Early European Exploration

Political Centralization in Portugal, Spain, France and England prepared the way for expansion. Were attracted by the Riches of the East they sought a westward passage to the orient. o Silks and Spices Technology Cannon, Compass, Astrolabe, and Ship improvements all aided the Europeans in their exploration. Motives??? God, Glory, and Gold. o Desire to Christianize and thus civilize o Desire for economic profit. European economic development had become stagnant and Asia/new world provided an outlet for advancement Money could be made from spices, silks, gold, etc. Columbus He was heralded in earlier eras for discovering the new world and bringing Christianity to the natives. Yet, he enslaved Natives and called them Indians Why did he act this way? o Very religious and he saw a link between the expulsion of the Islamic Moors that had occurred recently in Spain and the savagery of the Natives beliefs and society. o Hispaniola declined from 100, 000 to 300 Natives within 30 plus years of contact. Conflict between Spain and Portugal led to the Treaty of Tordesillas splitting the world into domains dominated by both. Spains successes? Cortez destroys the Aztec Empire in Mexico Pizarro crushed the Incan empire in Peru; opened richest mines in the Americas at Potosi. Enormous amounts of Gold pour into Spain. Colonies exist for the benefit of Spain only.

Impact? The influx of Gold into Spain caused inflation; hurt the poor. The poor in turn emigrated to the new world in dream of a better life. Geography Spain and Portuguese attempts in the Americas ran into the problem of geography; South American geography was at times treacherous and mountainous and made settlement hard. Less successful in the long run then in North America. Led to more inter-mixing of cultures and dependence on local collaboration. New Products reach Europe. Furs, Sugar, Tobacco, Gold, Silver, Cotton, Potatoes, Chocolate, Rum, and Corn. One problem: products like Sugar, Cotton and Tobacco required extensive labour in the humid conditions. Gold and silver needed to be mined and doing so could be quite dangerous. How do we solve these problems? The British and the Dutch? British financed pirates/privateers to attack Spanish ships: Most famous Sir Francis Drake. Drake first Englishmen to sail in the coast of B.C. The Dutch founded an East India Company that found success in the far east (Indonesia) They also were involved in the Atlantic seaboard in North America (New Amsterdam) and were the first to sell the Iroquois muskets to use vs. the Huron. Also sold slaves and had a trading empire in South America (Suriname)

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