exploration:
Portugal, Spain, England, France
Portugal begins the push
 13th Century Portugal was a
relatively poor land in need
of outside resources
 Portuguese mariners began
pushing out into the Atlantic
and found islands that
would support Europe’s
demand for sugar
production
 By the 15th Century,
Portuguese mariners were
working with Italian
entrepreneurs to establish
sugar plantations
Motives: Trade
 The collapse of the Mongol Empire and the spread
of the bubonic plague had made overland travel on
the Silk Roads more dangerous than before
Motives: Trade
 Muslim mariners brought Asian goods to Cairo
where Italian merchants purchased them for
distribution in western Europe
 Europeans wanted more and cheaper Asian goods,
especially spices
 Began seeking maritime trade routes directly to Asia
which would cut out the Muslim middlemen
 Likewise maritime access to Africa would provide the
gold, ivory, and slaves the Europeans wanted without
having to go through Muslim merchants
Motives: Missionary
 The New Testament commands Christians to spread the
Gospel
 Some missionary efforts were peaceful such as
Franciscan and Dominican travels to India, central Asia,
and China
 Others were violent such as crusades against Muslims in
Palestine, the Mediterranean, and Iberia
European Explorations:
Technology
Ships
Instruments
Winds and
currents
Sternpost
rudder
Back staff
Technology: Ships
 European sailors began
constructing ships strong enough
to withstand adverse conditions
 The sternpost rudder increased
maneuverability
 Ships began using two sails
 A square one to catch a wind
blowing from behind and a
triangular lateen one to catch winds
from the side and behind
 With both sails European ships
could tack (advance against the wind
by sailing across it)
Tacking
Ships: Carrack
• Mizzen mast with
triangular lateen sail
placed toward stern of
vessel
• Small square-rigged mast
placed to fore of main mast
• Massive ribbed skeleton
• 2-3 decks, enclosed
structures at bow and stern
• Sternpost rudder
• Example: Santa Maria
Ships: Caravel
• Portuguese developed the caravel which was an
advanced ship that combined the square sails of
European ship with Arab triangular sails.
• About 30 meters long; Maximum capacity: 130 tons
• Axled rudder
• Examples: Nina and Pinta
Examples of Caravel Ship – Nina and Pinta
In 1492, Columbus sailed from Spain with three ships. Two of the ships,
the Niña and the Pinta were small caravels. The third ship, the Santa
Maria, was a larger type of ship, a carrack, and was captained by
Columbus. The ships were from 15 to 36 meters long.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/c/columbus.shtml
Technology: Instruments
 Magnetic compasses used to
determine direction
 Cross staffs and back staffs
allowed mariners to
determine latitude by
measuring the angle of the
sun or pole star above the
horizon
 The ability to determine
direction and latitude
allowed mariners to
accumulate data for
mapping and to navigate
with accuracy and efficiency
Technology: Astrolabe
 An astronomical
instrument used by
astronomers, navigators,
and astrologers
 It has many uses:
 locating and predicting
the positions of the Sun,
Moon, planets, and
stars,
 determining local time
given local latitude and
vice-versa.
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/25100/25161/astrolabe2_25161.htm
Technology: Winds and Currents
 In the Atlantic and Pacific, strong winds blow
regularly to create “wind wheels”
 To the north, prevailing winds cause “westerlies”
 Further south, they cause the “Northeast trades”
 In the Indian Ocean, there are also regular patterns
 In the summer, monsoon winds blow from the southeast
 In the winter, they blow from the northwest
Technology: Winds and Currents
 Understanding these patterns allowed mariners to take
advantage of prevailing winds and currents to sail almost
anywhere
 By the mid-15th Century, Portuguese mariners had
developed a strategy called volta do mar (“return through
the sea”)
Technology: Winds and Currents
 Returning home
they sailed
northwest into the
open ocean until
they found
westerly winds
and then turned
east for the last leg
 It was a longer but
faster, safer, and
more reliable way
to travel
The Gulf Stream
Discovery of fine goods in the East
 Marco Polo – Spent 24 years in
China, brought back fascinating
tales.
 Eastern goods sought after by
Europeans.
Trade Routes
 Italy dominated trade
overland:
 Merchants became
very wealthy
 Had good relationship
w/ Muslims
 Controlled the
Mediterranean sea
Trade Routes (Cont.)
 Portuguese wanted in on Eastern
trade:
 Goal = find water route to Asia
 Best sailors – invented Caravel (triangular
sails allowed ship to sail into the wind)
Bartolomeu Dias – first sailor to
reach the tip of Africa
 Vasco de Gama – followed
Dias’s route, sailed to India
 Portugal found all water route &
became rich

Bartolomeu Dias at the cape
of good Hope
Vasco de
Gama
Trade Routes (Cont.)
 Spain (Portugal's neighbor)
also wanted in on trade.
 Queen Isabella & King
Ferdinand took a risk and
financed Columbus’s voyage.
Christopher Columbus
 Columbus thought he would
find a faster route to Asia by
sailing directly West.
 Found the Americas instead
 Spain would became very rich
King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella of Spain
Mercantilism
 European countries sought raw goods: gold, silver, sugar, etc.
 As colonies developed, provided a market for manufactured
goods.
 Goal of Mercantilism = acquire colonies & make Mother
Country very rich through favorable balance of trade.
Empire Building
 Spanish Conquistadors:
 Sought Gold for Spain
 Hernando Cortez conquered
the Aztecs of Mexico.
 Francisco Pizarro conquered
the Incas of Peru.
Spanish Explorers
European Rivalries
 Fight over North America:
 Spain claimed the Americas
 French & English sailors looking for Northwest passage
claimed lands in N. America
 Religious Conflicts:
 Spain = Catholic
 England = Protestant
 Protestant & Catholic = bad combination
VS
Spain
Britain
(England)
European Rivalries (Cont.)
 Spain & England Clash:
 England’s Queen Elizabeth
sent Sea Dogs like Francis
Drake to steal Spanish
treasure.
 Spanish King enraged; sent
Spanish Armada to conquer
England & restore
Catholicism
 England defeats Spain
 Spain never as powerful
 Other nations started
challenging Spain
Queen Elizabeth
Sir Francis Drake
Works Cited
 http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/c/colu
mbus.shtml
 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_an_astrolabe_important
_to_exploration
 http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/ship.
html
 http://www.teachingushistory.org/lessons/age_of_exploratio
n.html
 http://www.alibaba.com/productfree/113196931/Santa_Maria_Ship_Model.html