Transcript Unit 1 Exploration - Kenston Local Schools

Unit 1 Exploration
CHAPTER 14 EUROPEAN EXPLORATION AND
CONQUEST 1450-1650
Economic Expansion and Innovation
 In 1350 Europeans knew only what they had known
about the world for 1000 years-and very very
marginal players in International Trade. By 1650 it
is all different. A true “global” economy began to
transform the social order- and Europe was on it’s
way to becoming a superpower.
World Contacts Before
Columbus
EUROPEAN EXPLORATION WAS BORN FROM
A DESIRE TO GET INTO WORLD TRADE
(SPECIFICALLY ASIAN TRADE)WHICH HAD
BEEN MAKING PEOPLE RICH FOR CENTURIES
The Trade World of the Indian Ocean
 From around 800-1400 Indian ocean trade dominated world
commerce. A crossroads of exchange between China, India, the Middle
East, and Africa. (Europe is on periphery)
 Run primarily through cosmopolitan port cities (Malacca, Calicut,
Quilon)- it’s a business, and fighting over good “spots” keeps people
from making $$.
 Trade goods like silks, cottons, porcelains, pepper, sandalwood, sugar,
dyes, opium (that one will come back later)
Chinese Exploration
 Chinese don’t really like foreigners (then or
now) and would frequently limit trade with
outside civilizations. But when Mongols
ruled (1271-1368) they traded. And when
Ming dynasty reconquered China entered a
period of dynamic growth- which included
exploration’
 Zheng He – head of 7 expeditions, which
went as far as Egypt (some say to S.
America) BUT Chinese decided they didn’t
like what they found (except Giraffes, they
loved them some Giraffes) and make a
decision NOT to continue.
Trading States of Africa
 Many parts of Africa were
connect to the Islamic
Empire: Mamluk Egypt and
the Swahili States.
 There was also the Christian
Kingdom of Eithiopia (limited
contact with Europe- Coptic
Christian)
 Had sporadic contact with
Europe
Gold and Slaves
 Africa was main source for gold in the middle east and
Europe. Came out of West Africa – transported across the
Sahara via caravan. Nations that were part of the trade
(Ghana, Mali, Songhay) had “legendary” wealth. (King
solomon’s mines etc)
 Slaves were another key resource BEFORE exploration (most
destined for middle east)
Ottoman and Persian Empires
 One of the things that makes the middle east so
important in world history is it’s location- right in
the middle. Had become Islamic in 700s – had 2
great empires as exploration began.
 Ottoman Turks: Control eastern Mediterranean and
north Africa. Loved expansion (eastern Europe looks
nice….)
 Persian (Safavid) Controlled area around what is
today Iran
 Both fight over Indian Ocean and Silk Road trade
Genoese and Venetian Middlemen
 Genoa and Venice controlled trade with the Ottomans, and
therefore access to Asian/Indian trade as a whole. Venice
had eastern Mediterranean , Genoa did black sea
 Bought spices etc (pepper) most valuable, which they sold at
a significant markup. Sold European goods (and there
weren’t many that Muslims/Asians wanted) like wool, guns
and slaves – but even so- they have to spend a lot of gold.
Slavery and Administration
 Slaves (primarily from eastern Europe – Muslims
like blondes too) were a major product of Italian
slaves. Brought them to North Africa, the Iberian
Peninsula, and the Canary Islands (In Atlantic)
 Italian/Islamic experience in colonial
administration, slavery and international trade will
be models for Iberians (Spanish and Portuguese)
European Voyages of Discovery
EUROPE HAS BEEN AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY
S I N C E T H E F A L L O F R O M E - D U R I N G T H E 1 6 TH
CENTURY FOCUS WILL BEGIN TO TURN FIRST TO
TRADE, THEN TO BUSINESS- WHICH WILL BEGIN
TO CREATE THE MODERN ECONOMY
Causes of European Exploration
• High demand for the spices (pepper, nutmeg, ginger, mace,
cinnamon and cloves) etc that travel the silk road and
Indian ocean routes. Know they are getting overcharged by
Ottomans (and Italians) so goal is to find a way to bypass
• After downturn of Black Death, population began to grow
again in the 1400s- pop. Rose 50% between 1470-1620.
