Motives For European Motives For European ExplorationExploration

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

- Historians mark the fall of Rome as the - Historians mark the fall of Rome as the end of ancient history. end of ancient history.

- The next one thousand years were called - The next one thousand years were called the Middle Ages. the Middle Ages.

- The Latin term for Middle Ages is - The Latin term for Middle Ages is "medieval." "medieval."

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

The beginning of the Middle Ages is The beginning of the Middle Ages is often called the "Dark Ages" because often called the "Dark Ages" because the great civilizations of Greece and the great civilizations of Greece and Rome had fallen. Rome had fallen.

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

- Life in Europe - Life in Europe during the Middle during the Middle Ages was very hard. Ages was very hard.

- - Very few people Very few people could read or write could read or write and nobody and nobody expected conditions expected conditions to improve. to improve.

RenaissanceRenaissance

About 1450, European scholars About 1450, European scholars became more interested in studying became more interested in studying the world around them. the world around them.

Their art became more true to life. Their art became more true to life. They began to explore new lands. They began to explore new lands. The new age in Europe was The new age in Europe was eventually called “the Renaissance.”eventually called “the Renaissance.”

RenaissanceRenaissance

Renaissance is a French word that Renaissance is a French word that means rebirth.” Historians consider the means rebirth.” Historians consider the Renaissance to be the beginning of Renaissance to be the beginning of modern history. modern history.

RenaissanceRenaissance

- The Renaissance began in northern - The Renaissance began in northern Italy and then spread through Italy and then spread through Europe. Europe.

- Italian cities such as Naples, Genoa, - Italian cities such as Naples, Genoa, and Venice became centers of trade and Venice became centers of trade between Europe and the Middle East. between Europe and the Middle East.

RenaissanceRenaissance

- Arab scholars preserved the writings - Arab scholars preserved the writings of the ancient Greeks in their of the ancient Greeks in their libraries.libraries.

- When the Italian cities traded with - When the Italian cities traded with the Arabs, ideas were exchanged the Arabs, ideas were exchanged along with goods. along with goods.

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RenaissanceRenaissance

- Knowledge began to gain importance - Knowledge began to gain importance during the Renaissance.during the Renaissance.

ExplorationsExplorations

Between 1400 and 1800, European Between 1400 and 1800, European seamen launched a series of seamen launched a series of explorations that took them all over explorations that took them all over the Earth. the Earth.

These voyages were expensive.These voyages were expensive.Yet private investors and Yet private investors and

government authorities had strong government authorities had strong motives to cover the costs of these motives to cover the costs of these voyages.voyages.

MotivesMotives

1.1. The search for basic resources The search for basic resources and land suitable for the and land suitable for the growing of cash crops.growing of cash crops.

- The seamen that were most The seamen that were most prominent in the search were from prominent in the search were from the relatively poor country of the relatively poor country of Portugal. Portugal.

- By the beginning of the 1200’s, By the beginning of the 1200’s, Portuguese seamen were sailing far Portuguese seamen were sailing far into the Atlantic Ocean. into the Atlantic Ocean.

Why?Why?

- Originally they were looking for fish, - Originally they were looking for fish, seals, whales, timber and lands they seals, whales, timber and lands they could grow wheat on to supplement could grow wheat on to supplement their own poor resources. their own poor resources.

- By the early 1300s they had - By the early 1300s they had discovered the islands of the Azores discovered the islands of the Azores and Madeiraand Madeira

- These islands became important - These islands became important because of the high demand for sugar. because of the high demand for sugar.

- Sugar plantations were set up. - Sugar plantations were set up.

Why? Why?

The Portuguese also set up colonies The Portuguese also set up colonies on other islands off of Africa such as on other islands off of Africa such as Cape Verde.Cape Verde.

These were also set up in order to These were also set up in order to grow cash crops. grow cash crops.

A cash crop is something you grow in A cash crop is something you grow in order to sell for a profit. order to sell for a profit.

Motive 2Motive 2

2. The goal of establishing Maritime 2. The goal of establishing Maritime Trade routes. Trade routes.

- During the era of the Mongol During the era of the Mongol empires, European merchants often empires, European merchants often traveled overland as far as China to traveled overland as far as China to trade in silk, spices, porcelain and trade in silk, spices, porcelain and other Asian goods. other Asian goods.

- These routes were referred to as the These routes were referred to as the Silk Roads.Silk Roads.

Silk RoadSilk Road

Land routes are red, water routes are blue.

Problems with Silk RoadProblems with Silk Road

In the 1300s, the Mongol empires In the 1300s, the Mongol empires collapsed which caused these routes collapsed which caused these routes to become more and more unsafe. to become more and more unsafe.

