From the 15th to the 17th centuries, the Age of Exploration, when Europeans ventured into the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, marked the beginning of the integration of the world. The profits from the spice trade and the mission to spread Christianity drove explorers to the seas.
Background and Technology of the Age of Exploration
- Interruption of eastern trade routes by the Ottoman Empire→the need to develop new sea routes
- Development of the compass（invented in China→introduced to Europe through the Arabs）・lateen sails・caravels
- Spread of Ptolemy's maps and the theory that the Earth is spherical
- Portugal and Spain supported voyages as national projects
The 3 Great Navigators and Their Main Achievements
・Christopher Columbus（from Italy, sponsored by Spain）：Reached the "West Indies"（the Caribbean Sea）in 1492. The "discovery" of the American continent（he actually believed he had reached Asia）
・Vasco da Gama（Portugal）：Rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa and reached Calicut, India, in 1498. Opened the sea route to India
・Ferdinand Magellan（from Portugal, sponsored by Spain）：From 1519 to 1522, his fleet completed the first circumnavigation of the world（Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines）
・Christopher Columbus（from Italy, sponsored by Spain）：Reached the "West Indies"（the Caribbean Sea）in 1492. The "discovery" of the American continent（he actually believed he had reached Asia）
・Vasco da Gama（Portugal）：Rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa and reached Calicut, India, in 1498. Opened the sea route to India
・Ferdinand Magellan（from Portugal, sponsored by Spain）：From 1519 to 1522, his fleet completed the first circumnavigation of the world（Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines）
The Division between Portugal and Spain
Under the Treaty of Tordesillas（1494）, Spain and Portugal divided the world between them through the mediation of the pope. They drew a "papal meridian" across the Atlantic Ocean, designating the east as Portugal's sphere of influence and the west as Spain's.
Practice
- Give the name of the explorer who reached the West Indies in 1492 and the country that sponsored him.
- Describe the characteristics of the sea route opened by Vasco da Gama.
- What was the historical significance of Magellan's expedition?