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Renaissance—Exploration
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Tools developed in the Middle Ages for exploration continued to be used during the Renaissance. One of these was the
astrolabe, a portable device used by sailors to help them find their way. By measuring the distance of the sun and stars
above the horizon, the astrolabe helped determine latitude, an important tool in navigation. Another tool, the magnetic
compass, which had been invented in the twelfth century, was improved upon during the Renaissance.
Maps, too, became more reliable as Portuguese map makers, called cartographers, incorporated information provided
by travelers and explorers into their work. Shipbuilding also improved during the Renaissance, as large ships called
galleons became common. These ships were powered by sail rather than by men using oars.
The Beginning of Trade
Although navigation was still an imprecise science, sailors were able to go farther than they had before. This was
important because as the economy of the Renaissance continued to improve, there were ever-increasing demands for
imported goods and new places to export local products.
(For traders, sailing proved to be a better option than traveling by land, as the network of roads that crisscrossed Europe
was poor, and the few good roads that did exist were frequented by thieves.)
The Renaissance sailor first took to the seas to supply Europeans with the many Asian spices they demanded.
Peppercorns, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon all came from lands to the east. Also from the East came precious gems and
fine silk, a fabric especially sought after for women's clothing. These trading voyages were often paid for by investors.
Renaissance Explorers
Some men were drawn to the seas out of a curiosity to discover more about the world. One such man was Prince Henry
of Portugal, known as Prince Henry the Navigator. With the help of mathematicians, astronomers, cartographers, and
other navigators, Prince Henry sent expeditions to explore the west coast of Africa. These explorations led to trade for
gold and ivory and, soon after, slaves. Later, Portuguese sailors discovered the route around the southern tip of Africa
that would take them to India entirely by sea.
Trade in the New World
In 1492, a trip to the East, made by sailing westward around the world, brought Columbus to the New World--lands
known today as the Americas. Columbus had originally set out to find an all-water route to the East Indies; when he
spotted the Americas, he believed he had reached his intended destination. It was ten years before Europeans realized
that he had found a new land.
These new continents offered riches other than spices, in the form of gold and silver. Spaniard Hernando Cortez
discovered an abundance of gold among the Aztecs in what is now known as Mexico. Stories of more gold to be found
led him and other Spanish explorers to conquer most of Mexico and Latin America.
The discovery of silver led to the beginning of silver mining in Mexico and South America. Other finds in the New World
introduced Europeans to corn, tomatoes, tobacco, and chocolate.