Old Imperialism and the Age of Exploration, 1400-1600

Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460)

Prince of Portugal who established an observatory and school of navigation at Sagres and directed voyages that spurred the growth of Portugal's colonial empire. Captured Muslim port of Ceuta in North Africa (1415).

Portuguese Empire

Took an early lead in European exploration (sponsored by Prince Henry); went East and established trading posts in West Africa, East Africa (Swahili City States) and India for spice trade. The first empire to have cannons on their ships and dividing into squadrons, especially when they fought the Arab fleets for control of India

What did Portugal seek?

A route to India and the Far East around Africa

Bartholomew Dias (1488)

Portuguese captain who, in 1487, sailed around the Cape of Good Hope at the African tip.

Vasco da Gama

Portuguese explorer. In 1497-1498 he led the first naval expedition from Europe to sail to India, opening an important commercial sea route, controlling the spice trade.

Christopher Columbus

An Italian navigator who was funded by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain to find a passage to the Far East. He is given credit for discovering the "New World," even though at his death he believed he had made it to India. He made four voyages to the "New World." The first sighting of land was on October 12, 1492, and three other journies until the time of his death in 1503.

Catholic Monarchs of Spain

Refers to King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I who when they were married, created the unification of Spain

Ferdinand Magellan

Portuguese navigator who led the Spanish expedition of 1519-1522 that was the first to sail around the world (circumnavigation)

Hernan Cortes

Spanish explorer and conquistador who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1519-1521 for Spain. Landed on Mexican coast with 600 men, targeting Tenochtitlan

Fall of Tenochtitlan

In this event, the Spanish seized Emperor Montezuma in captivity and rebellions rose against Spain. In 1521, European diseases infected the Aztec people and Cortes ceded the empire to Spain.

Francisco Pizarro

Spanish explorer who conquered the Incas in what is now Peru and founded the city of Lima (1475-1541).

Haciendas

Rural estates in Spanish colonies in New World; produced agricultural products for consumers in America; basis of wealth and power for local aristocracy.

New World

The name given by Europeans to the Americas, which were unknown to most Europeans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus

How did Europeans justify the subjugation of Africans and Natives?

They used the Catholic Church to excuse their behavior in the Americas.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.

Mercantilism

An economic policy under which nations sought to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by selling more goods than they bought. Government was needed to regulate economy in order to maintain trade balance, import, and export of raw materials/products.

What technology was used in the age of exploration?

Caravel ships, magnetic compass, map, astrolabe (measure altitude of sun/stars), quadrants (same as astrolabes), gunpowder