Cities grew correspondingly (London went from 50-200k)
Mixture of Motivations
 Eagerness for exploration heightened by lack
of econ opportunity in Europe –BUT land in
Europe was scarce, younger sons and lower
classes need opportunity, and you might
strike it rich
 “Glory, God, and Gold” were Motivations for
exploration. Believed in the power of man,
had strong religious fervor (this is the
reformation…) They know the Ottomans are
too big to beat- but there might be others out
there would could be
 Exploration is also a manifestation of
Humanist curiosity and desire for knowledge
Technology and the Rise of Exploration
• Before Europeans could explore- needed to improve
sailing techniques. Redesigned ships (flat bottom
from Med.) to go in deeper waters and to carry
cannon. Portuguese invented Caravel: deep hulled
ship with both Lateen and Square sails- good for
many types of waters. Sternpost rudder
Borrowed Technology
• From Arabs: Got access to Ptolemy’s Geography- which
showed an improved (though highly inaccurate) view of
world. Also Lanteen (triangular) sail (tack against wind)
mathematical calculations and Astrolabe (latitude)
 From Chinese: Gunpowder (cannons will be very helpful in
conquistadoring) the sternpost rudder, and compass.
Portuguese Empire Overseas
• Interesting place for this to start- has
been a very marginal place – BUT they
are near the ocean and are good sailors
(comparatively)
• Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460)founded navigation/sailing school, and
funded exploration of W. African coast.
• Chased Muslims across straight of
Gibraltar during reconquista and
attacked Morocco in early 1400s. Saw
wealth of Sahara trade- wanted in,
started with islands (Madeira/Azores)
Diaz/Di Gama
• As time went by, Portuguese
continued to push down the
coast of Africa
• Bartholomew Dias 1488rounded Cape
• Vasco di Gama 1497- reached
India – and proved you can sail
from Europe to Asia. Fought
for control of Muslim trading
ports- and slowly but surely got
them (guns)
The Problem of Christopher
Columbus
• Famous/Infamous: is it more important
that he DID things, or is it more important
HOW he did them?
• Columbus says it’s faster to go west to reach Asia. (wrong)
He’s Genovese, and really wanted to cut Venice out of
Asian trade. (Irony is Exploration a huge blow to Italian
economy -Econ/Political decline of Italy begins) And
Spanish are annoyed with Portugal, who won’t join their
new nation, and have access to African/Indian trade…..
• Plus - Columbus is also really religious- and he is a fan of
the Spanish converso activities
•
October 12 1492
 Tried to get financial backing from Genoa and Portugal
before he went to Spain. His goal was to reach China via
India and Japan (Ptolemy)
 Left Spain August 3rd- sailed west for 33 days –and landed
in the Bahamas….thinking he was in the “Indies”
(Europeans called Islands of Asia the East Indies.
Caribbean will become West Indies)
 He describes the natives (Taino)he found as “handsome,
peaceful and primitive” who would “make good slaves”
 He sailed on to other Islands- certain he was in reach of
Japan. Landed on Haiti and Cuba – and returned to Spain
in January
Subsequent Voyages
 Columbus and the Spanish returned- this time with
intent to conquer. Enslaved Hispaniola. Continued
to explore other Islands- searching for gold and
other civilizations.
 Columbus was a great sailor, but a lousy governor.
Rebellion broke out, the Spanish had to send troops
to investigate, and Columbus was taken back to
Spain. Died 1506- fully believing he had found Asia
Later Explorers: Amerigo Vespucci
 1st to realize (out loud)
that Euro had found a
new world- NOT Asia.
