The Age of

Exploration Ch 17

Section 1

How it Starts Around 1400 there is a large increase in

overseas travel.

Beginning with Portugal, and Spain Europeans begin to travel through the use of advanced ships.

They were seeking advancements in their trading economies.

This was possible due to technological advances, and increased government wealth.

Motives

Europeans were searching for better

routes to Asia.

1. The expansion of the Ottoman had made travel to the East difficult by land.

2. The East was a source of spices, and teas that were in large demand.

3. Europeans also hoped to find precious metals on their travels.

The overall goal was economic gains!

Non- Economic Missions

Those who were traveling the world in the

16th century were said to be serving Gold,

Glory, and God missions.

1. Some traveled to spread the word of

God (Many Jesuits traveled the world on

these missions)

2. Others traveled for the glory of

conquering new lands.

The Race For Riches

Includes many European nations.

Most notably Spain, Portugal, England,

and France.

These countries colonized many parts of

the world in search of riches, and

expansion of trade.

Colonies are created in Asia, North

America, and Africa.

The Spanish Empire

Ruled by Spanish Conquistadors

Was the first true overseas empire.

Ruled over much of South, and Central

America.

The power of disease aided the

expansion of the empire without their

knowledge.

Global

Economics Ch 17

Section 2

European Expansion

In fewer than 300 years of exploration

Europeans had changed the world.

Many native cultures in the Americas, and

other parts of the world have been

destroyed by colonialism.

European trade has expanded greatly.

Trade designed to extract wealth was

rapidly changing the world economy.

Mercantilism

The prosperity of a nation depends on a large supply of gold and silver.

This theory dominated world economic thought in the 17th century.

Nations tried to create this by excelling in the trade market in hopes of creating a positive trade balance.

To encourage exports governments would use subsidies to create industrial growth.

Taxation

In order to maintain favorable trade

balances, nations used high tariffs in order

to discourage importing.

Colonies were viewed as a way around

importing raw materials, and were used to

import without importing.

The Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants and animals

between Europe, and the Americas.

Had very good, and very bad effects on

people around the globe.

Some things that were exchanged

include: Horses, Corn, Tobacco, and the

Small Pox virus.

European Rivals in the East

The Dutch, English, and French.

These three nations competed over

territories in the Americas, Asia, and

Africa.

This competition was done through the

use of trading companies, rather than

involving the actual government of the

countries involved.

The Slave Trade

European Slave Trade

Begins to increase heavily in the early

1500s.

Plantation agriculture created a heavy

need for labor. This need was filled

through the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Over 10 million slaves were transported

from Africa to the Americas between the

16th and 19th centuries.

The Middle Passage

Refers to the journey from Africa to the

Americas in slave trading ships.

At least 2 million Africans died on this trip.

This accounts for around 15-20% of those

being transported.

Many Africans also died within weeks of

arriving in the Americas as a result of

diseases contracted during the voyage.

Sources of Slaves

The slave trade in Africa dated back to

ancient times.

At the beginning of the slave trade, most

slaves were prisoners of war.

However, with an increase of demand,

and profit from the sale of slaves, many

slave traders began raiding defenseless

villages, and stealing people in the night.

The Abolition Movement

Sadly this movement doesn’t start until the

1770s.

Slavery is abolished by one nation at a

time for the next 100 years following the

start of the movement.

The United States doesn’t abolish slavery

until the 1860s.