Download Transoceanic Encounters and Global Connections

Transoceanic Encounters and
Global Connections
Chapter 22
The Exploration of the World’s Oceans
• Age of Exploration (by Europeans)
• Financed by governments and/or investors
•  knowledge of the world  global network of
communication, transportation, and exchange
Motives for Exploration
• Combination: resources, land, trade routes, spread
Christianity - justified and reinforced each other
• Portuguese: resources and cultivable land (esp. for
sugar plantations)
• Trade routes: wealthy needed spices and gold,
wanted direct access(bigger quantities,lower prices)
• Missionary efforts: wanted
to expand Christendom
The Technology of Exploration
• Combination of Mediterranean, N. European,
Chinese, and Arabic elements
• Ships and sails: rudder, triangular and square sails
-> tacking
• Navigational instruments: magnetic compass,
astrolabe -> direction and latitude
• Knowledge of winds and currents: trades and
westerlies (in Atlantic and Pacific), monsoons (in
Indian) – often required indirect routes (e.g., volto
do mar)
Voyages of Exploration: from the
Mediterranean to the Atlantic
• Started in 13th century, 14th century explored E.
Atlantic, by late 15th century into Indian Ocean
• Prince Henry of Portugal, B. Dias, V. da Gama
– Paved the way for est. of trading posts (Africa, India)
• C. Columbus: sought western route to India, but
ended up in the Bahamas
– Unsuccessful, but inspired
others and linked the eastern
and western hemispheres
Voyages of Exploration: from the
Atlantic to the Pacific
• F. Magellan (Spain, circumnavigation)
• Spain: est’d trade routes between Mexico and the
Philippines
• England: sought NW passage, Sir F. Drake
explored Pacific, and J. Cook
• France: joined in mid 1700s
• Russians: land-based exploration by 1700s
Trade and Conflict in Early Modern
Asia
• Europeans wanted commercial opportunities
• Built fortified trading posts to try to control trade
(esp. in spices)
• Led to competition among European countries,
with Britain coming out on top
Trading Post Empires: Portuguese
• Goal was not to conquer, but to control trade
routes, forcing merchant ships to pay duties
• Portuguese: used military force (A.
d’Alboquerque) – seized Hormuz, Goa, Melaka;
safe-conduct passes; couldn’t dominate, Port.
Influence weakened by end of 16th century
Trading Post Empires: English & Dutch
• English and Dutch: built trading posts, but didn’t try
to control shipping
– England: India
– Holland: S. Africa and SE Asia
• Advantages over Port.: better ships and joint-stock
companies (limited risk, increased profits)
• English East India Company and United East India
Company (VOC): funded by private merchants, with
government support (but no oversight)
– Charters allowed them the right to buy, sell, build trading
posts, make wars
– Very successful  global trade network
European Conquests in SE Asia
• Not very successful at conquering and controlling
in East, except in Philippines and Indonesia
• Philippines: 1565, Spanish overtook most of islands
– Policy: trade (Manila became silk entrepot) and
Christianity (tried to convert leaders, generally
successful)
• Indonesia: Dutch, focused on spice trade
– Gained control via military power and manipulation of
local politics, but did not rule directly
Foundations of the Russian Empire
• Mid-16th century: conquers C. Asian Mongol Khanates
-> trade with Ottomans, Iran, India
• By 1639, expanded to Pacific Ocean (wanted Siberia
for furs)
– Russians tried to exact tribute from native groups, with
varying responses (also spread disease)
– To keep furs coming, tried to protect them and convert to
orthodox Christianity (unsuccessful)
– Russian settlers were misfits, criminals,
POWs – began building agricultural
settlements near trading posts
Commercial Rivalries and the Seven
Years’ War
• Competition and conflict:
• Early: Dutch dom’d Indian Ocean
• By early 1700s (cotton and tea), England and
France dom’d (1746: French seized Madras)
• Americas: English pirates and privateers seized
Spanish ships, fighting over territory
•  The Seven Years’ War (1756-63): global,
involved natives
The Great War for Empire (cont.)
• The war:
– Europe: Britain and Prussia vs. France, Austria, and
Russia
– India: British vs. French (plus, each had local allies)
– Caribbean: British vs. French and Spanish
– North America (French and Indian Wars): British vs.
French (plus, each had native allies)
• British dom’d: kicked France out of India, took
colonies (Canada and Florida) and laid foundation
for British hegemony of the next 150 years
Ecological Exchanges
• Beginning of unprecedented exchanges between
cultures and regions of biological species (plants,
crops, animals, human populations, and disease)
with varying effects
The Columbian Exchange
• Resulted in permanent changes to the world’s
human geography and natural environment
– Disease: decreased populations in Americas and
Pacific Islands (esp. small pox, measles, diphtheria,
whooping cough, and flu) because people had zero
immunity -> epidemic (vs. endemic)
– Food crops and animals: increased population, food
supplies, nutrition, animal energy; flowed both ways
– Migration: voluntary (European settlers, Asian
workers) and forced (enslaved Africans)
The Origins of Global Trade
• Started with Portuguese, Dutch, and English
trading post empires (Asian goods to Europe)
• Became truly global with Americas:
– Americas to Europe: silver, tobacco, sugar
– Africa to Americas: slaves
– Europe to Africa: manufactured items
• Also in Pacific basin: Manila galleons (American
silver to Asia for luxury items)
• Environmental impact: extinct animals