Chapter 13 – European ExplorersChapter 13 – European Explorers

Key Events

• Europeans risked dangerous ocean voyages to discover new sea routes.

• Spain and Portugal control the “New World”

• Early European explorers sought gold in Africa, then began to trade slaves.

Motives and Means• 1500-1800 Dynamic Energy in Europe leads to

European Expansion

• Why would they risk so much to explore?

• The 3 G’s:• God • Gold • Glory

The Portuguese

•Southern coast of Africa along the Atlantic = “The Gold Coast”

The Portuguese = look to round Africa to return from India with Spices• In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias rounded the

tip of Africa looking for a route to India.

• Vasco da Gama rounded the tip of Africa and sailed on to the port of Calcutta in India in 1498.

• He took on a cargo of spices and returned to make a profit of several thousand percent.

Da Gama’s ShipDa Gama’s Ship

Spanish Voyage to Americas

• As the Portuguese sailed east to reach the source of the spice trade, the Spanish sailed west to find it.

• Italian Christopher Columbus sails for Spain.

• 4 voyages – believes he reaches the Indies

• Opposing viewpoints – page 410

Video: Age of Exploration- Race for Riches

The VoyageThe Voyage

Voyages to the Americas (cont.)

• Both Spain and Portugal feared the other would claim some of its newly “discovered” territories.

• In the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, they decided on a north-to-south line through the Atlantic Ocean and the easternmost part of South America.

• Portugal claimed the unexplored territories east of the line, Spain to the west.

Spanish Win the Treaty:They get the best Of the deal

Voyages to the Americas (cont.)

• Amerigo Vespucci - Florence

• Wrote letters of the New World.

• Led to the use of his first name Amerigo for “Americas”

Amerigo Amerigo VespucciVespucci

Voyages to the Americas (cont.) • Spanish Explorers -

Conquistadors

• Cortes, Pizarro - examples • Forced labor of Native Americans led to the cruel treatment

Video: Francisco Pizzaro

Voyages to the Americas (cont.) • Disease Ravages Americans

• Smallpox, measles, typhus • Hispaniola – pop. 250,000 in 1492

pop. 500 in 1538

• Mexico – pop. 25 Million in 1519 pop. 1 Million in 1630

Commerce & Trade

• Mercantilism – set of principles that dominated economic thought in the 17th century.

• Prosperity depends on supply of bullion – gold & silver

• Balance of Trade – diff between what a nation imports and exports

Slave Trade• The Middle Passage – name

for the transport of slaves from Africa to America.

Africans originally brought to the new world to supply labor for sugar plantations

Video: The Triangular Trade: Slave Trade

Triangular TradeTriangular Trade

Triangular TradeTriangular Trade