ap euro ch 15
TRANSCRIPT
AP EUROPEAN HISTORYMAGISTER RICARD
Chapter 15: European Exploration and Conquest
1450-1650
Chapter 15 Objectives
Analyze the relative importance of political, economic, and cultural causes of European exploration
Assess the impact of 15th/16th century European exploration on politics and economics
Analyze changes in the European economy brought about by 15th/16th century exploration and colonization
Examine the impact of 15th/16th century European expansion on European culture and society
Compare and contrast development of Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish commercial empires
CHAPTER 15 : 1450-1650
World Contacts Before Columbus
The Trade World of the Indian Ocean
The center of the pre-Columbian world trade network was the Indian Ocean Since Han and Roman times, seaborne trade flowed across
the Indian OceanMerchants congregated in port cities with
diverse populationsChina played a key role in the 15th century
revival of Indian Ocean trade Admiral Zheng He led 7 voyages of exploration (1405-
1433)India was the link between the Persian Gulf and
the SE and E Asian trade networks
Africa
Africa played an important role in world trade before Columbus Cairo was a hub for Indian Ocean trade goods Slaves, gold, major goods exported to Europe during
15th century Legends about Africa shaped European imagination
about outside world
The Ottoman and Persian Empire
Middle East was crucial to late medieval world trade Silk Road linked East with West
Turkish Ottomans and Persian Safavids dominated the region Turkish expansion frightened Europeans Safavids opposed Ottoman regional ambitions
Genoese and Venetian Middlemen
Europe was western terminus of trade network
Venice grew in importance with creation of crusader kingdoms Peaked during 1400s Specialized in luxury goods and slaves
Genoa was Venice’s ancient rival Focused on finance and the Western Mediterranean Also active in the slave trade
CHAPTER 15 : 1450-1650
The European Voyages of Discovery
Causes of European Expansion
A revival of population and economic activity increases demand for Eastern luxury goods
Religious fervor pushed expansionismCuriosity and desire for glory also pushed
expansionismPolitical centralization in Spain, France, and
England helps shape policies for expansionTales of the travels of Marco Polo (1254-1324)
are published and widely readRecovery of ancient geographical writings
(Strabo, Ptolemy)
Technological Stimuli to Exploration
Developments in shipbuilding, weaponry, and navigation provided another spur to expansion Needle compass (direction) Astrolabe (determined latitude) New ships (the caravel) Better maps created during 14th/15th centuries
The Portuguese Overseas Empire
Portugal leads expansion Seeks to Christianize Muslims Importing gold from West Africa Seeks direct access to gold in Niger River basin, long
controlled by Berber tribesmen from North Africa Searches for overseas route to India for spices Seeks contact with Prester John, mythical Christian
ruler of Ethiopia
The Portuguese Overseas Empire
Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) played leading role in early phases of exploration
In 1415, Portuguese send ships down west coast of Africa Captured Ceuta on Moroccan coast, begins colonizing
Azores and Canary IslandsReach India in 1497-1499Reach Brazil 1500Gain control over Indian Ocean from Muslim
rulers
The Portuguese Overseas Empire
In 1487, Bartolomeo Dias (1450-1500) rounds the Cape of Good Hope
Vasco de Gama (1460-1524) reaches India on voyages between 1497-1499 Returns with spices worth 40-60x cost of trip
Alfonso de Alburquerque (1453-1515) develops string of Portuguese trading posts in the Indian Ocean by force
The Problem of Christopher Columbus
Extremely religiousKnowledgeable about the seaFocused on finding a direct sea route to AsiaDescribes Caribbean as a Garden of EdenWhen he settles the Caribbean and enslaves
inhabitants, was acting simply as “a man of his times”
Keep in context!
Later Explorers
New of Columbus’ voyage quickly spreadsTreaty of Tordesillas (1494) divides non-
European world between Spain and PortugalSearch for profits sets direction for Spanish
explorationFerdinand Magellan (1519) rounds Cape
Horn and enters Pacific Ocean, circumnavigates the globe for Spain
Later Explorers
Dutch East India Company expelled Portuguese from many of their East Indian holdings in first half of 17th century
Dutch West India Company establishes posts in Africa, Spanish colonial areas, North America
John Cabot (1497) explores NE coast of North America for England
Jacques Cartier explores the St. Lawrence River region in Canada for France (1534-1541)
New World Conquest
(1519-1522) Hernando Cortes sailed from Hispaniola to Mexico, crushing Aztec Empire
(1531-1536) Francisco Pizarro conquers the Inca Empire in the Andes
CHAPTER 15 : 1450-1650
Europe and the World After Columbus
Spanish Settlement and Indigenous Population Decline
In 16th century, 200,000 Spaniards immigrated Altering the landscape and bringing diseases
Spaniards establish encomienda system Conquerors gain right to employ Amerindians
Disease, malnutrition, overwork, and violence lead to drops in indigenous population
Missionaries sent to convertDecline in Amerindian population creates
labor shortage
Sugar and Slavery
Before 1400s, virtually all slaves were white Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (1453) cut off
slaves from Black Sea regionPortuguese voyages to West Africa, Canary
and Madeira islands merged slavery with sugar
Native Americans did not survive long under conditions of slavery and forced labor
Spaniards brought in enslaved AfricansAtlantic Slave Trade reached its peak in 18th
century
The Columbian Exchange
Most important changes from Columbian voyages might be bio-social
Flora, fauna, and disease traveled across Atlantic New World foods become Old World staples European disease ravages Amerindian populations Sailors and settlers bring back syphilis
Silver and the Economic Effect of Spain’s Discoveries
During the 1500s and 1600s, a huge influx of precious metals into Spain from Americas
Population increase in Spain and establishment of colonies creates need for new goods Economy could not meet demand, leads to inflation
Inflation forces Spanish government into bankruptcy
Payment of Spanish armies in bullion leads to inflation throughout Europe Hurts nobles on fixed incomes
Chinese demand for silver for products and taxes shapes world silver trade
The Birth of Global Economy
Intercontinental seaborne trade creates 3 commercial empires Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch
16th century, Portuguese have hegemony over sea route to India Brazil produced most of the sugar consumed in Europe (16th
– 17th centuries)Spain has land empire in New World, seaborne
empire in PacificCommercial boom 1570-1630Dutch specialize in seaborne trade 2nd half of 17th
century
Spain’s Global Empire
Spanish expansionism in New World, Asia, and Europe
Phillip II inherits a vast but unwieldy empire Intense religiosity bred political flexibility
Backs a plot to replace Elizabeth I (England) with Catholic Mary Queen of Scots Plot fails, Mary is executed Sends Armada to invade May 9, 1588 Armada is destroyed
Spain recovers, but defeat of Armada prevents Philip from re-imposing religious unity by force
CHAPTER 15 :1450-1650
Changing Attitudes and Beliefs
New Ideas About Race
There was no particular connection between race and slavery in the ancient world
Europeans brought ideas about race with them to New World
Medieval Christians and Arabs shared negative views of blacks
Slavery in New World contributed to more rigid notions of racial inferiority
Michel de Montaigne and Cultural Curiosity
Montaigne (1533-1592), French noblemanCreates the essay as a means of clarifying his
own thoughtsA skepticRejects the notion that any single human
being knew absolute truthRejects the notion that any one culture is
superior to another
Elizabethan and Jacobean Literature
Literature and drama boom in England under Elizabeth I and James I (r. 1603-1625)
William Shakespeare’s playsKing James’ Bible