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& Exploration Review MEDIEVAL EXPANSION OF EUROPE • Growing political power and commerce • Progress in science & geography • First to bring Western Civilization to America • Spain • Followed by • Portugal • France • Dutch • England • Exploration Review SETTING THE STAGE FOR DISCOVERY – SIGNIFICANT EVENTS • The Crusades 1095-1291 • Religious Wars • Eastern Med – against Muslims • Capture the Holy Land – including Jerusalem Effects • Contact with different, more advanced people • Stimulated curiosity • Broadened intellectual outlook • Knowledge of geography increased • Mediterranean area east & south NEW COMMODITIES • Achievements in medicine & science • Culture/glamor of cities • Variety of new foods, cloths & goods of Asia • Textiles • Silks • Damasks • Oriental rugs • Tapestries • Fine cotton • Spices (improved monotonous diet – preserving foods) • Cloves • Allspice • Ginger • Nutmeg • Cinnamon • Mace • Pepper DIFFICULTY OBTAINING ASIATIC GOODS Difficult and expensive to obtain desirable Asian Goods. Solution: find an easier/cheaper way to get them. • Three obstacles to over come • Expense of transportation • Long caravan routes overland • Combo route land & sea • Italian merchants received goods in the region of Palestine and Egypt Desired new routes • Difficulty paying for Asiatic goods • Shortage of gold • Absence of demand for European goods Desired Tradable currency • Italian trade monopoly • High prices Desires a way to get around Italian merchants CHANGING SOCIAL/POLITICAL SYSTEMS • Feudal society to National States • Consolidation under dynastic monarchies • Emerging middle class – rich merchants • The state protected commerce • Merchants paid taxes/lent money to monarch • Help monarch gain power w/o the dependence on Nobility • Gained funds to finance voyages of exploration • Competition between countries for dominance over territory & trade COMMERCIAL & GEOGRAPHIC REVOLUTIONS Commercial Revolution • Modern business methods • Banking • Borrowed capitol at interest • Money became the standard medium of exchange • Large scale merchandising • Increase in variety and volume of goods • Lead to commercial supremacy of Western Europe over Italy GEOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION Marco Polo • Imperial Court of China • 17 years • Aroused interest for trade with Asia • Missionaries travel also brings more knowledge/interest • Persia • India • China • Later Japan ADVANCES IN NAVIGATION 12th C inventions • Navigational instruments • Better ships • Better maps/charts CAUSES OF EUROPEAN EXPLORATION • Technology • Advances borrowed from the East • Caravel – replaced the galley ship • Navigational tools • Astrolabe • Magnetic compass • Military weapons • Cannons – made exploration & conquest possible • Ptolemy’s Geography • Inaccurate • Encouraged the idea that sailing west from Eur. to Asia was possible TECHNOLOGY • Technological advances facilitated sea travel • Advances in astronomy helped in charting locations at sea • Instruments • Magnetic compass (ca. 1300): pointed to the magnetic north making it easier to determine direction. • A number of instruments were used to determine latitude by measuring the altitude of celestial bodies. • Quadrant (ca. 1450): used to determine latitude by measuring the altitude of celestial bodies • Mariner’s astrolabe (ca. 1480): used to determine latitude by measuring the altitude of celestial bodies • Cross staff (ca. 1550): used to find the latitude by measuring the altitude of the Pole Star above the horizon Ships • Portuguese caravel (ca. 1450) • Lighter, faster ships than the Spanish Galleons and much better suited for exploration along the African Coast • Could sail into the wind • Lateen sail and rope riggings • Enabled sails to be quickly and efficiently maneuvered to take advantage of wind power • Axial rudder (side rudder) • Provided for improved change of direction • Gunpowder and cannons • Provided protection against hostile ships and facilitated the domination of indigenous peoples in lands explored PRE-COLUMBIAN EXPLORERS • Scandinavian explorers • • • • Norsemen (Vikings) before 1000 AD Iceland Greenland Labrador • Leif Ericson – Vinland (probably present New England) • Founded a colony – did not become permanent • The Basques • Distant fishing voyages in the Atlantic • Legends of others visiting lands to the west PRINCE HENRY (THE NAVIGATOR AND THE PORTUGUESE) 1394-1460 Led Portugal in the advancement of navigation and exploration • School of Navigation • Studied the arts of seamanship • Students – famous navigators – discoveries/adventures • Explored coast of Africa • Opened trade in ivory, gold & slaves • Bartholomew Diaz • Rounded the Cape of Good Hope • Vasco da Gama • Sailed to India • Started profitable trade with the Far East