European Expansion

Expansionism Europeans had both the desire

and the means to set off on journeys of exploration

They advanced from simply sailing around Europe to circumnavigating the world

They were in competition to establish trade routes

Countries were trying to increase their wealth and power by expanding their territory

– This led to them having an “expansionist” worldview

Expansionism refers to the actions and attitudes of a state or country whose goal is to increase its power and territory

Exploration Begins -Discussion

Turn to page 120 of your textbook and examine the map

The map shows the four routes of the most important explorers

What countries did they come from? How may the geography of their countries have

aided in an expansionist/explorer worldview?

Going East Portugal was the first European country to

start organized exploration

Prince Henry sent voyages south along the west coast of Africa to find gold-producing areas

Trading posts were set up further and further south

Dozens of ships eventually were travelling between these posts bringing gold to Portugal

Prince Henry established practices in Africa that proved to be very helpful for future explorers

They hired members of the local population as interpreters

Could get reliable information about the land

They also helped establish relationships with indigenous people

The Slave Trade Portugal also became involved

in the slave trade

They bought slaves to work on sugar plantations on islands in the Atlantic Ocean

Slavery existed in Africa before the European Slave Trade, but it was very different

– See source at right During the next three centuries,

Europeans captured and transported millions of Africans to the Americas as slaves

Millions died on the voyages from the terrible conditions

Millions also died from being over-worked

The nature of African slavery [before the arrival of the Europeans] varied from one area to another and changed over time, but most

slaves were people captured in warfare. Others had been criminals or debtors, or were given away by their families as part of a dowry

settlement . . . Over a generation or two, slaves could often earn or be granted their

freedom, and free people and slaves sometimes inter-married

Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama Bartolomeu Dias led the first Portuguese

expedition around the Cape of Good Hope

Unfortunately, his crew mutinied against him and prevented the continued journey to India

Columbus' crossing of the Atlantic in 1492 increased the pressure on Portugal

They needed to reach the East before the Spanish

Five years after Columbus' journey, an expedition led by Vasco da Gama sailed around Africa and across the Indian Ocean to land in Calicut

Da Gama returned in triumph with precious cargo of spices having established a route to the East

The Battle of Diu After Da Gama's successful voyage,

Portuguese fleets began making yearly voyages to the Indian Ocean

Arab merchants did not like this – they saw them as intruders in their trading territory

They often attacked the Portuguese ships

This eventually led to a decisive battle between a large Arab fleet and a smaller Portuguese fleet off the Indian port of Diu

Although much smaller, the Portuguese won the battle because of their use of cannons

This caused them to establish control of this area – they set up trading forts across S. Asia

They became the most powerful trading country in Europe

Going West Christopher Columbus was convinced

there was a shorter way to Asia by crossing the Atlantic and heading west

After a 33 day voyage, Columbus sighted land which he thought was Asia

He hunted for many years trying to find the sources of gold and spices!

The Spanish continued to look, however

In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan sailed along the coast of South America and into the Pacific Ocean

He eventually landed in the Philippines after a horrible four month voyage

He got involved in a war and was killed, but his ship returned with spices and goods and was the first recorded ship to circumnavigate the world

Expansionism Begins Before Columbus left

Spain on his voyage, he and Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand made an agreement

This agreement was called “The Articles of Agreement between the Lords the Catholic Sovereigns and Cristobal Colon”

Firstly, that your Highness, as actual Lords of the said Oceans, appoint from this date

the said Cristobal Colon to be your Admiral in all these islands and mainlands which by his activity and industry shall be

discovered or acquired . . .

Likewise, that your highnesses appoint the said Don Cristobal Colon to be your Admiral/your Viceroy and Governor

General in all said islands and mainlands . . .

. . . that of all and every kind of merchandise, whether pearls, precious stones, spices and other objects and

merchandise whatsoever . . . which may be bought, bartered, discovered, and

obtained . . . that he may have and take for himself, the tenth part of the whole . . .