1.3_European EXPLORATION in the Americas

Black Plague

A major crisis in Europe that significantly reduced the population.

Little Ice Age

A global cooling period that caused agricultural struggles in Europe.

Renaissance

A cultural revival beginning in Italy that led to new ideas and opportunities across Europe, contributing to exploration.

Gold, God, and Glory

The primary motivations behind European exploration: economic wealth, religious propagation, and political power/prestige.

Constantinople

Conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453, disrupting traditional trade routes like the Silk Road and prompting Europeans to seek new maritime routes.

Prince Henry the Navigator

Initiated Portuguese exploration along the African coast.

Vasco da Gama

The Portuguese explorer who first successfully navigated around the Cape of Good Hope (1498), establishing a Portuguese presence in the East.

Trading Post Empire

A system established by the Portuguese, where they dominated Indian Ocean trade by setting up fortified trading posts rather than traditional colonies.

Christopher Columbus

Requested funding from Spain to explore westward to Asia, but misjudged Earth's size and landed in the Caribbean, believing he had reached Asia.

Simony

The practice of buying church offices, criticized during the Catholic Reformation.

Indulgences

Payments made for the forgiveness of sins, a practice criticized by Martin Luther.

Martin Luther

Wrote the 95 Theses in 1517, criticizing church corruption and initiating the Protestant Reformation.

Protestant Reformation

A religious movement initiated by Martin Luther that led to splits within Christianity and increased competition among European states.

Reconquista

By 1492, Spanish kingdoms had ousted Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula, strengthening Catholic identity.

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

An agreement that created a line of demarcation to resolve colonial disputes between Spain and Portugal, defining their spheres of influence in the New World without consulting indigenous populations.

Impact of Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople (Cause)

Disrupted traditional overland trade routes (e.g., Silk Road), forcing Europeans to seek new maritime routes to Asia (Effect).

Rise of Nation-States (Cause)

Increased competition among unified European entities for greater power and colonial acquisitions (Effect).