PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Big Question: Why did exploration begin?
The demand for Gold, Spices, and Natural Resources is very high in Europe
These goods mostly came from China, India, and Indonesia, but the journey was very difficult
Especially after the Ottomans take over Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453
With new ships, called Caravels (along with the Compass), Europeans could take longer sea journeys
So they tried finding new sources of gold, spices, and goods, as well as new "passages" to India
Finding new passages also helped to cut out the "middle man" which meant more profits
Prince Henry the Navigator
- Pioneer of Exploration
- Sponsored many trips from Portugal to Africa
- Helped to make better maps
Many trips were financed to help the spread Christianity
Prince Henry the Navigator especially hoped to spread Christianity, and to defeat the Muslim Empire.
Europeans nations want to expand their empires, to create more power
Explorers also wanted to be the "firsts" and to make a name for themselves
Christopher Columbus
- 1492 Thought he knew a better way to India by sailing west (never done before)
- Financed by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain
- Landed in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and central America
- Begins exploration to "The New World"
Vasco da Gama
- Portuguese
- 1497 sails around the Cape of Good Hope (Africa) to India in search of spices
Magellan
- Also financed by Spanish
- 1519 Thought he could find a faster route than Columbus
- First to circumnavigate to world (postumusly)
Francis Drake
- England needed to start exploring, or lose to the Spanish and Portuguese
- 1577 becomes first Englishman to circumnaviagte the globe
Jacques Cartier
- French also start to explore
- 1534 Sails to New World in search of gold
- Helps France claim Canada (give Canada its name)
Some Spanish explorers were more interested in Conquering the New World, than setting up trade, or colonies.
Hernando Cortes
- Spanish Conquistador
- 1519 Finds/Conquers the Aztec Empire and their king Montezuma
- Riches of the Aztecs became the riches of Spain
- Most will die from "Old World" diseases
- Riches of the Aztecs became the riches of Spain
Francisco Pizarro
- 1531 Does to the Incas what Cortes did to the Aztecs (but faster, thanks to disease)
- Civil War breaks out between Incas after king dies; Pizarro just waits
- Again, American Indian kingdom in the hands of the Spanish