The Age of Exploration

What was the Age of Exploration?

• A time period when Europeans began to explore the rest of the world.

• Improvements in mapmaking, shipbuilding, rigging, and navigation made this possible.

• Blue water sailing, not just coastal boats.• Policy of mercantilism drives the

exploration.

What was mercantilism?

• Dominant economic policy during this period–Policy that said there was a limited

amount of money in the world. Each country needs to grab what they can before it is gone. • Export more than you import…more

money in your pocket. • Colonies and markets were needed to

keep everything in the system.

• Colonialism: the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.

• Imperialism: the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.

A Major Concept during the Age of Exploration

• Population growth in Europe• More land needed for

natural resources.• Higher demand for goods.• Competition between

countries for land.

Why did Colonialism Begin

• 1400’s: Explorers such as Columbus find new lands.

• 1500’s: Countries become rich from goods from new lands.

• Portugal and Spain gain a monopoly over trade in Americas and East Indies because of strong fleet of ships.

• 1588: Spanish Armada is Defeated. England, France, and Denmark begin competing for colonies.

How did Colonialism Begin?

The Explorers: Portugal

Bartolomeu Dias • Sailed around Cape

of Good Hope at southern tip of Africa.

• Found route to Indian Ocean

• Trade can go from Europe to Asia by sea.– Major stop is the

Southern part of West Africa: THE GOLD COAST

Vasco da Gama

• Landed in India in 1498.

• Important trade route from Europe to India and East Indies.

Ferdinand Magellan • His crew made first

round-the-world voyage.

• Proved for certain that the world was round.

• Magellan was killed in the Phillippines, did not make it home.

The Explorers: Spain

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus • Believed a shorter

route to Asia could be found by sailing westward instead of around Africa.

• Found the Americas instead. Oops.

What was the Colombian Exchange?

• Massive exchange of plants, animals and diseases.

• These things moved between the New and Old Worlds.

• Started with Columbus. • To the Americas: cows, horses, wheat,

smallpox, plus much more.• To Europe: potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco,

corn, plus much more.

What was the Triangular Trade?

• System of trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

• Stage 1: Raw materials to Europe (tobacco, rum, sugar)

• Stage 2: Manufactured goods to Africa (guns, cloth, rum)

• Stage 3: Slaves to the Americas to make raw materials. Also called: The Middle Passage

The Slave Trade

• Europeans began to use slave labor in their colonies on sugarcane plantations, later on additional crops.

• Native Americans used for a while, but Africans began to be brought to the Americas.

• The slave trade then became the main focus of Europe’s relations with Africa.

• IMPACT: Warfare and complete culture change for the African people

The Triangular Trade