Age of Exploration Chapter Notes | AP European History - Grade 9 PDF Download

Introduction

The Age of Exploration (15th–17th centuries) transformed global interactions through European voyages driven by technological, economic, and religious factors. Monarchs sponsored expeditions to expand trade, acquire wealth, and propagate Christianity, reshaping world economies and cultures. This chapter notes examines the navigational advancements, mercantilist policies, religious motivations, and key explorations by Spain and Portugal that defined this era.

Factors That Aided European Exploration & Expansion

The Age of Exploration, spanning the 15th to 17th centuries, was propelled by technological innovations, economic ambitions, and religious fervor. European rulers funded expeditions to broaden trade networks, accumulate riches, and promote Christianity.

Technological Advancements in Navigation and Exploration

Maritime exploration was enabled by advancements in navigation and shipbuilding, enhancing the ability to undertake long voyages:

• Compass: Enabled sailors to accurately determine their direction.
• Caravel: A swift, lightweight ship with excellent maneuverability.
• Astrolabe: Allowed mariners to calculate latitude at sea.
• Cartography: Enhanced maps and geographical understanding improved navigational precision.
• Sternpost Rudder: Advanced steering capabilities for better ship control.

These developments empowered European sailors to navigate the vast Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Economic Motivations: The Rise of Mercantilism

Mercantilism, an economic doctrine asserting that wealth was limited and national power relied on stockpiling precious metals, drove European exploration.

• Countries pursued direct access to gold, spices, and luxury goods, circumventing Ottoman and Italian intermediaries. 
• Colonial territories were deemed vital for economic prosperity, and state oversight of trade was considered essential for national strength.

Principles of Mercantilism

Religious Motivations: Christianity and the Jesuits

In addition to economic goals, religious passion significantly influenced exploration:

• Missionary Zeal: European powers aimed to propagate Christianity, particularly Catholicism, among indigenous populations.
• Jesuits: This Catholic order spearheaded global missionary efforts, founding missions in the Americas, Asia, and Africa.

Changes in Trade Patterns

• Shift from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic: The rise of Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, England, and France as trading powers shifted Europe’s economic focus from Italy and the Mediterranean.
• The Netherlands as a Commercial Hub: Dutch dominance in trade diminished Italian maritime influence.

The Age of Exploration: Spain and Portugal

Portugal: The Pioneers of Exploration

Portugal, led by Prince Henry the Navigator, was the first European nation to pursue overseas exploration, seeking trade routes to Asia and the spread of Christianity.

• Prince Henry the Navigator (1394–1460): Captured Ceuta in North Africa and sponsored expeditions along the African coast.
• Vasco da Gama (1497–1499): Reached India, establishing profitable spice trade routes.
• Portuguese Slave Trade: By the late 15th century, Portugal had transported over 150,000 enslaved Africans to Europe and its colonies.
• Portuguese Colonies: Established trading posts in Goa (India), Malacca (Southeast Asia), and Brazil.

Spain: Conquest and Colonization

While Portugal focused on eastern routes, Spain pursued western exploration, resulting in the discovery of the Americas.

• Christopher Columbus (1492): Funded by Ferdinand and Isabella, Columbus landed in the Caribbean, believing he had reached Asia.
• Amerigo Vespucci: Explored South America’s coast, leading to the continent being named after him.
• Ferdinand Magellan (1519–1522): Led the first global circumnavigation; though killed in the Philippines, his crew completed the voyage.

Spanish Conquests: The Fall of the Aztecs and Incas

Spanish conquistadors pursued wealth and territory, toppling major indigenous empires:

• Hernán Cortés (1519–1521): Conquered the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico.
• Francisco Pizarro (1532–1533): Overthrew the Inca Empire in Peru.