There was also the bubonic plague There was also the bubonic plague that was spreading. This also made that was spreading. This also made these routes unsafe. these routes unsafe.

Problems ContinuedProblems Continued

Muslim seamen continued to bring Muslim seamen continued to bring Asian goods through the Indian Ocean Asian goods through the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea to Cairo, Egypt. and the Red Sea to Cairo, Egypt.

Here Italian merchants purchased them Here Italian merchants purchased them for distribution in Western Europe. for distribution in Western Europe.

The problem with this was the prices The problem with this was the prices here were high and the Europeans here were high and the Europeans wanted more and more Asian goods, wanted more and more Asian goods, particularly spices. particularly spices.

Importance of SpicesImportance of Spices

In the 1400s, there was no refrigeration. To In the 1400s, there was no refrigeration. To prevent meat from spoiling, people prevent meat from spoiling, people drowned their meat in salt to preserve and drowned their meat in salt to preserve and dry it (like beef jerky). dry it (like beef jerky).

They also used a lot of spices like pepper to They also used a lot of spices like pepper to cover up the taste of the salted or spoiled cover up the taste of the salted or spoiled meat.meat.

Need For a New RouteNeed For a New Route

Merchants and monarchs knew that Merchants and monarchs knew that if they could get a quicker route that if they could get a quicker route that could offer them direct access to could offer them direct access to these spices they would have more these spices they would have more of the spices and make more money. of the spices and make more money.

Why a New Route?Why a New Route?

Trade was controlled by Venetian Trade was controlled by Venetian and Muslim traders. and Muslim traders.

They could be cut out of the picture.They could be cut out of the picture.European countries wanted to avoid European countries wanted to avoid

the Italians and Muslims. Other the Italians and Muslims. Other Europeans wanted to bypass them to Europeans wanted to bypass them to get to the silk, spices, and other get to the silk, spices, and other luxury items in Asia.luxury items in Asia.

2b. 2b.

It was not just Asian trade.It was not just Asian trade. Since the 1100s, Europeans had Since the 1100s, Europeans had

purchased West African gold, ivory, and purchased West African gold, ivory, and slaves delivered by the Trans – Saharan slaves delivered by the Trans – Saharan camel caravans of Muslim merchants to camel caravans of Muslim merchants to north African ports. north African ports.

Importance of African TradeImportance of African Trade

Gold was especially important Gold was especially important because it was Europe’s principal because it was Europe’s principal form of payment for Asian goods. form of payment for Asian goods.

As in the case of Asian trade, water As in the case of Asian trade, water routes that eliminated Muslim routes that eliminated Muslim middlemen and offer direct access to middlemen and offer direct access to African markets would benefit African markets would benefit European merchants. European merchants.

Motive 3Motive 3

The goal of expanding the The goal of expanding the boundaries of Christianity also boundaries of Christianity also pushed Europeans into the world. pushed Europeans into the world.

Like Islam, Christianity is a Like Islam, Christianity is a missionary religion. missionary religion.

Whether through persuasion or Whether through persuasion or violence, overseas voyages violence, overseas voyages combined and offered fresh combined and offered fresh opportunities for western Europeans opportunities for western Europeans to spread their faith. to spread their faith.

In practice, the various motives In practice, the various motives combined and reinforced each other. combined and reinforced each other.

Famous Explorers ReasonsFamous Explorers Reasons

Prince Henry the Navigator explored Prince Henry the Navigator explored West Africa specifically to enter the West Africa specifically to enter the gold trade, discover new trade gold trade, discover new trade routes, gain intelligence about routes, gain intelligence about Muslim power and win converts to Muslim power and win converts to Christianity.Christianity.

When Portuguese explorer Vasco da When Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached Calcutta, India; he Gama reached Calcutta, India; he told local leaders he was looking for told local leaders he was looking for “Christians and spices”. “Christians and spices”.

Exploring from the Exploring from the Mediterranean to the AtlanticMediterranean to the Atlantic

The pace of The pace of European European exploration exploration quickened after quickened after 1415 when Prince 1415 when Prince Henry conquered Henry conquered part of Morocco and part of Morocco and paid for a series of paid for a series of voyages down the voyages down the West African coast. West African coast.

Portuguese merchants soon established Portuguese merchants soon established trading posts in present day Ghana. trading posts in present day Ghana.

There they traded horses, leather and There they traded horses, leather and metalwares for gold and slaves. metalwares for gold and slaves.

In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope and entered into the Indian Ocean. Good Hope and entered into the Indian Ocean.

This route meant that the Europeans could This route meant that the Europeans could bypass the Muslim middlemen and take part in bypass the Muslim middlemen and take part in trade with Asians as described by Marco Polo. trade with Asians as described by Marco Polo.