Video Lesson

Lesson Objectives

After learning this lesson, you will be able to:

• examine the consequences of European explorations and discoveries;
• appreciate the adventures of European explorers.

Brainstorming Question

• Can you mention the names of some of the leading explorers of the late 15th century?

Key terms and Concepts

In the 15th century, Western Europe embarked on the Age of Exploration, driven by the desire to find new sea routes to the East and bypass the Ottoman Turks who controlled traditional trade routes. The European demand for Eastern goods such as jewels, silk, spices, and porcelain spurred this exploration. Additionally, tales from travelers like Marco Polo and legends such as that of Prester John intrigued Europeans with visions of the wealth and exotic lands of the East, further motivating their expeditions.

In addition to the desire to bypass Ottoman control over trade routes and the allure of tales from distant lands, the development of advanced sailing ships like wind-driven vessels and navigation instruments such as the compass, quadrant, and astrolabe played a crucial role in enabling European exploration across oceans during the 15th and 16th centuries. Understanding seasonal wind patterns further facilitated regular oceanic voyages. Another significant factor was the encouragement and leadership of Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator (r. 1394-1460), who aimed to expand Portugal’s trade along the African coast and discover the source of gold carried by Islamic traders across the Sahara Desert. Henry’s efforts included training and equipping explorers, gathering skilled personnel like sea captains and scholars, improving shipbuilding, and establishing a school in Southern Portugal to educate leaders for his expeditions.

During the Age of Exploration from the late 15th to the early 17th century, Portuguese sailors expanded their reach along the West African coast, reaching the Cape of Good Hope by the mid-15th century and establishing trade routes to India under Vasco da Gama’s leadership in 1497-98. Concurrently, Spain, another dominant sea power, sought new trade routes to the Far East. Christopher Columbus, sponsored by Spain, mistakenly discovered the Americas in 1492 while searching for a westward route to Asia. Subsequent Spanish expeditions confirmed the existence of a new continent, leading to the conquests of indigenous civilizations such as the Aztecs in Mexico and the Incas in Peru by adventurers like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro in the early 16th century. These voyages ultimately resulted in the establishment of extensive Spanish colonies across the Americas, while Portugal, inspired by Cabral’s voyage in 1500, claimed Brazil in South America.

In 1519-1522, Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe on behalf of Spain. Departing with 241 men and a fleet of 5 ships, Magellan crossed the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the coast of Brazil. He navigated through a passage that later became known as the Strait of Magellan, entering the Pacific Ocean, which he named for its calm waters. Sailing across the Pacific, the expedition reached the Philippines in 1521, where Magellan was killed in April of that year. The ship Victoria, one of the original fleet, managed to return to Spain on September 6, 1522, completing the historic circumnavigation nearly three years after the journey began.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish and Portuguese explorers led the voyages of exploration, establishing routes to new lands and trade routes across the oceans. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch, French, and British took the forefront in exploration. Great Britain and France began exploring new territories and trade routes overseas. John Cabot, an Italian explorer working for England, reached the coast of Newfoundland in 1497. Subsequently, French and English explorers like Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered the Hudson River entrance in 1524, and Henry Hudson, who first mapped Manhattan Island in 1609, followed in their footsteps.

In the 17th century, the French, Dutch and British rivaled for dominance in the New World.
England established the first permanent colony in North America at Jamestown in 1607.
Samuel du Champlain founded Quebec City in 1608 for France, and Holland established
a trading outpost in New Amsterdam (now New York City) in 1624.

By the early 17th century, the Spanish and Portuguese empires, along with British colonies in the New World, operated as “settlement colonies,” where European settlers established permanent communities. Plantation colonies arose in areas like Brazil, the Caribbean Islands, and parts of North America, where European settlers relied on slave labor for agricultural production. This era also saw a surge in global trade, sparking a “Commercial Revolution” that brought profound economic changes to Europe and its colonies.

Portugal focused on establishing profitable trading posts in Africa and Asia rather than colonizing the New World. By the 16th century, they had established trading posts across Asia, dominating much of the lucrative trade in the Far East. However, Portugal was annexed by Spain in 1580 for about sixty years, leading to the loss of Portuguese colonies, except Macao and Goa, to other European powers, particularly the Dutch. The Dutch controlled the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), while the British East India Company dominated trade in India, with British influence nearly complete by 1763. The French also maintained some trading posts in India, creating a network of communication and trade that reduced the need for further exploration.

But it is important to note that exploration did not cease entirely at this time. Eastern Australia was not officially claimed for Britain by Captain James Cook until 1770, and much of
the Arctic and Antarctic were not explored until the 20th century. Much of the interior of
Africa was also unexplored by Westerners until the late 19th century and early 20thcentury

The Age of Exploration brought significant transformations to the world. It advanced methods of navigation and mapping, moving beyond traditional charts to create detailed sailing maps that charted new lands and ocean routes. This era expanded geographic knowledge as explorers ventured into unknown territories. One of the most profound impacts was the Columbian Exchange, where plants, animals, and diseases were exchanged between the Old and New Worlds. The Americas introduced crops like maize, potatoes, and tomatoes to Europe, while European goods such as wheat, grapes, and domestic animals were brought to the Americas. This exchange also spread diseases like measles and smallpox to the Americas, devastating indigenous populations, while syphilis from the Americas became an epidemic in Europe. Ultimately, the ‘’Columbian Exchange’’ led to population increases due to new food crops and spurred significant European migration to the New World.