Chapter 13

VOYAGES PRIOR TO COLUMBUS

  • Leif Erikson from Scandinavia (1000 A.D.) is notable for early exploration.

SCANDINAVIAN VOYAGES

  • Viking voyages included Greenland, Iceland, and North America (L'Anse Meadows).

  • Key figures: Erik the Red, Bjarni Herjolfsson, Leif Eriksson, Thorfinn Karlsefni.

POLYNESIAN NAVIGATION

  • Goods exchanged between Polynesia and South America prior to European arrival.

  • Sweet potato and gourds traveled to Polynesia; Polynesian chickens reached South America.

GLOBAL TRADE AND EXPLORATION

  • Arab traders and Chinese explorers had maritime capacity but limited expeditions.

  • Marco Polo’s 5,000-mile journey emphasized trade and cultural exchange.

GREAT MARKETS OF ASIA

  • Trade in spices, teas, silks, and luxury goods fostered idea exchange, notably religions like Buddhism and Christianity.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHANGES IN EUROPE (14TH CENTURY)

  • Development of capitalism altered consumption patterns and class structures.

  • Guilds were prominent, regulating trade and production, notably the Hanseatic League.

PLAGUE AND SOCIAL UNREST

  • The Black Death (mid-14th century) drastically reduced Europe’s population and induced social chaos.

  • Population declined from 70 million (1300) to 45 million (1400).

RENAISSANCE

  • Transition from Middle Ages to Modernity (14th-17th century) centered in Florence.

  • Increase in interest in classical ideas, arts, and economic growth.

HUMANISM

  • Cultural movement emphasizing classical literature and individualism.

  • Petrarch considered the father of Renaissance humanism.

DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY

  • Innovations in sailing (e.g., caravel), cartography, and other fields during the Renaissance.

  • Increased interest in direct trade routes to Asia fueled exploration.

AGE OF DISCOVERY

  • Christopher Columbus funded by Spain, mistakenly lands in the Bahamas thinking it is Asia.

  • Exploration motives include search for the Northwest Passage, profit, and religious expansion.

KEY EXPLORERS

  • Henry the Navigator: Early exploration in the Atlantic and route to India.

  • Amerigo Vespucci recognized the Americas as a new continent; namesake of "America."

  • Vasco de Gama established sea route to India; Ferdinand Magellan completed first circumnavigation of the Earth.

  • Vasco Núñez de Balboa was the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean from the east.