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Age of Exploration Trade With Asia • After the collapse of the Mongol Empire the Silk Road became unstable and local rulers began placing high taxes on goods. • The Byzantine Empire was defeated by the Ottoman Turks and the Ottoman Turks closed the Black Sea to Italian traders. • Europeans needed a new way to trade with Asia. A Water Route to Asia • With a strong will and desire to trade with Asia. Europeans decided to seek out a water route to Asia. • The 1400s provided new technology to help in obtaining this water route. • Astrolabe- was introduced by the Arabs and helped sailors find latitude. • Compass- was introduced by the Chinese and helped sailors find magnetic north. The Portuguese and the Caravel • It was the Portuguese who developed a new and smaller ship with triangular sails called the caravel. • The Caravel made use of a new rudder which made steering easier and was a faster moving ship. Strong European Nations • By the end of the 15th century (1400-1499) four European nations had gained the monetary power to support exploration. • Portugal, Spain, France and England. • These countries also spent money on cartography or the science of making maps. Exploration • Portugal was the first country to set sail. • Portugal began to map out the west coast of Africa. • In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias reached the southern tip of Africa. • In 1497 Vasco da Gama rounded the tip of Africa and made it to the coast of India. • A water route was now established. Spanish Exploration • Spain (sailed west because Portugal controlled sea route to the east) • First to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the New World • Began the Columbian Exchange: an exchange of plants, animals and diseases between the Eastern Hemisphere (Old World) and the Western Hemisphere (New World) after the Spanish set up colonies in the New World • Spain built settler colonies in South America, due to gold • Spain built plantation colonies in Florida and the Caribbean Islands French Exploration • France (sailed west in search of the Northwest Passage-an all-water route to Asia by sailing above Canada. This route did/does not exist.) • Important trading post colonies: Canada, North America English Exploration. • Great Britain (explored all areas of the world to set up colonies) • England built settler colonies: Plymouth (think Mayflower and the Pilgrims), China, Australia • England built plantation colonies in Georgia, South Carolina, Caribbean Islands, Africa, and India Spanish Claims in the Americas • 3. Why was Spain able to gain more land in the Americas? • When Spain saw the financial success Portugal had gained through exploration and trade with Asia, Spain wanted to do the same. • Because Portugal already controlled trade routes to Asia sailing east, Spain decided to search for trade routes to Asia sailing west (across the Atlantic Ocean). When Spain sent Christopher Columbus west, he discovered the New World (North and South America). Spanish Claims in the Americas • The Spanish then sent more explorers to the Americas. Once gold was discovered, other countries wanted to explore as well. • Spain used gunpowder and advanced weapons to conquer the Americas. (Think of conquistadors) • Additionally, Spain and Portugal got into many disputes over territory. Because both countries were mainly Catholic, they asked the Pope (head of the Catholic Church) to help them. He divided the world between Spain and Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas. Treaty of Tordesillas Spanish Claims in the Americas • Competition between Europeans for Colonies and Natural Resources • Portugal and Spain were the first two countries to aggressively explore • Spain found gold in South American colonies; increased its power and wealth • Portugal did not find gold in Asia and wanted to claim land in South America