Explored in Brazil
 Continent named for
him b/c he told
German Cartographer
he was first to reach
South America.
(actually Pedro Cabral
1500)
Treaty of Tordesillas
 1493
 Spain and Portugal fear bumping into each other during
exploration- go to Pope for mediation.
 Pope draws an imaginary line down a map of the world
(adjusted a few years later)
 Spain gets everything to the west: N/S America (except
Brazil- the adjustment) Orients them towards the
Americas- where they take over and introduce profound
change
 Portugal gets everything to east- Africa/India (and Brazil)
Did get to “claim all land” like Spain- but est. trade routes
were there. Less domination, more joining in the party.
Magellan
 1519 Commissioned by Charles V to find out if you CAN sail west
and end up in the east. 5 ships, 270 men. The short answer is
yes…..but it is NOT faster
 Tricky parts are Cape Horn in S America (Straights of Magellan)
and crossing the Pacific (took 98 days, men ate rats and sawdust)
 Magellan killed in the Philippines (which he names after Philip
II) but 1 ship and 18 men made it back to Spain after nearly 3
years of travel
 So Spain decides Sailing west is a bad plan. Focus on New world.
English/French
 Excited by Iberian success (especially treasure-
though other Euros never really hit that jackpot)
Spent a LOT of time looking for another way to sail
west- the mythical Northwest Passage.
 John Cabot (for England) and Jacques Cartier (for
France) explore eastern Canada
 No treasure, but cod fishing and furs provide early
profits here
Spanish Conquest in the New World
 The territories claimed by Spain contained the 2
largest civilizations in the new world. Spain’s
plan is to dominate- there’s a reason their dudes
are called “conquistadors”. Actually more like
imperialism of 1800s – Spain’s plan was to
subjugate established civilizations.
 Hernando Cortez: defeated Aztecs/Mexica in
1519. Was a fairly quick victory, esp when you
consider he had 600 men. (allied with tribes
who resented Aztec rule) BUT, Mexica ruled a
tribute empire, which constantly demanded
tribute (and human sacrifices) from surrounding
tribes- so they weren’t that popular
 Victory came as much from smallpox as it did
from Spanish guns. Aztecs had a pretty sweet
supply of gold/treasure- and Spain liked that.
Incan Empire
 Francisco Pissarro: defeated in Inca 1532, which was much
harder. Most of empire is in mountains- BUT Spanish
happened to attack at the end of an Incan civil war, that
helped. (Captured and ransomed the Emperor Atahualpa,
then killed him)
 Colonies existed to serve mother country (mercantilism) in
Spain’s case- to produce treasure. 25% of kings income
came from mines of Peru.
Early French and English Settlement
• Britain: Walter Raleigh went during reign of
Elizabeth I (funded lost colony of Roanoke, and
Seadogs to steal Spanish $$) Jamestown founded
1607, Plymouth 1620. British colonies founded for
econ/religious reasons, not treasure/conquest0their plan for Indians was to get them to leave.
• France: Samuel Champlain founded Quebec 1608.
Fur trade base of econ rather than agriculture (too
cold- Calvinists not allowed to go)Had best
relationship with Native Americans- trade. Also got
involved in Caribbean (most valuable- sugar)
The Impact of Conquest
THE ONE OF THE LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS (AND IN SOME WAYS, DISASTERS)
IN WORLD HISTORY. NOTHING WILL EVER
BE THE SAME
Colonial Administration
 All lands belong to the Crown (proto absolutism) Econ
Administered by the “House of Trade” in Seville, and Politics
administered by the “Council of the Indies”
 Spain Divided territory into 4 “viceroyalties” New Spain
(Mexico and Southwest), Peru, La Plata (Argentina), New
Granada (Columbia)
 Viceroy, Audiencia, Corregidores, all in New World- all
Spanish (peninsulares). Massive land grants given to those in
favor with king/queen
 Portuguese system is very similar
France/England
 France also maintained a royal monopoly on political
power- but were much more hands off (they care far
more about being fabulous at home than having
good colonies) Run with military governors and
Intendents (not nobles)
 British/Dutch colonies were unique in that early
settlement was associated with joint stock
companies. British allowed colonies to est their own
assemblies- and soon English colonists in new world
had more political power than ordinary Englishmen
at home (spoilers- that will be a thing later)
Impact on Indigenous Peoples
 No way of knowing with any accuracy
how many people were here when
Europeans arrived. Estimates go as
high as 100 million (same size as pop
of Asia) more realistically around 50
million (same size as pop of Europe).
