Chapter 13 The Age of Exploration Motives for

Chapter 13 The Age of Exploration

Motives for Exploration n Attraction to Asia n n Economic motives n n Expand trade- spices and precious metals of the far East Religion n n Inspired the writings of Marco Polo and his voyage to Kublai Khan’s court Making sure natives were “introduced into the holy Catholic faith” Sense of adventure and glory “God, Glory, Gold”

What Made Exploration Possible? n European monarchies increased their power and resources n Could focus beyond their borders n New levels of technology n New global age emerges

Technological Advances Navigation Instruments Mapmaking n n Improved during the Renaissance due to interest in writings of ancient geographers Knew the earth was round n Creation of the compass n Astrolabe: applied astronomy and geometry to navigation so sailors could determine relative height of stars and planets n n Added information about Africa and Asia Using this info they could calculate latitude

Technological Advances New Ships n n 1400 s ship designers in Spain and Portugal made important improvements n Made width of ships proportional to their length n Made smaller and different shaped sails n Moved rudder (steering) to back of the ship These improvements allowed ships to sail against the wind, travel faster, and be steered with reasonable accuracy The Cannon n Europeans first used cannons in 1400 s n Before this, naval warfare was ramming and then boarding and enemy vessel n Cannons on ships and handguns carried by sailors helped Europeans defeat enemies’ navy

Economic Changes n 1400 -1750 known as the Commercial Revolution n n Major changes in European economy Standardized Money n Before 1400 money not standardized- meaning value of coins could change depending on how much precious metal used to make them n During 1400 s this changed- Italian cities (Florence, Venice) led the way in mining coins with fixed value n Standardizing money made transactions more reliable- by accepting the money you knew its worth n This trust in money lead to growth of international trade and banking n Large sums banks accumulated made it possible for them to lend money to gov’ts and major trading companies that financed large overseas expeditions

Money is standardized New trust in value of money How standardizatio n of money leads to overseas expeditions: Trust leads to growth of international trade and banking Banks accumulate large sums of money and can lend it to governments and trade companies Governments and trade companies finance overseas expeditions

Economic Changes n Joint-stock Companies n Company that raised money by selling stocks in the company to investors n These shareholders became co-owners of the company and divided profits n Joint-stock companies raised large amounts of money from people willing to invest

Political Changes n Rivalries between countries of made governments big supporters of new exploration and colonization n Become rich from overseas exploration was one way a country could become more powerful than its rivals n Portugal, Spain, Francemonarchs not only financed voyages but also controlled exploration and building overseas empires

Mercantilism n Set of principles that dominated economic thought in 17 th ce n Theory that a nation became powerful by building up large supplies of gold and silver n How do you become powerful? . . . colonies n European nations began est trading posts and colonies in Americas and the East The Role of Colonies

Rules of Mercantilism n Mother countries began to create laws to control their economy n What was the main goal of these laws? n To build up the mother country’s supply of gold and silver

Rules of Mercantilism RULE #1 n Export (sell) more than you import (buy) to create a favorable balance of trade

Rules of Mercantilism RULE #2 n Place a high tariff (tax) on foreign goods to keep them out of your country

Rules of Mercantilism RULE #3 n Settle colonies! n Why? n n n They provide raw materials and crops not available in Europe They provide a market to sell manufactured goods Also, by not allowing your colony to trade with other countries, you will be able to export more

Long-Term Impact of Mercantilism n A transition began from a feudal economy to a market economy n People that used to be farmers started gaining wealth and starting new businesses n In this market economy individuals began deciding on… n n What to produce and sell n What prices to charge This caused them to begin earning profits

Social Changes n Increase in population during 14 th and 15 th ce caused overcrowding n Caused people to look for other opportunities such as life at sea n n Sailors paid, fed, and given place to stay Other people wanted chance at a new life overseas n n n Get quick profits- tales of gold and jewels Escape religious or political persecution Desire to spread Christianity

