European Exploration in the AMERICAS [APUSH Unit 1 Topic 3] 1.3

Why did Europeans want to explore the New World?

population was increasing, political unification, wanted luxury goods

Overland trade routes to East Asia were already in place in the 1400s. Why didn’t European powers want to use them? What was the alternative?

Muslims already were controlling it so Europeans didnt want to get taxed when crossing the borders, they wanted a direct trade route

Prince Henry the Navigator

Portugal wanted to find a water route directly to East Asia. Made it all around the horn of southern Africa

Created a trading post empire

How was he able to do that?

maritime technology

caravels

ships that were designed strictly for trade was they were quick

Maritime charts?

stars and astronomical tables

astrolabe

sorta like a compass

stern post rudder

what steers a ship

Isabella and Ferdinand

Spain wanted in on it, so they did the same thing but also to spread christianity

Christopher Columbus

wanted sponsorship from isabella and ferdinand, set sail and landed in caribbeans

1. How did the indigenous inhabitants of the island react to the arrival of Europeans?

• The indigenous people were very hospitable towards him and wore gold. Columbus saw and enslaved them so he can show them off and use them as evidence of his discoveries 

1. How long was it before Columbus realized that he had not landed in the East Indies?

• Less than a decade but it didn;t make a difference because people were making a lot of money to even care