Lifestyles varied widely based on
geography
 Native population decimated by
European disease (smallpox, measles,
typhus, Influenza)– but perhaps
things were worse for those who
DIDN’T die (at least in some areas)
b/c what came next was often slavery
Encomienda
 Encomienda: Europeans claimed land, and the people who
lived on it as their serfs. Supposed to “civilize” them
(convert to Christianity etc) but became a brutal system.
 Overwork in agriculture or mining (Peru) typical, as was
malnutrition. Given ANY opportunity – natives tried to
escape. Overall, really a bummer for the Spanish (poor
babies) who just weren’t getting what they wanted 
 Begin to import slaves from Africa (works better)- and
becomes basis of agricultural econ in Caribbean, Brazil
et…(sugar)
Bartolome de Las Casas
and Missionaries
 Missionaries (Jesuits most common) came with
the Conquistadors to convert Native populations.
Established missions, which helped assimilate
natives to European expectations.
 While Catholicism was imposed by force, clergy got to know
natives better than other Europeans.
 Batholme de Las Casas: published “A Very Brief Account of the
Destruction of the Indies” which denounced Spanish treatment
of natives. Backed by Pope, who had already declared that
natives were humans and therefore should not be enslaved….
believed that cruelty hurt conversion. Recommended African
slavery- said it would help “protect” natives from exploitation
Life in the Colonies
 Europeans were bringing THEIR culture, really not
interested in picking up native habits- BUT the
degree to which that was successful often depended
on women
 In general, the more European Women who came to
colony, the more “European” it became. British
colonies most – Spain/French much less, which
meant that European men had relationships with
native (or African) women
Mixed Populations
 Social division by Race (new thing for Europeans)
Sociodad de la Castas. Brought Patriarchal society
and imposed in on Americas
 Europeans- either peninsulare or Creole
 Mestizo (euro/native)
 Mulatto (Euro/African)
 Indian
 Slave (African)
Columbian Exchange
• Global diffusion of plants
and animals From
Americas (West)
• Beans, squash, tomato,
sweet potato, peanuts,
chilies, chocolate, corn,
potato, avocado,
pineapple
• From Euro/Asia (East)
Wheat, Rice, sugar,
olives, grapes, coconuts,
bananas, horse, cow,
citrus, melon, sheep,
goat, rabbit, rat.
• And disease….Smallpox,
typhus, measles,
deadliest for natives.
America did give Euro
Syphilis and Malaria. But
food improvements
increased pop. With time
Global Exchanges
SUSTAINED CONTACT BETWEEN
EAST/WEST HEMISPHERES HAD
PROFOUND IMPACT- BIOLOGICALLY
AND COMMERCIALLY.
WORLD RADICALLY ALTERED BY
GLOBAL NETWORKS OF EXCHANGE
Sugar and Slavery
 Slavery Introduced to European colonies by the Iberians-
Had never really been a part of European society. Colonial
slavery was unique in scope and scale. 60% of pop. Of
Brazil slave, 90% of population of Caribbean- and it is tied
to the 1st global product: Sugar.
 Sugar grows year round (tropical) and requires insane
amounts of labor.- but the profits are extraordinary.