Key Explorers Vasco da Gama n n n Rounded the tip of Africa and cut across the Indian Ocean to India May 1498, arrived off the port of Calicut and took on a cargo of spices After returning to Portugal, da Gamma made a huge profit Ferdinand Magellan n Set sail Sept 1519 down coast of S. America in search of a sea passage through the America n Oct 1520 he passed through waterway (Strait of Magellan) into the Pacific Ocean n Fleet reached Phillipines but Magellan was killed by natives n Although only one of his ships returned to Spain, he is known as first person to circumnavigate the globe

Strait of Magellan

Christopher Columbus n Believed he could reach Asia by sailing West instead of East around Africa n Oct 1492 he reached the Americas and explored the coastline of Cuba and the island of Hispaniola (Hati/ DR) n Columbus believed he reached Asia but in his four voyages, he reached all major Caribbean islands and Honduras

Impact of Columbus’ Voyages n Interaction began between the ‘New World’ and the ‘Old World’ n n n Known as the Columbian Exchange Changed the way people lived n Diet of Europeans changed-potatoes, beans, corn, tomatoes introduced n Horses and cattle brought from Europe changed lives of N. Americans Some exchanges not positive n Smallpox and other diseases carried westward by Europeans nearly destroyed the native population

Columbian Exchange of plants and animals between Europe and the Americas n n Transformed economic activities in both worlds Colonists est plantations and ranches to raise sugar, cotton, vanilla, livestock, and other products to export to Europe

Treaty of Tordesillas n Spain and Portugal both feared that other countries might try to lay claim to the lands they had discovered n Treaty of Tordesillas: called for a line of demarcation extending from north to south through the Atlantic Ocean and the easternmost part of the S. American continent n Unexplored territories east of the line would be controlled by Portugal and west of the line by Spain

Portuguese Expansion n 1510 Portuguese conquered part of SW coast of India and made port of Goa their administrative center n They then moved on to conquer much of SE Asia n n With many trading bases throughout the islands, the Portuguese dominated trade in the region Also went on to gain footholds in China, Japan, East African coast and Brazil (sugar plantations for export)

Weaknesses of the Portuguese Empire n Portuguese government did not have a strong financial base and could not afford its vast empire n Distant sea voyage put a strain on the population n Many men went to sea and never returned n Although Portuguese ships made large profits, shipwrecks and attacks from enemies cost the country money n Because Portugal used to be part of Spain, the Spaniards limited Portuguese trade and did not care about their colonies overseas

Slave Trade n Portuguese relationship with Africa was friendly in the beginning n n Originally utilized slaves for sugar plantations off the coast of Africa n n This changed due to Portuguese economic interests- largely focused on slavery As plantation life grew so did demand for slaves Triangle trade: Atlantic trade system for goods and slaves n Middle Passage: Shipment of slaves from Africa to the Americas- brutal effects n Between 1741 -1810 European slave ships carried average of 60, 000 slaves per year n Est that 1. 5 million slaves died during Middle Passage

Triangular Trade n First Stage: cotton goods, weapons, liquor sent to Africa n Second Stage: Middle Passage-shipment of slaves from Africa to Americas n Third Stage: Plantation products sent to Europe

Destroyed Civilizations n Conquistadors: Spanish conquerors whose firearms, organizational skills, and determination brought them incredible success n Cortes had a relationship with the Aztecs n Modern weapons of the Spanish gave them an advantage over the natives n Many Aztecs fell sick and died from new diseases such as smallpox n Spanish leveled pyramids and temples to build gov’t buildings and churches n Within the 30 years after the fall of the Aztecs, Spanish expanded their control to all of Mexico n Same situation happened with Francisco Pizarro and the Incas

1550 -1715

� 1560 -1650 Europe witnessed severe economic and social crises �Inflation � Growing population (16 th ce) increased demand for land food- prices for both went up � By 1650 population began to decline �Warfare, plague and famine contributed

� One response to the crises of the 17 th ce was to seek stability by increasing the power of the king � Result was absolutism: system in which a ruler holds total power � Absolutism �Receive � Louis tied to the divine right of kings power and authority through God XIV is seen as the best example of absolutism in the 17 th ce

� Huguenots: � 40 -50% French protestants influenced by Calvin nobility- powerful political threat to the Crown � For 30 years battles raged between Catholics and Huguenots until 1598 when Henry of Navarre came to the throne as Henry IV � Realized he would never be accepted by Catholic France so he converted and fighting ended � Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes: recognized Catholicism as the official religion of France but also gave the Huguenots the right to worship and enjoy all public privileges

