Europeans explore to the East
Important ages
1400's
Europeans were ready to venture away from their territory
1100's
"European crusaders battled Muslims for control
of the Holy Lands in Southwest Asia"
1275
" Italian trader Marco Polo
reached the court of Kublai Khan in China"
1096 to 1270
"Europe had been introduced to these items ( trade of spices and other luxury goods) during the Crusades, the wars fought between Christians and Muslims"
Europeans Seek New Trade Routes (1096)
Italian merchants resold the items at increased prices to merchants throughout Europe
1492
This early global depicts the Europeans' view of Europe and Africa
The Spread of Christianity
Spread christianity made europeans explore more.
Europeans hoped to obtain popular goods directly from the peoples of Asia.
“To serve God and His Majesty, to give light to
those who were in darkness and to grow rich as all men desire to do.”
Technology Makes Exploration Possible
Motives
"God, glory and Gold"
European sea captain to cross 3,000 miles of ocean and return again
Using the rings to sight the stars, a sea captaincould calculate latitude, or how far north or south of theequator the ship was
Portugal Leads the Way
Prince Henry
He promoted explorations in Portugal
He is called as "The Navigator"
he used his own fortune to organize more than 14 voyages
The Portuguese Explore Africa
Prince Henry took the lead in the exploration to africa
in 1415, he helped conquer the Muslim city of Ceuta in North Africa
Tools of explorations
astrolabe in the mid-1700s as the instrument for measuring the height of the stars above the horizon—to determine latitude and longitude.
The compass was invented by the Chinese.
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Returns to Portugal
Henry founded a navigation school on the southwestern coast of Portugal.
Portuguese ships began sailing down the western coast of Africa
they traded for African captives to be used as slaves.
Portuguese Sailors Reach Asia
Portuguese believed that to reach Asia by sea
1488
Portuguese captain Bartolomeu Dias ventured far down the coast of Africa until he and his crew reached the tip
Spain Also Makes Claims
Spanish monarchs also desired a direct sea route to Asia
The rivalry between Spain and Portugal grew more tense
n, Christopher Columbus, convinced Spain to finance a bold plan: finding a route to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean.
Portugal complained that the line gave too much to Spain.
The era of exploration and colonization was about to begin in earnest
Trading Empires in the Indian Ocean
, Europeans had finally opened direct sea trade with Asia.
Portugal’s Trading Empire I
Portugal built a bustling trading empire throughout the Indian Ocean.
In 1509, Portugal extended its control over the area when it defeated a Muslim fleet off the coast of India, a victory made possible by the cannons they had added aboard their ships.
It established control of the Straits of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, and helped stop Muslim traders from reaching India.
Seizing this waterway gave them control of the Moluccas. These were islands so rich in spices that they became known as the Spice Islands.
Other Nations Challenge the Portuguese
The Dutch Republic, also known as the Netherlands, was a small country situated along the North Sea in northwestern Europe.
The Dutch and English then battled one another for dominance of the area
East India Company
These companies had the power to mint money, make treaties, and even raise their own armies.
Dutch Trade Outposts
In 1619, the Dutch established their trading headquarters at Batavia on the island of Java.
. With so many goods from the East traveling to the Netherlands, the nation’s capital, Amsterdam, became a leading commercial center
They also controlled the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa, which was used as a resupply stop.
British and French Traders
1700 also, Britain and France had gained a foothold in the region.
In 1664, France also entered the Asia trade with its own East India Company
As the Europeans battled for a share of the profitable Indian Ocean trade, their influence inland in Southeast Asia remained limited.