Spanish Silver and Economic Effects
 1500s were “golden age” for Spain- but New World silver
was the base of their wealth. Mines in Peru produced 60%
of the world’s supply (main type of coin) 35 million lbs of
silver came in via Seville each year. So Spain didn’t need to
produce (and they had kicked their best craftsmen out
anyway) they bought.
 Influx of silver to Spain created high inflation (2% a year)
Prices doubled in 50 years, quadrupled in 100.
 People with “fixed” incomes (nobles) don’t do well with
this- business do- and we start to see a shift in importance
of business (rather than land) econ
 When treasure runs out for Spain- so does their power.
Birth of the Global Economy
 The world is more linked by 1600 than it has ever
been. Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch carry products
around the world. (it’s always been segment by
segment)
 Portuguese trade all around the world: slaves from
Africa, Silks/porcelains from Asia, Horses from
Middle east, Peacocks/Spices from India, Sugar from
Brazil
 Spanish have such a high demand for Chinese silk
that they spend 12 million a year on it – burning lots
of their silver supply (Chinese will only trade for
cash)
Mercantilism
 Purpose of colonies is to help mother country.
Colonies supposed to provide raw materials (fur,
timber etc..) and a market for finished goods. Only
allowed to trade with mother country.
.
The Dutch
 Independence gave them a desire to compete with Spain. Too
small to conquer- and not strong enough for kings to finance.
Use Joint Stock companies (Business, investment) and focus on
trade- specifically the carrying trade.
 Started with Spices - and 1st voyage of Dutch East India Co
(1599) made 100% profit
 Asians liked them better than Portuguese- Calvinists don’t try to
convert. Gained access to Indonesia,
south Africa, and Ceylon.
(Plus new amsterdam in US)
Will take over slave trade from
Portuguese.
Changing Attitudes and Beliefs
DISCOVERY STARTED CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT “SUPERIORITY” AND “INFERIORITY”
IN WHICH THE EUROPEANS START TAKING A
PRETTY HIGH VIEW OF THEMSELVES…..
New Ideas About Race
 Africans were not the 1st people “dehumanized” by
Europeans. Jews in Europe, and the Irish (from the
English) had faced discrimination for centuries. And nobles
certainly saw peasants as inherently “less” than they were.
 But the scale of African racism is new- and needed
justification. Started with the idea of Christianity- saving
souls, but soon came to idea that Africans could never be
truly equal to whites – “darkness” was permanently lesser.
 Begin to define race in new way- not culture, ethnicity.
Michel de Montaigne
 French noble- but he disapproved of
noble mindset of war/sport over intellect..
 Humanist- wanted to know himself, believed he had to do
that to live well.
 A Skeptic: expressed doubts that total knowledge can ever
be obtained. A reflection of the questions raised by age of
exploration- including race- can we ever really “know” they
world?
 Developed Essay as a writing style-expressing his
thoughts/ideas- and inviting debate. (whole purpose is to
defend yourself and persuade others) A break with the
writers of the past- anticipated the thoughts of the
enlightenment
Miguel de Cervantes
 Spanish- very upset by what was going on in Spain
(Inquisition, forced expulsions/conversions)
 Don Quixote- a satire that ridiculed the noble
mindset and showed gap between ideals and
reality. Don Quixote himself sees only the idealdoesn’t recognize the real world, Sancho sees only
reality- doesn’t recognize ideal. Careful to avoid
politics- but commented on cruelty and hypocrisy
of humanity
William Shakespeare
 Elizabethan age was a
golden age of British
literature- esp. for
drama (1st time since
classical age where it has
been a major art form)
 Shakespeare’s plays
reflected the concerns of
his age- the nature of
power, the crisis of
authority, and the rise of
nationalism
 3 major “categories” of
plays



Dramas : Romeo and
Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth
or King Lear
Comedies : The Tempest,
A Midsummer night’s
Dream, Much Ado about
Nothing, or The Taming of
the Shrew
Histories : Julius Caesar,
Anthony and Cleopatra,
Richard III, or Henry V