In 1483, Columbus approached the royal court of Portugal and presented his idea to King John II. King John rejected Columbus, having conferred with other explorers and mariners who claimed that the idea was unthinkable and unrealistic. Thus dismissed, Columbus sought out the King and Queen of Spain. His first attempt to convince Ferdinand and Isabella of his intended journey left them with many questions. They did not, however, reject his proposal. Queen Isabella was quite impressed with Columbus and his presentation. The King and Queen strongly desired a chance to catch up with the power and influence of their Portuguese neighbors, and Columbus’s plan—if it succeeded—offered this chance. They soon agreed to finance and support his expedition. After many years at many courts, Christopher Columbus had finally convinced a nation to support his journey across the Atlantic.

"Before the Voyage, Christopher Columbus, Social Studies, Glencoe." Before the Voyage, Christopher Columbus, Social Studies, Glencoe. Glencoe Online, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Why did Portugal reject Columbus’s idea, and Spain support him?

The hall of the palace is so large that it could easily dine 6,000 people; and it is quite a marvel to see how many rooms there are besides. The building is altogether so vast, so rich, and so beautiful, that no man on earth could design anything superior to it. The outside of the roof is all colored with vermilion and yellow and green and blue and other colors, which are fixed with a varnish so fine and exquisite that they shine like crystal, and lend a luster to the palace so it can be seen from a great distance. This roof is made too with such strength and solidity that it is fit to last forever.

On the interior side of the palace are large buildings with halls and chambers, where the emperor's private property is placed, such as his

treasures of gold, silver, gems, pearls, and gold plate, and in which reside the ladies and secondary wives. These rooms are only for him, and no one else has access to them.

Between the two walls of the enclosure which I have described, there are fine parks and beautiful trees bearing a variety of fruits. There are beasts, such as white stags and fallow deer, gazelles and roebucks, and fine squirrels of various sorts, and all manner of other beautiful creatures, that the whole place is full of them.

"Marco Polo in China (1271-1295)." Marco Polo in China (1271-1295). Columbia University, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Why would European rulers want to trade with China after Marco Polo’s report?

Vasco da Gama’s log [The first European to sail to India]

On the following day (May 22) these same boats came again alongside, when the captain-major sent one of the convicts to Calicut, and those with whom he went took him to two Moors (Muslims) from Tunis (North Africa), who could speak Castilian and Genoese. The first greeting that he received was in these words: "May the Devil take thee! What brought you hither?" They asked what he sought so far away from home, and he told them that we came in search of Christians and of spices. They said: "Why does not the King of Castile, the King of France, or the Signoria of Venice send thither?" He said that the King of Portugal would not consent to their doing so, and they said he did the right thing. After this conversation they took him to their lodgings and gave him wheaten bread and honey. When he had eaten he returned to the ships, accompanied by one of the Moors, who was no sooner on board, than he said these words: "A lucky venture, a lucky venture! Plenty of rubies, plenty of emeralds! You owe great thanks to God, for having brought you to a country holding such riches!" We were greatly astonished to hear his talk, for we never expected to hear our language spoken so far away from Portugal.

1. Why did the Portuguese sail to India?

2. Why would they not allow other European countries to sail to India?

From: Oliver J. Thatcher, ed., The Library of Original Sources (Milwaukee: University Research Extension Co., 1907), Vol. V: 9th to 16th Centuries, pp. 26-40.

Scanned by: J. S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton. Prof. Arkenberg has modernized the text.This text is part of theInternet Modern History Sourcebook.

The following is a secondary source introducing the above primary source.

[Vasco da Gama] was compelled to return [to Portugal] with the bare discovery and the few spices he had bought there at inflated prices [but still he made a 3000% profit!]. A force left by a second expedition under Cabral, left behind some men in a "factory" or trading station, but these were killed by the Moors in revenge for Cabral's attacks on Arab shipping in the Indian Ocean. Vasco da Gama was sent on a mission of vengeance in 1502, he bombarded Calicut (virtually destroying the port), and returned with great spoil. His expedition turned the commerce of Europe from the Mediterranean cities to the Atlantic Coast, and opened up the east to European enterprise.