Political and Economic Effects of Exploration

• Rise of European Empires: Spain and Portugal built extensive colonial empires, followed by the Dutch, English, and French.
• Expansion of Mercantilism: Colonies supplied raw materials and wealth to European mother countries.
• Increased Rivalries: Competition for overseas territories sparked conflicts like the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) and Dutch-Portuguese Wars.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Prince Henry the Navigator: Portuguese royal who advanced exploration along Africa’s coast.
• Mercantilism: Economic theory advocating state control of trade to amass wealth.
• Columbian Exchange: Exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds.
• Treaty of Tordesillas (1494): Pact dividing newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal.
• Encomienda System: Spanish labor system exploiting Native Americans.
• Triangular Trade: Trade network linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

The Age of Exploration’s Legacy

• The Age of Exploration transformed global trade, establishing European dominance and fostering an interconnected world. 
• While it brought prosperity to Europe, it also caused the destruction of indigenous cultures and expanded slavery, setting the stage for future colonial conflicts and economic shifts.

Key Terms

• Amerigo Vespucci: Italian explorer whose voyages to South America revealed a new continent, later named America, reshaping European understanding of the New World.
• Balance of Trades: The difference between a nation’s exports and imports, critical to economic health during the Age of Exploration as powers competed for trade dominance.
• Calcutta and Goa Colonies: Key colonial outposts established by the British (Calcutta, 1690) and Portuguese (Goa, 1510), serving as trade and cultural hubs during the Age of Exploration.
• Cartography: The science of map-making, vital during the Age of Exploration for creating accurate maps that aided navigation and empire-building.
• Ceuta: A North African port city captured by Portugal, serving as a strategic base for trade and military operations during the Age of Exploration.
• Christopher Columbus: Italian navigator whose 1492 voyages, backed by Spain, initiated European contact with the Americas, launching the Age of Exploration.
• Compass: A navigational tool showing cardinal directions, essential for long sea voyages during the Age of Exploration.
• Discovery of the Americas: The late 15th-century European encounter with the Americas, led by Columbus, which reshaped global trade and cultural interactions.
• Economic Dependency in South America: South America’s reliance on European markets for raw materials during the Age of Exploration, shaping its economic structures.
• Enlightenment Philosophers: 17th- and 18th-century thinkers advocating reason and individualism, influencing modern thought and indirectly tied to exploration’s intellectual legacy.
• Factors That Aided European Exploration & Expansion: Technological, economic, political, and religious drivers that enabled European exploration and empire-building.
• Ferdinand Magellan: Portuguese explorer who led the first circumnavigation of the globe (1519–1522), expanding European geographical knowledge.
• Guns and Gunpowder: Firearms and explosives that gave Europeans military superiority during the Age of Exploration, aiding conquest and colonization.
• Jean-Baptiste Colbert: French minister under Louis XIV, whose mercantilist policies strengthened France’s economy through trade regulation during the Age of Exploration.
• Mercantilist Ideology: Economic theory emphasizing wealth accumulation through trade surpluses and state control, driving exploration during the Age of Exploration.
• Military Technology: Advancements in weaponry and logistics that enhanced European military dominance during the Age of Exploration.
• Navigation Technology: Tools like the compass and astrolabe that improved maritime navigation, enabling long-distance exploration during the Age of Exploration.
• Portugal’s Exploration: Portugal’s 15th- and 16th-century maritime ventures, driven by trade, religion, and knowledge, establishing colonies in Africa, Asia, and Brazil.
• Prince Henry the Navigator: Portuguese prince who sponsored African coastal exploration, advancing navigation and initiating the Age of Exploration.
• Raw Materials Acquisition: The pursuit of resources like gold and spices that fueled European exploration and colonial economies during the Age of Exploration.
• Roman Catholicism in South America: The dominant influence of the Catholic Church in South America post-colonization, shaping culture and politics during the Age of Exploration.
• Slave Trade in Portugal: Portugal’s 15th- to 19th-century trade in enslaved Africans, a key economic driver for its colonies, particularly Brazil.
• Spain’s Exploration: Spain’s 15th- and 16th-century overseas ventures, focused on wealth and territory, leading to the conquest of the Americas.
• Spread of Christianity: The expansion of Christianity, particularly Catholicism, during the Age of Exploration, driven by missionaries and colonial powers.
• Sternpost Rudder: A ship steering device that improved maneuverability, crucial for long voyages during the Age of Exploration.
• Taino Indians: Caribbean indigenous people encountered by Columbus, whose culture was devastated by European colonization during the Age of Exploration.
• Vasco da Gama: Portuguese explorer who reached India by sea in 1498, establishing direct trade routes and advancing the Age of Exploration.