Transoceanic interconnections (Unit 4): Exploration: Causes and Events (Ch 2)

What is the reasoning process "Causation" in the context of maritime exploration?

AP wants to convey to you that there is a cause-and-effect relationship regarding maritime exploration. When going about questions regarding the expansion of empires, you want to understand all the causes that led to Europe, and what effects this exploration had.

What does AP want you to know about maritime exploration?

To describe the role of states in the expansion of maritime exploration and explain the technological and economic causes and effects of this exploration by European states.

What factors led to the expansion of maritime exploration between 1450-1750?

New maritime technologies, European demand for spices and resources, and the need to find alternative trade routes.

Why did European governments invest in maritime exploration?

 It was expensive and risky, meaning only states could fund such expeditions. Mercantilism and religious motivations, such as spreading Christianity, also played a role. Political rivalries between European states that wanted to outpace each other spurred aggressive exploration and colonization efforts.

What is Mercantilism?

An economic system where countries gain wealth and power by controlling trade, focusing on exporting more than importing to accumulate resources.

How did Portugal contribute to maritime exploration?

• Prince Henry the Navigator was a prince funded expeditions that mastered the Volta Do Mar, a navigational technique that utilized winds and currents that helped sailors travel to places they could not before

• Portugal funded Vasco de Gama’s successful expedition to India by sea, opening up trade routes from Europe to Asia.

 How did Spain contribute to maritime exploration?

• Spain gave money to Christopher Columbus to sail across the Atlantic, who "discovered" the Americas, leading to Spanish colonization of vast territories in the Western Hemisphere.

• Spain funded Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation of the world.

What role did the Dutch play in maritime exploration?

• Dutch sponsored the creation of the Dutch East India Company, providing financial backing, and giving it military support.

• The Dutch East India Company established a monopoly on the spice trade and created colonies and trading posts in Indonesia.

• Becomes rivals with the British in the Indian Ocean.

How did England contribute to maritime exploration?

Jamestown (1607) is one of the first permanent English settlements in North America, and from then on, England continued its colonization of North America. Becomes rivals with the Dutch in the Indian Ocean.

How did France contribute to maritime exploration?

After the French created a colony in Quebec, they opened the French Fur Trade, of which they traded with the Indigenous peoples of the region.

 Why did some European states sponsor Northern Atlantic crossings?

To find alternative sailing routes to Asia, avoiding long journeys around South America.

What are examples of Northern Atlantic exploration?

• John Cabot, Sought a westward route to Asia and discovered parts of North America.

• Jacques Cartier Explored the St. Lawrence River, leading to French claims in Quebec.

• Dirk Gerrits Explored Arctic and southern waters under the Dutch East India Company.

What were the effects of maritime exploration from 1450-1750?

Newly connected hemispheres through trade and colonization. European dominance in global trade grew. Transformation of economic systems through imports and exports.

How did Spanish exploration influence global trade?

Opened Pacific trade routes, established colonies in the Americas and the Philippines, and increased European interest in global commerce.