� Henry also worked to restore the power of the central gov’t, discipline the army and rebuild the infrastructure of the country � But France’s financial difficulties made these changes hard to make � System of taxation was inefficient, unjust, and corrupt � Nobles and clergy did not pay direct taxes so burden fell on the peasants

� Henry IV’s son was Louis XIII �His health was poor and suffered from concentration issues � Understanding his personal issues Louis XIII chose Cardinal Richelieu to be his chief minister � Richelieu wanted to make the king the supreme ruler in France �Set out to destroy nobles and Huguenots � Began to remove the political power of nobles and replaced them with middle-class people that favored a strong-monarchy

� Louis XIV came to power when he was 4 but Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister, took control � When Mazarin died in 1661 Louis took over supreme power at age 23 � Established and kept a strict routine � Referred to himself as the ‘Sun King’- source of light for all his people

� Louis established the royal court at Versailles: personal household and chief state offices � Greatest danger to his rule came from high nobles and royal princes who believed they should play a role in the gov’t �Louis removed them from gov’t and brought them to Versailles to enjoy life and stay out of politics � Louis has absolute power over nationwide policies but not local- so he bribed important people in each province to see his policies were carried out

� Louis �Aim pursued an anti-Protestantism policy was to convert Huguenots to Catholicism � Ordered the destruction of Huguenot churches and closed their schools Many fled to England Germany

� Building palaces, maintaining his court and pursuing his wars made finances crucial � Jean-Baptiste Colbert was controller-general of finances: sought to increase France’s wealth through mercantilism � Built roads and canals to increase transportation and trade while decreasing imports by raising taxes on foreign goods

� Louis developed a standing army of 400, 000 in time of war � Wished to achieve military glory and ensure his dynasty dominated Europe � To achieve this he waged 4 wars in 46 years � Many nations banded together to prevent him from taking over Europe � BUT through wars Louis added some territory and set up a member of his dynasty on the Spanish throne

�Endless wars cost many lives and too much money spent �Although France faced defeats, Louis XIV made the nation extremely powerful �France was largest, richest, and most influential nation

� Cultural and physical factors that separated Russia from Europe: �Religion was Eastern Orthodox v. Roman Catholic or Protestant �Used Cyrillic alphabet v. Roman alphabet- caused barrier to communication �Geography isolated the country from the rest of Europe- almost entirely landlocked Stronger kingdoms blocked access to the Sea

� Became czar (caesar) in 1689 � He was an absolute monarch who claimed the divine right to rule � Goal was to westernize Russia and was eager to borrow European technology � Modernization of the army and navy were crucial to make Russia a great power � By Peter’s death in 1725, Russia was a great military power and an important ruler

� Peter began to introduce Western custom, practices and manners into Russia � Ordered first Russian book of etiquette � Insisted Russian men shave their beards and women remove traditional face-coverings and move out into society � Also wanted a port with ready access to Europewarm water b/c did not freeze in winter � Only could be achieved through Baltic Sea which Sweden controlled � Peter � 1703 acquired lands won after a war with Sweden began construction of St. Petersburg

� St. Petersburg became the base for the new Russian navy and a window to the West � Used shipbuilding skills and trained craftsmen acquired from the West to build new warships for the Baltic fleet � St. Petersburg became Russia’s most important port and reminded the Russian capital until 1918

� Peter also reorganized the army �Employed Russians and Europeans as officers � Drafted peasants into 25 -year stints to build a standing army of 210, 000 � Divided rule Russia into provinces to more effectively �Goal: a “police state”- well ordered community governed by law � However, not everyone felt the same way and Peter’s personality created an atmosphere of fear

� Part of present-day Germany � Rose to power in late 1600 s � Built � up their empire from a number of small land holdings 1640 - Frederick William the Great Elector inherited the throne � After the Thirty Years’ War he decided that having a strong army was the key to safety � He built a large and efficient standing army � Prussia was a small, open territory with no natural frontiers for defense � General War Commissariat was created to levy taxes for the army and oversee its growth � Was the chief instrument to govern the state