The Empires of Europe

Colonization and Exploration

SS6H6

Age of Exploration The Age of Discovery or Age of Exploration

was a period from the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century, during which Europeans explored the world by ocean searching for trading partners and particular trade goods.

The most desired trading goods were gold, silver and spices.

Why spices?

cinnamon, cassia, cardamom, ginger, and turmeric were commonly used as currency

Spices were used to flavor foods, preserve meats, and to preserve other foods before refrigeration.

Portugal

Earliest and longest empire, from 1415-1999 (Macau)

1488 – Bartolomeu Dias explored the Cape of Good Hope (Africa)

1498 -- Vasco de Gama explored India

Portugal

Monarchs saw it as their duty to spread Christianity and destroy Islam

Reaching other lands would allow them to control the spice trade in Asia

Portugal’s colonies and empire

Prince Henry the Navigator1394-1460

Although he was called Prince Henry the Navigator by the English, Prince Henry never actually sailed on any of the voyages of discovery he sponsored. Instead, Prince Henry established a school for the study of the arts of navigation, mapmaking, and shipbuilding.

Prince Henry the Navigator

His goal was to find a route to the rich spice trade of the Indies and to explore the west coast of Africa.

Portugal and the Slave Trade

It is estimated that during the 4 1/2 centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Portugal was responsible for transporting over 4.5 million Africans

Europeans needed workers to labor in the newly established colonies, especially in the sugar and cotton fields.

Triangular Trade

Spain

15th-19th Century: Spain had the largest colonial empire in the world.

Explored most of North and South America

Spain’s colonies and exploration

Spanish Exploration

Columbus: wanted to create a new trade route to India by sailing west

Hernan Cortez: conquered the Aztec empire of Mexico, mostly by disease

Fransisco Pizzaro: conquered the Incan empire of Peru

All conquistadors wanted gold, silver, and goods to send back to Europe

France

1608 – Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec (Canada). Used the colony for a fur trade with France.

1664 – establishes Haiti as a sugar colony

1699 – founded Louisiana, which connected with Canada through the Mississippi River.

France’s colonies and empire

France

Many countries took over France’s colonies during WWII.Japan: IndochinaBritain: Morocco, Algeria, and Syria1947: Vietnam declares its

independence

England (or Great Britain)One of the most important colonizers of

the AmericasFirst colony in North America was

Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, then parts of Canada in 1608.

13 colonies rebelled against England in 1775, and the Revolutionary War ended in 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

England

Had over 14 colonies in the Caribbean

Conquered India by 1857 by controlling the East India Company, which traded goods

Controlled India until 1947.

England

1770 – James Cook discovers Australia, and by 1787, convicts are sent to the area and Australia is established as a prison colony.

1829 – Australia is officially declared a colony, exporting wool and gold.

British Empire

Between 1815 and 1914, a period referred to as Britain's "imperial century" by some historians, roughly 400 million people were added to the British Empire .

British empire and colonies