The Age of Discovery, also referred to as the Age of Exploration, was a remarkable period spanning from the early 1400s to the early 1600s. During this time, powerful European nations embarked on grand voyages across the oceans in search of new trade routes and lands to conquer. This era not only reshaped maps but also introduced Europeans to previously unexplored cultures and territories. Let’s navigate through the key aspects of this transformative period.
Table of Contents
Prelude to Discovery
Long before the official Age of Discovery, various nations worldwide, particularly during the Middle Ages, initiated explorations to seek new routes for the lucrative spice and silk trades.
One of the most famous explorers of this era was Marco Polo, whose extensive travels across Asia from 1271 to 1295 were documented in “The Travels of Marco Polo.”
However, in 1453, the Ottoman Empire’s control of Constantinople blocked European access to key trade routes, prompting European nations to turn their gaze toward the sea.
Portuguese Expedition
Portuguese explorers were pioneers of European overseas exploration. Portugal’s interest in maritime voyages dates back to 1317, influenced by inland problems like the bubonic plague, wars, and droughts.
By 1415, Portuguese expeditions had reached and occupied parts of Africa, establishing dominance in navigation, warfare, and trade.
Between 1497 and 1502, Vasco da Gama’s voyage led to the discovery of India and Brazil, laying the foundation for Portugal’s enduring colonial empire in Asia.
Portugal’s control over the Indian Ocean secured a monopoly on the spice trade and facilitated interactions with traders from China, Japan, Java, Bengal, Persia, and Arabia.
In essence, Portugal emerged as the world’s first global sea power.
Spanish Expedition
Christopher Columbus, sailing under the Spanish flag, made significant voyages, landing in the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama’s Almirante Bay.
To avoid conflicts over newly discovered lands, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, dividing the world between them.
Spain continued to establish settlements in the New World, including New Granada, Peru, Buenos Aires, and Santiago, under the support of the Spanish crown.
The expedition led by Portuguese national Ferdinand Magellan, backed by Spain, successfully circumnavigated the globe in 1522 under the leadership of Juan Sebastián Elcano.
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English Expedition
Following Spain and Portugal’s successes, England, under King Henry VII, commissioned John Cabot in 1496 to seek a route to Asia via the North Atlantic.
Cabot reached the coast of Newfoundland but did not establish a colony. Eighty-one years later, Francis Drake completed the second circumnavigation of the world during a single expedition from 1577 to 1580.
Throughout the 1600s, England established American colonies primarily relying on slave labor. In 1607, Captain John Smith founded Jamestown, England’s first permanent settlement in the Americas, setting the stage for England’s emergence as a dominant European empire.
Until the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, England transported 3.5 million African slaves to the Americas, accounting for 75% of all transatlantic slave transport.
French Expedition
Competing with Spain, Portugal, and later Britain, France, led by King Francis I, established colonies in North America, the Caribbean, and India in the 17th century.
Explorer Jacques Cartier was sent to explore Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River in 1534, leading to the founding of New France. This marked the first European exploration into North America’s interior.
France’s colonies in the Americas were primarily focused on economic interests, distinguishing them from other colonial powers more engaged in the slave trade.
The French expedition expanded to the West Indies, West Africa, and India, creating trading posts and colonies.
Impact of the Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery fostered cultural interactions and globalized economies. However, European occupation also brought diseases, wars, and the near-extinction of native settlements.
Additionally, this era witnessed extensive European involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, resulting in the transportation of around 10 million African slaves to the Americas.
References
Map Illustrating Exploration Routes
Portrait of Christopher Columbus
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https://www.britannica.com/topic/European-exploration/The-Age-of-Discovery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discovery