Notes for Chapter 10: A New Age in Europe
1. The Age of Exploration
- Europeans tired of high prices of goods, search for new trade routes in Asia
- Portugal took the lead in exploring, new technology (astrolabe, compass), Prince Henry the Navigator lead the way
- Vasco da Gama, 1st to sail around Africa to India
- Spain began it's contribution, Christopher Columbus- believed could get to India by sailing West, crossed the Atlantic but reached the Americas
- Balboa- 1st to reach the Pacific Ocean
2. The Age of Exploration Con't (Magellan)
- still did not know how big Earth was, Ferdinand Magellan, was eager to cross the Pacific
- set sail in 1519, 5 ships with 250 men
- over 3 years later, one ship returned to Spain, Magellan killed, and only 18 men left, 1st to circumnavigate the world., Strait of Magellan at the tip of South America
3. The Renaissance
- Renaissance- rebirth of learning in Europe, in Northern Italy people were wealthy, had more time to think, read, and create
- Artists- Michelangelo- painted the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City in Rome, Leonardo Da Vinci- 1st drawings of planes painted the Mona Lisa
4. Reformation
- Martin Luther, complained about the Roman Catholic Church, wanted to reform the Catholic Church, Protestant religion began in protest of the Catholic Church
- They felt key to getting to heaven was just belief in God
4. Incas, Mayas, Aztecs
- Incas developed in west coast of South America (present day Peru), Andes Mts., conquered by Spanish as they came to Americas (Pizarro )
- Mayas- developed in present day Central America, people abandoned their cities and civilization declined
- Aztecs- developed in present day Mexico, powerful empire, conquered by the Spanish when they came to the Americas (Cortes)
5. Conquests in the Americas
- Hernan Cortes, conquered the Aztecs, claimed it New Spain (presently Mexico and capital is Mexico City), Pizzaro conquered Incas
- Encomienda- Spanish Kings gave land to settlers, along with Native Americans as labor (similar to medieval manors)
- Many conquistadors seeking glory and riches, killed thousands of Natives
- Encomienda system- large amounts of land, using Native Americans as cheap labor (similar to manor system)
- Effects on Native People- new diseases from Europe killed many natives, lost their lands, many killed in battles trying to defend homes from Europeans
6. Slave Trade-
- many natives were dying, so Europeans needed more labor- turned to importing enslaved Africans
- took people forcibly from Africa, destroying African cultures (effects still felt today)
- Triangular Trade- 3 points of trade: first goods from Europe shipped to Africa, then exchange goods for slaves in Africa, send slaves to Americas in exchange for raw materials, and send materials back to Europe