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Chapter 3:
An Age of Exploration and Isolation
I. Europeans Explore the East
A. Many Factors Encourage Exploration
b. Through the Crusades and wars, Europe was not completely isolated
c. They had no interest or ability to explore, but Christianity changed this
1. Europeans Seek Wealth
a. The desire for new sources of wealth was the main reason for exploration
b. Merchants charged high prices for the limited supply of spices and goods
c. Muslims and Italians controlled the trade
d. To bypass the high prices, a sea route was sought directly to Asia
2. The Spread of Christianity
a. The desire to spread Christianity also fueled exploration
b. The crusades left Europe with spices and feelings of hostility between Christians and
Muslims
3. Technological Advances
a. Advances in technology made voyages of discovery possible
b. They used an Astrolabe (Using to stars to navigate) for navigation
B. Portugal Leads the Way
a. Portugal lead the way in sailing innovations pushing farther East to the Indian Ocean
2. The Portuguese Explore Africa
a. Portugal was successful in exploration due to government support
b. Prince Henry was the most avid explorer
c. They found different kinds of treasures
d. Henry wanted to spread Christianity and he started a school for people to perfect their
trade
e. At Henry’s death, trading posts had been established along the coast of Africa
f. Their next move was to make a route to Asia
3. Portuguese Sailors Reach Asia
a. They believed that to get to Asia they would have to go around the south tip of Africa
b. Early sail boats could not sail against the wind, but new triangular sails made it possible
c. Bartolomeu Dias reached the tip, was battered by a storm, was blown around, and decided to
explore, being low on food, they had to return
4. Spanish Claims
a. Spain watched the Portuguese with increasing envy as they established trading posts
b. 1492 Christopher Columbus convinced Spain to finance his voyage to find a way to Asia by
going west
c. Columbus believed that he had reached Asia, and Portugal thought that he had claimed land
for Spain that Portuguese sailors had already been to
d. Pope Alexander VI tried to keep peace by proposing a Line of Demarcation
i. All Land west of the line was Spain’s, and east of the line was Portugal’s
ii. Portugal complained so the line was moved further west to include modern day
Brazil
e. The Treaty of Tordesillas was signed and stated that the two countries would honor the line
C. Trading Empires in the Indian Ocean
a. With da Gama’s voyage, Europeans had finally opened direct sea trade with Asia
b. This era brought violent conflict in the East
2. Portugal’s Trading Empire
a. Portugal expanded trade to the Indian Ocean and took the spice trade from the Muslims
b. Goa became the capital of the Portugal trading center
c. Portugal broke the trading networks from the east much to Europe’s delight
d. Portugal’s success attracted the attention of other European nation’s
3. Other Nations Drive out the Portuguese
a. 1600, English and Dutch began to challenge Portugal’s dominance in the Indian Ocean
b. The Netherlands became a leading sea power
c. Together the Dutch and English broke the Portuguese control over the Asia Region
d. The Dutch eventually established power over the English
4. European Trade Outposts
a. Batavia on the Island of Java became the Dutch headquarters
b. The English East India Company established outposts in India and established a fine cloth
industry
c. The French established an outpost in India, but it never showed a strong profit
d. Asia was minimally affected by the European contact