Beginnings of the Global Age

1. Beginnings of the Global Age Europe, Africa, Asia 1415-1796

2. Search for Spices • 1400’s • Other countries wanted trade controlled by Italy and Arabs for three centuries • New technology – compass, faster ships, astrolabe, better mapmaking skills made traveling by ship easier, safer • Most valued item spices • Look for quicker route to Asia • Cheaper to eliminate middleman • Renaissance curiosity

3. Traditional Eurasian Trade Routes

4. Portugal • Early 1400’s Prince Henry sponsors voyages to Asia around Africa • Wanted wealth, convert others to Christianity • 1488 Dias rounded S. Africa (Cape of Good Hope)

5. Portugal • 1497 Vasco da Gama sails to India • Took spices back to Portugal, voyage profitable • 1502 took four ships, signed trade treaty with ruler of Calcutta • Portugal control key ports around Indian Ocean • Become a world power

6. Spain • 1492 King and Queen of Spain sponsor voyage by Columbus • bring wealth and prestige to Spain • Columbus –sail west across Atlantic to reach Indies, underestimated size of earth • Landed in Caribbean Islands, discovered new continents

7. Dividing Globe in Half • Spanish want pope to support claim in new world • 1494-Pope established Line of Demarcation (Treaty of Tordesillas) • Spain claim to all west of line, Portugal everything east • Line unclear • Other nations realize they needed to build own empires quickly • Dutch, French and English establish colonies in North America

8. Search for Direct Route • English, Dutch, French explore coast of North America look for “northwest passage” to Asia • 1513 Balboa “discovers” Pacific Ocean claims all land around and ocean for Spain • 1519 Ferdinand Magellan (Spain) looks for route to Asia • Sails across Pacific, killed in Philippines • 1 ship, 18 sailors return to Spain 1521- first to circumnavigate globe

9. Africa • Portuguese set up forts and trading posts around coasts of Africa • Engaged in the slave trade • Kick out Arab merchants in East Africa • Did not explore interior • Slaves most valuable product in Africa • Slaves served on plantations in Americas and Asia

10. European Slave Trade • Relied on Africans to take slaves • Most slaves from West Africa • Traded for European goods • Slaves filled need for cheap labor in Americas

11. European Slave Trade • Some African leaders resisted slave trade • Affonso I of Kongo • Slave traders found new ways to get slaves to markets • New tribes gained power as slave traders (Asante) • Depopulated areas of Africa

12. European Presence in Africa • Portuguese power declined- replaced by French, British, Dutch • 1652 Dutch established colony southern tip of Africa (Cape Town), supply ships • Dutch colonists called Boers

13. Europeans in Asia • Main purpose was to control the spice trade • Portuguese defeat Mughal Empire, massacre Muslims • Establish trading posts • Most of 1500’s control spice trade • Dutch first Europeans to challenge Portuguese

14. Europeans in Asia Dutch • Dutch ships return with spices (1599) • 1602 Dutch East India Company formed had full power of government • raise army, make treaties • take Spice Islands from Port. • Better financed • establish ties with local rulers

16. Spain and the Philippines • Claimed by Magellan 1521 • Converted to Catholicism • Base to trade with China • Silver mined in the Americas used to trade for Chinese goods

17. India and European Traders • Mughal Empire powerful, looked down on Europeans • Did not see Europeans as threat • Permitted Euros. to trade along coast • Divisions between Hindu and Muslim weakened empire • French, English traders took power, made alliances with rulers • Used Indian soldiers- sepoys- as military • late 1700’s British dominate India

18. Europeans in China • Ming and Qing Dynasties • Chinese saw Europeans as barbarians • Had no interest in European goods • Only wanted gold and silver • Europeans could only trade in Macao and Canton , end of the trading season they had to leave • European missionaries little success converting Chinese, good source of information about Chinese society

19. Japan • Diamyo competing for power • Accept Europeans at first • European firearms used to bring Tokugawa Shoguns to power • Eventually expelled all foreigners except Dutch • Dutch could trade from an island Nagasaki Bay once a year • Japan remained isolated for 200 years

20. Europe in the Americas • Mid 1500’s Spain conquered Mexico to South America • Established colonies across region • Controlled gold, silver mines, sent back to Spain • Spain most powerful nation in world

21. Spanish Rule in New World • Controlled trade- did not allow colonies to trade with any other countries • Smugglers, pirates, privateers traded with colonies, attacked treasure ships • Catholic missionaries- converted Indians, introduced European customs • System of labor- encomendia (forced Indian labor) eventually replaced by African slaves • Native population declined (25m to 2m within first 100 years) • European customs, traditions replaced Native American traditions

22. Portugal • Treaty of Tordesillas gave them land is eastern S. America • Est. colony in Brazil 1494 • Sugarcane, brazilwood main products • Imported African slaves to work on plantations (4 million)

23. North America • English, French, Dutch settled most of North America • Did not have gold and silver of S. America • Agriculture (tobacco, cotton, sugarcane), furs and fish main products • French settled in present day Canada • English and Dutch along east coast of North America • All countries have colonies on Caribbean islands

24. Effects of Global Contact • Impact of the slave trade- decimated African societies • approximately 11 million Africans enslaved and forcibly moved to the Americas • Columbian Exchange- movement of plants, animals and diseases between the eastern and western hemisphere • Led to a population explosion in Europe after 1700

26. Effects of Global Contact • European colonies established across the world (spread ideas, traditions and culture of Europe) • Spread Christian religion across globe (mostly Catholicism) Commercial Revolution • Growth of Capitalism- economic system where business is privately owned, goal is to make profit • Entrepreneurs willing to take risks led to spread of global trade to make more profit

27. Effects of Global Contact • Mercantilism- Monarchs wanted to make country stronger • Colonies provide raw material and market for manufactured goods • Need to establish colonies, have gold and silver • Needed to export more goods than import (balance of trade)