1. How did the Portuguese eventually come to dominate trade in India?

2. How will this cause conflict in other areas of the world?

From: Oliver J. Thatcher, ed., The Library of Original Sources (Milwaukee: University Research Extension Co., 1907), Vol. V: 9th to 16th Centuries, pp. 26-40.

Scanned by: J. S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton. Prof. Arkenberg has modernized the text.This text is part of theInternet Modern History Sourcebook.

The following three red excerpts are the words of Columbus

"that of all and every kind of merchandise, whether pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise whatsoever, of whatever kind, name and sort, which may be bought, bartered, discovered, acquired and obtained within the limits of the said Admiralty, Your Highnesses grant from now henceforth to the said Don Cristóbal [Christopher Columbus] ... the tenth part of the whole, after deducting all the expenses which may be incurred therein."

Page 79 of Bourne, E. G. (Ed.). (1906). The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503: The voyages of the Northmen, The voyages of Columbus and of John Cabot. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

What is the main idea of the above passage and which of the 3 g’s does it stress?

YOUR HIGHNESSES, as Catholic Christians and Princes who love the holy Christian faith, and the propagation of it, and who are enemies to the sect of Mahoma [Islam] and to all idolatries and heresies, resolved to send me, Cristóbal Colon, to the said parts of India to see the said princes ... with a view that they might be converted to our holy faith

Page 90 of Bourne, E. G. (Ed.). (1906). The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503: The voyages of the Northmen, The voyages of Columbus and of John Cabot. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

Which of the three G’s is demonstrated here?

"with fifty men they can all be subjugated and made to do what is required of them [Native Americans]."

Page 114 of Bourne, E. G. (Ed.). (1906). The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503: The voyages of the Northmen, The voyages of Columbus and of John Cabot. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons

How does Columbus plan to treat the Native Americans?

Now both the Spanish and Portuguese are sailing, trading, and conquering. They are both Catholic nations and claim some of the same land. How does the Pope stop them from fighting each other?

Groups of three.

Spain what do you claim?

Portugal what do you claim?

Pope who gets what?

Read the passage below, and rewrite the assigned sentence in your own words.

Christopher Columbus Reports to Ferdinand and Isabella"

First Voyage, 1492–1493

1. Knowing that it will afford you pleasure to learn that I have brought in undertaking to a successful termination, I have decided upon writing you this letter to acquaint you with all the events which have occurred in my voyage, and the discoveries which have resulted from it. 2. Thirty-three days after my departure from Cadiz I reached the Indian sea, where I discovered many islands, thickly peopled, of which I took possession without resistance in the name of our most illustrious Monarch, by public proclamation and with unfurled banners. 3. To the first of these islands, which is called by the Indians Guanahani, I gave the name of the blessed Saviour (San Salvador), relying upon whose protection I had reached this as well as the other islands; to each of these I also gave a name, ordering that one should be called Santa Maria de la Concepcion, another Fernandina, the third Isabella, the fourth Juana, and so with all the rest respectively. 4. As soon as we arrived at that, which as I have said was named Juana, I proceeded along its coast a short distance westward, and found it to be so large and apparently without termination, that I could not suppose it to be an island, but the continental province of Cathay [China]. 5. Seeing, however, no towns or populous places on the sea coast, but only a few detached houses and cottages, with whose inhabitants I was unable to communicate, because they fled as soon as they saw us, I went further on, thinking that in my progress I should certainly find some city or village. . . . 6. I afterwards dispatched two of our men to ascertain whether there were a king or any cities in that province. 7. These men reconnoitred the country for three days, and found a most numerous population, and great numbers of houses, though small, and built without any regard to order: with which information they returned to us. 8. In the mean time I had learned from some Indians whom I had seized, that that country was certainly an island:

"Columbus, Christopher EText - Primary Source - ENotes.com."Enotes.com. Enotes.com. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.

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