Age of Exploration 1415 1476 A D Europe

Age of Exploration 1415 -1476 A. D.

Europe Explores the Sea • Europeans traded with Asia long before the Renaissance. • Spices – especially pepper- was very valuable – Over $10 per ounce • By 1400 s- Europe wanted other spices – Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper

Spice Islands • Used spices to preserve food, add flavor, medicines, and perfumes. • Chief source of spices was the island of Moluccas in present day Indonesia

Europe Explore the Seas • Europeans wanted to gain direct access to the spice markets. • Portugal and Spain looked for alternate routes to bypass the Mediterranean route to Asia • Other motives: – Desire for ‘crusades’ against Muslims – Renaissance spirit of adventure

Improved Technology • New inventions allowed travel on the high seas – Cartographers created more accurate maps • Astrolabe • Created by Greeks, perfected by Arabs, – Used to determine latitude at sea using the stars

Caravel • Combined square sails with Arab lateen, or triangular sails. • Made it possible to sail into the wind.

Portugal Sails Eastward • Portugal led the way in exploration • Strong enough to seize territory in Muslim North Africa. • Inspired Prince Henry – Henry the Navigator

Henry the Navigator • Embodied the crusading drive and the new spirit of exploration • Hoped to expand Christianity • To find the source of African gold

Mapping the Africa Coast • Prince Henry gathered scientists, cartographers, and other experts – Redesigned ships – Prepared maps – Trained captains and crews for long voyages • Goal was to explore the west coast of Africa • Henry died in 1460

Bartholomeu Dias • Portuguese navigator • Rounded the southern tip of Africa • Known as the Cape of Good Hope – Opened the way for sea route to Asia

Vasco Da Gama • 1497, led four ships around the Cape of Good Hope • 10 month voyage reached Calicut, India • Long voyage home – Lost half of ships – Sailors died of thirst, hunger and scurvy • Highly profitable journey – Cargo of spices sold at a profit of 3, 000%

Vasco da Gama

Vasco Da Gama • Second voyage 1502 • Treaty of Friendship forced on ruler of Calicut – Set up shop to buy spices and store them • Portuguese seized key ports around Indian ocean • Established a vast trading empire.

Columbus Sails West • Christopher Columbus from Italian port of Genoa • Wanted to reach the Indies by sailing west • Most educated people knew the earth was round. • Two mistakes – Underestimated the size of the earth – Two continents in his path

Voyages of Columbus • Enterprise of the Indies financed by King Ferdinand Queen Isabella of Spain • 1492 sailed west aboard – Nina – Pinta – Santa Maria • Reached landfall on October 12 th • He thought he had reached the Indies

Voyages of Columbus • Sailed around Caribbean – Called the locals “Indians” • 1493 returned to a heroes welcome in Spain – Convinced he a reached the coast of East Asia • Europeans realized he had reached continents unknown to them before.

Line of Demarcation • Spain and Portugal both claimed lands Columbus explored • 1493, Pope Alexander VI stepped in to keep the peace • Set up a line dividing the non-European world into two zones – Spain had trading and exploration rights west of the line – Portugal had trading and exploration rights east of the line

Naming the New World • 1507, German cartographer read about the “new world” – Written by Amerigo Vespucci • He named it America • Area explored by Columbus became known as the “West Indies”

Vasco Nunez de Balboa • With Native American help found passage through the tropical forest of Panama • Discovered what he called the South Sea in 1513

Ferdinand Magellan • Sailed five ships along the coast of South America looking for passage around it • November 1520 – entered bay that become the Strait of Magellan – Entered the “South Sea” • Renamed it “Pacific” – meaning peaceful

Circumnavigation • Crew wanted to return to Spain the way they had come. • Magellan convinced another three weeks to the Spice Islands • Sailed for four months before reaching the Philippines – Magellan killed in a local dispute • One ship and 18 sailors complete the voyage back to Spain – circumnavigating the globe

Search for the Northwest Passage • English, Dutch and French explorers looked for a passage around North America – Called the Northwest Passage • 1497 King Henry VII of England set Venetian explorer John Cabot – Discovered rich fishing grounds that he claimed for England

Search for the Northwest Passage • The French sent Jacques Cartier to explore the St. Lawrence River • Henry Hudson sailed for the Dutch – Explored the Hudson River Valley • Northwest passage never found?