The Foundations of European Exploration

Chapter 16, Section 2

Objectives

1. What technological advances made European exploration possible?

2. What effect did teh Commercial Revolution have?

3. What role did mercantilsim play in the colonies?

Improvements in Technology

1. Europeans believed that the best way to improve trade was to find new and safe routes east.

2. Mapmaking- improved upon the work of Greek and Roman geographers and Muslim scholars.

3. Through trade with the Muslim empire the knowledge of Asia and Africa was acquired and added to the maps of Ptolemy .

Crusades opened contact with the east

Improvements in Technology

4. Navigation- technology helped ships sail longer distances without getting lost.

5. Compass- tool using a magnetic needle that points to the North Pole.

6. New ships- could travel farther, faster, and under a variety of weather conditions- better rudders (steering) and sails.

Viking ships had squaresails to capture the wind…

Early Chinese ships Had triangle sails, allowing

them to cut throughwind currents…

The Portuguese combinedthe 2 sail designs to comeup with

their own design.

This design was later Modified by the Spanish…The Galleon…

Think then Discuss

Why did technological advances make sailors more able to explore distant lands?

ANSWER: Mariners were better able to navigate, and ships could travel farther, faster and under a greater

variety of conditions

Economic Changes

1.Improved ways of doing business played a big role in exploration.

2.Changes and needs to solidify business practices from the 1400’s onward led to the Commercial Revolution.

3.Development of standard systems of money- Italians in the 1200’s were the first to produce coins with a standard or fixed value.

4.Development of international trade and banking.

Economic Changes

5.Merchants form joint stock companies where owners/investors raised money by selling shares of stock in the company

6.Helped finance many voyages of discovery.

7.European monarchs support the development of exploration, trade, and colonization.

Mercantilism

1.Mercantilism- theory that stated a countries main goal was to accumulate wealth measured in gold and silver.

2.World contained a fixed amount of wealth, so a country had to take wealth from other countries.

3.Balance of trade- main goal was to create a favorable balance of trade where a country exports more goods than it imports.

Mercantilism

4.Could reduce the amount of imports by using a tariff- a tax on imported goods.

5.Could encourage exports by using subsidies- grants of money to businesses from the government.

Mercantilism

6. The role of colonies- overseas lands are sources of raw materials, resources, and markets for goods.

7. Colonies were not allowed to buy imported goods or manufacture many goods.

8. Colonies existed to benefit the parent country.

Social Changes

1. Curiosity and spirit of adventure promoted exploration.

2. Desire to escape crowded cities in Europe and find a better way of life.

3. Religious persecution in Europe and the desire to spread religion encouraged many people to explore-“God, Glory, and Gold.”

Why go Exploring?

The 3 G’s - God, Gold, and Glory

God: Spread the good word!1492 - Christopher Columbus sets out to find newTrade routes to India and China to cut out the middle-men (the Ottomans)The Ottomans were Muslims… bad to Christians…Every time Europeans wanted to trade with China orIndia they had to pass through Ottoman trading posts; this meant that they had to give money to the Muslims.

By Columbus’ time (1492) the last of the Muslim Strongholds in Spain had been defeated, this led to Shift in European focus…

Pre 1517 - The focus of Europe was fighting theMuslims

After 1517 - Their focus is on spreading Christianity

to new lands… you can’t let the heretics get to them first!

•Originally they got their money by cutting out the Ottomans from trade. Later, Europeans start looking for resources from the Americas and Africa… not good for either continent!

•Spain = South America for silver and gold.

• England = North America for natural resources Africa for manual labor

•- France = Also North America

The way to make the country more powerful was to Increase it’s wealth. You do this by getting as much as You can.

If you didn’t get the wealth someone else would! They Would win and you would lose!

The more wealth a country had = more power in war!

Victory over your enemies was everything!