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4.2 Exploration: Causes and Events 1450-1750  

Roles of States

  • Voyages (e.g. Columbus) were expensive and w/o state sponsorship would not have been possible.

  • States wanted:

    • New wealth brought by taxes and trading opportunities

    • New material wealth (esp. silver)

    • To expand before their other European rivals did

    • Spread Christianity (i.e. considered their duty as Christians to convert others)

      • Religion is tightly woven into gov’t of European states.

Mercantilism

  • The wealth and power of a country was measured in the amount of gold and silver they had.

    • Set up policies to sell as many goods as possible, to maximize gold and silver coming into the country.

    • Buy as little as possible from other countries.

  • This requires heavy gov’t involvement

  • Goes hand in hand with colonization

4.2 Exploration: Causes and Events 1450-1750  

Roles of States

  • Voyages (e.g. Columbus) were expensive and w/o state sponsorship would not have been possible.

  • States wanted:

    • New wealth brought by taxes and trading opportunities

    • New material wealth (esp. silver)

    • To expand before their other European rivals did

    • Spread Christianity (i.e. considered their duty as Christians to convert others)

      • Religion is tightly woven into gov’t of European states.

Mercantilism

  • The wealth and power of a country was measured in the amount of gold and silver they had.

    • Set up policies to sell as many goods as possible, to maximize gold and silver coming into the country.

    • Buy as little as possible from other countries.

  • This requires heavy gov’t involvement

  • Goes hand in hand with colonization

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