Download Explain how economic, technological, political, and

Explain how economic, technological, political, and religious factors promoted
European explorations from about 1450 to about 1525.
Thesis: From 1450 to 1525, European exploration was promoted by strong centralized monarchies,
improved technology such as the astrolabe, a dream of finding riches, and the devout belief that it was
the duty of Europeans to convert natives from their unholy paganism.
I. Economic Factors
 Wanted to find precious metals
 Wanted to find new areas of trade, especially for spices
 To “serve God and His Majesty, to give light to those who were in darkness, and to grow rich, as all me
desire to do”
II. Technological Factors
1. Portolan or portulan charts are navigational maps based on compass directions and estimated
distances observed by the pilots at sea. They were first made in the 13th century in Italy, and later
in Spain and Portugal, with later 15th and 16th century charts noted for their cartographic
accuracy. With the advent of widespread competition among seagoing nations during the Age of
Discovery, Portugal and Spain considered such maps to be state secrets.
2. Axial rudder for ships = helped to steer the ship
3. Combine the use of lateen sails with a square rig = this allowed ships mobile enough to sail against
the wind and engage enable warfare and also large enough to mount heavy cannons.
4. New ships could sail against the wind and engage in naval warfare
a) Portugese ship innovation: a new type of ship was developed, the caravel, that combined cargo
capability, m1aneuverability and seaworthiness. It used a new sort of sail adapted from Arabs which
could tack against headwinds
b) Portugal’s ships could mount cannons on their ships, giving them a huge advantage
c) gunpowder: Invented by the Chinese, turned into effective weapons by the European (cannons
will be an important element in the success of European world exploration)
d) Growing knowledge of wind patterns
5. Compass = helped to calculate heading, longitude and latitude. Before the compass, they only used
the sighting the sun or stars, but that only gave latitude. To get longitude required an ultra precise
chronometer.
6. Astrolabe= The device takes its name, from the Greek astrolabos, or "star-taking." An astrolabe is a
tool used for navigation by sailors at sea. It can be used to find one's latitude by looking at the north
star, and general location. It was used by astronomers to help tell time, and was first used by mariners in
the fifteenth century. It was used to measure the altitude of the Sun and stars to determine latitude
III. Political Factors
 Centralized monarchies made organization of voyages possible
Monarchies were capable of funding such voyages
Prince Henry founded a school for navigation
States such as Portugal who couldn’t win wars of expansion in Europe, sought to expand elsewhere
IV. Religious Factors
Prince Henry the Navigator encouraged his men to spread Catholicism
Columbus sailed for Ferdinand and Isabella, who were devout Catholics and demanded that he convert
the natives
Cortes, sailing for Spain, believed converting the natives was his duty