The Age of Exploration

1. The Age of Exploration 1500-1800

2. Why did countries want to explore new lands? • Attraction to Asia • Economic/Trading motives • Hopes of finding precious metals • Religious zeal • Glory/Spirit of Adventure • “God, Glory, Gold”

3. Who initially explored the new lands? • Portugal • Took the lead in European exploration • Sent explorers Bartholomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama in search of new routes to India • Took control of the Spice trade in the area • Spain • In search of a new route to Asia • Sent explorers Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan • Columbus thought that he had reached Asia, but he was really in the Caribbean

4. Treaty of Tordesillas • Signed in 1494 • Called for a line of demarcation that extended from north to south through the Atlantic Ocean • Unexplored territories east of the line belonged to Portugal, those west of the line belonged to Spain

5. Other European Explorers • John Cabot • Vietnam • Explored New England coastline for England • Pedro Cabral • Portuguese • Landed in South America • Amerigo Vespucci • Italian • Landed in what is now the Americas

6. The Spanish Empire • Aztecs • Ruled central Mexico • Accepted authority of Aztec king Tenochtitlan • Spanish force, conquistadors, led by Hernan Cortes invaded • Were welcomed by Montezuma, the Aztec monarch • Aztecs were defeated by superior weapons and diseases • Incas • Central Andes • Francisco Pizarro landed here • Brought superior weapons and diseases • Defeated Inca civilization

7. The Columbian Exchange Exchange of plants and animals between Europe and the Americas

8. European Rivals • English • India • North America • Carribbean • Dutch • Portugal • Brazil • Caribbean • North America • French • North America (Canada)

9. Colonial Trade • Colony • A settlement of people living in a new territory, linked with the parent country by trade and direct government control • Mercantalism • A set of principles that dominated 17th century economics • Mother countries needed their colonies for gold and silver • Favorable Balance of Trade • A nation imports more than it imports • This is the goal of all trade

10. The Slave Trade • As plantations grew across the Americans, so did the need for slave labor • Native Americans could not supply the slave labor needed • 1518-First African slaves arrived in the Americas • As many as 10 million eventually arrived in the colonies • Triangular Trade Route Began • Middle Passage • Middle portion of the route, where slaves traveled from Africa to the Americas

11. Effects of the Slave Trade Depopulation of some areas of Africa Increased warfare in Africa between tribes and slave traders

12. Colonial Latin America • Social Classes • Peninsulares • Born in Europe, held government positions • Creoles • Born in Latin America • Controlled land and business • Metizos • Offspring of Europeans and Native Americans • Mulattoes • Offspring of Europeans and Africans • Economy • Gold and silver were sent to Europe • Farming brought additional prosperity • Products were traded with other nations