Good Hope School S2 History Age of Discovery PDF

Good Hope School S2 History 3. Age of Discovery 1. What was the ‘Age of Discovery’? Also known as the Age of Exploration Late 15th - 17th centuries European explorers made a s...

Good Hope School S2 History 3. Age of Discovery 1. What was the ‘Age of Discovery’? Also known as the Age of Exploration Late 15th - 17th centuries European explorers made a series of voyages – in search of new sea routes to the East. ‘Discovered’ new places e.g. the Americas. Initiated by Spain and Portugal in the late 15th century Later joined by the Netherlands, England, and France in the 16th and 17th centuries Early sixteenth century world map (1508) 2. Reasons for the Voyages ⮚ Trade Trade between Europe and the East dominated by Italian (mostly from Venice and Genoa) and Arab merchants: Spice trade – with India and Southeast Asia Silk trade – with China The fall of Constantinople in 1453 worsened the situation – difficult to trade directly The Portuguese, hoping to bypass the Italians and Arabians, and trade directly with the Asians, began searching for alternative sea routes The Spanish began searching for another route to Asia, by sailing westwards 🡪 discovery of the New World (America) Rise of mercantilism → Expanded overseas trade and exploited local resources S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 1  ⮚ Religion Missionaries – to spread Christianity to distant lands Escape from religious conflicts and persecution in Europe ⮚ Technology Cartography (map drawing) Shipbuilding – new ships deigned to travel at longer distances E.g. Carrack and Caravel (Portuguese); Galleon (Spanish) Mid-15th century: Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal sponsored multiple maritime explorations of the West African coast. Laid the foundations for future voyages 3. Major Voyages Dias (Portuguese) 1488: Reached the Cape of Good Hope 好望角 (the Cape) Southernmost tip of Africa Significance: discovered a possible alternative route from Europe to Asia Vasco da Gama達伽馬 (Portuguese) 1498: First European to reach India via the Cape of Good Hope (known as the Cape Route) Significance: Established an alternative route from Europe to Asia (the Cape Route) Columbus 哥倫布 (Genoese / Italian) To compete with the Portuguese, the Spanish travelled westwards, hoping to discover new routes to the Indies (India) 1492: Christopher Columbus, an Italian (Genoese) explorer sponsored by Spain, reached the Bahamas (巴哈馬) (West Atlantic Coast of North America) Columbus thought they had reach India – and thus called the natives Indians (印第安人) and the new region as the West Indies (西印度) 1498: Columbus landed on the Mainland of the American Continent S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 2 Cabral (Portuguese) 1500: First expedition of four continents – Europe > Africa > America > Asia (India) Amerigo Vespucci (Italian) Unlike Columbus, Amerigo believed that they had discovered a new continent The ‘New World’ was subsequently named ‘America’ – after Amerigo. Magellan 麥哲倫 (Portuguese) 1519 – 1522: Spanish expedition – the first circumnavigation of the world Magellan was killed by the natives in the Philippine Islands 4. Impact of the Voyages Spanish (red) and Portuguese (green) colonies in the early 16th century ⮚ Portuguese and Spanish Empires The discovery of the Cape Route ended Italian domination of trade between the East and the West (Spice Trade) The Portuguese established new trade networks First maritime (海上) and colonial (殖民) Empire The Spanish also established a massive empire dominated large parts of the New World S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 3 ⮚ Colonialism Growth of European colonialism 殖民主義 in the New World, Asia, and Africa Set up colonies outside Europe Major purpose: Gold (for trade), God (for religion), Glory (Conquest) Examples: Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English (later British), French Examples of European colonies between 15th and 18th centuries: o Portuguese Empire: Brazil, African coast, Goa (India), Macao o Spanish Empire: the Americas, the Philippines o Dutch: West Indies (Caribbean), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), East Indies (Indonesia) o British: North America (Thirteen Colonies), India ⮚ Increase in knowledge about the world Discovery of new continents and lands (the Americas) Contact between cultures from different parts of the world ⮚ Growth of world trade End of Italian / Arab monopoly of the spice / silk trade o Prior to the voyages of discovery, most of the spice and silk trade between Europe and the East were monopolized by the Italians, Arabs, and Persians o The discoveries provided alternative routes, bypassing the old trade routes S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 4  Columbian Exchange o Discovery of new continents: exchange of new variety of crops and animals between the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World o Many new crops and livestock were imported from the New World (the Americas) to the Old World (Europe / Asia / Africa) o E.g. Tomato, pumpkin, potato, chilli pepper, cocoa bean (chocolate), avocado, turkey Triangular Trade (p. 124) o Development of trade between Europe, Africa, and the New World o Europeans exported manufactured goods such as textile products and tobacco in exchange for African slaves o African slaves were then transported to European colonies and settlements in the New World o Europeans imported raw materials such as sugar cane, cocoa beans and cotton (produced by enslaved Africans) from the New World Atlantic Slave Trade o Africans enslaved by European traders (or sometimes sold by local African chiefs) were transported across the Atlantic and kept as slave labour in plantations set up by European colonists in the New World o Plantations: cash crops (sugarcane, cotton, cocoa beans) S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 5 ⮚ Spread of Christianity and Western culture Missionary work in Africa, Asia, and the Americas Many indigenous cultures across the world were replaced by the culture of the European colonists Christianity became a global religion ⮚ Spread of Oriental (Eastern) culture As many missionaries travelled to the East, they also came into contact with Eastern cultures (such as China and Japan) Many East Asian texts were translated and brought to Europe, together with art and culture The use of compass, gunpowder and printing techniques were introduced to the West from China. S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 6 The world according to medieval Europeans (before the Age of Discovery) A Europe B C D The world after the early voyages S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 7 S2 History Term 1_3. Age of Discovery Page 8