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
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