APUSH - TOPIC 1.3

Causes of European Exploration

European exploration was driven by a combination of economic growth, political unification, religious conflict, and technological advancements following increased stability in Europe.

Europe Before 1450

Europe was politically fragmented and economically weak compared to China and Islamic empires.

Black Plague

Massive population loss in Europe that weakened economies but later led to labor changes and recovery.

Little Ice Age

Period of global cooling that hurt European agriculture and contributed to earlier instability.

Agricultural Revolution (Late Medieval Europe)

Improved farming techniques increased food production and supported population growth.

Population Growth (15th Century Europe)

More food led to population growth, creating demand for trade and expansion.

Renaissance

Cultural rebirth emphasizing learning, innovation, and human potential; encouraged curiosity and exploration.

Political Centralization

Monarchs gained power and unified states, allowing governments to fund large-scale exploration.

Nation-State

A centralized political unit governing a unified population, promoting competition between states.

Gold (Economic Motives)

Europeans sought wealth through trade, especially luxury goods like spices and silk from Asia.

God (Religious Motives)

Desire to spread Christianity and assert religious dominance during Catholic–Protestant conflict.

Glory (Political Motives)

Competition among nation-states for power, prestige, and global influence

Silk Road

Overland trade routes connecting Europe and Asia.

Fall of Constantinople (1453)

Ottoman takeover restricted European access to Asian trade routes.

Ottoman Empire

Controlled key trade routes and increased costs for European merchants.

Maritime Exploration

Europeans turned to sea routes to bypass Ottoman-controlled land routes.

Prince Henry the Navigator

Sponsored Portuguese exploration along the African coast.

Vasco da Gama

First European to sail around Africa to India (1498).

Cape of Good Hope

Southern tip of Africa that opened sea access to the Indian Ocean.

Trading Post Empire

Network of fortified trade posts used by Portugal to dominate trade without large settlements.

Christopher Columbus

Genoese explorer funded by Spain who sailed west to reach Asia in 1492.

Ferdinand and Isabella

Spanish monarchs who funded Columbus after unifying Spain.

Columbian Miscalculation

Columbus underestimated the size of the Earth and believed he reached Asia.

Roman Catholic Church

Dominant religious institution in Europe before the Reformation.

Simony

Buying and selling of church offices.

Indulgences

Payments made to reduce punishment for sins.

Martin Luther

German monk who criticized church corruption.

95 Theses (1517)

Document that launched the Protestant Reformation.

Protestant Reformation

Religious movement that split Western Christianity and intensified European conflict.

Reconquista

Spanish effort to expel Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula, completed in 1492.

Spanish Inquisition

Institution enforcing Catholic orthodoxy by punishing religious dissent.

Catholic Missionary Zeal

Spain’s desire to spread Catholicism abroad to reassert religious dominance.

Balance of Power

Idea that nations should prevent any one state from becoming too powerful.

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

Agreement dividing the Americas between Spain and Portugal.

Line of Demarcation

Imaginary boundary set by the Pope to resolve colonial disputes.

European Expansion as Competition

Exploration intensified rivalry among European nation-states economically, religiously, and politically.