Europeans E example essay topic

Danny Lust Dr. Stream World Civilizations G 4/12/03 Voyages of Exploration 1. Motives Behind Exploration: a. During The Age of Europeans in the 15th and 16th centuries, Europeans set off for distant islands b. The Europeans went to these islands because: - Europeans were looking to make money - The desire to spread Christianity to new places - The rising of people who desired adventured and exploration - To test new and improved technology in ships 2. Portuguese Exploration: a. The first European exploring nation was Portugal b.

Prince Henry of Portugal encouraged these explorations c. He decided to try these explorations for economic and religious purposes d. From voyages to India the Portuguese get much needed information about the stars, tides, winds, and currents e. They established successful trading posts and plantations in West Africa f.

These posts were heavily guarded g. These posts were a revolution in trade h. The Portuguese warriors wiped out all competition with local rulers causing a monopoly of trade in that in that area i. Farms were built that produced crops for export, including sugar j. Portuguese sugar plantations were established and were very successful k. Portuguese rulers wished to find a water route to India l.

Finally in 1488 Bartholomew Dias found a continent called the "Cape of Storms" which provided a helpful water route to India m. In 1497 the king of Portugal sent Vasco da Gama to further explore the Cape of Storms, he was armed with trading materials and weapons n. Da Gama and his crew went through the new water route and landed in India where they were given the opportunity to dominate Indian trade o. From India they acquired extremely valuable spices and dyes p. Other Merchants took advantage and happily traded with the Indians, while other used force to try and create another monopoly q. Europeans used billions, bars of gold and silver, to pay for trading items 3.

Columbus's Voyages for Spain a. In 1484 Christopher Columbus went to the king of Portugal, King John II and asked for permission to find a westward route to Asia b. King John felt that no ship could carry the correct amount of food and supplies necessary to last a crew 6 weeks in the ship c. Columbus next asked the rulers of Spain but they at first also rejected his idea d. The Queen of Spain Isabella decided to give Columbus a chance and provided him with three ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria e. Columbus left on his voyage in August 1492 and found land in October 1492 f.

Columbus after arriving at land, he was convinced he was at the Indies, Islands in Southeast Asia g. He even called the locals Indians even though they were Arawaks h. Columbus took some of the "Indians" back to Europe with him to prove he was in Asia i. He made 3 returning voyages to the Caribbean j. Columbus died in 1506 not even knowing he had discovered new land k. Other Europeans followed Columbus trail and eventually establish successful colonies in his new Columbus found lands.

New Populations in the Americas 372-375 1. Shifts in World Population: a. After Europeans started to settle among Africans, Indians, and Asians the population of the Americas increased dramatically. b. The Spanish conquest of the Caribbean islands enslaved, tortured, sold, and killed many Indians. c. What decreased the population of the Indians the most were the diseases brought by Europeans d. Diseases such's measles, flu, smallpox, and tuberculosis killed off millions of Indians e.

After the deaths of the Indians, Europeans needed slaves to work their plantations, which caused Africans to become the main slaves f. The Spaniards ordered that slaves must be directly shipped to the Americas g. They justified their policy with two statements: 1. Africans were not Christians and had already been enslaved in Africa. Being sent to America would not change their status as slaves, and it would give them the chance to convert to Christianity 2.

Africans were thought to be used to heavy field work in a tropical climate, while the Indians were not, African slaves soon did most of the hard labor on plantations through tropical regions of the Americas. h. Over the next 250 years African slaves were used mostly for plantations and to mine gold and silver. When trade finally ended in the mid 1800's around 10-12 million Africans had been shipped across the Atlantic i. European immigration was very important to repopulate the Americas j. Most Europeans that came were from the North, and they were mostly taken as slaves, or indentured servant, that worked a certain amount of years until they got back their freedom 2.

Cultural Exchange in the Americas: a. European settles brought new political and religious institutions b. Royal governors laid down the Europeans codes of law as well as a system of private ownership of land c. Missionaries were sent to spread Christianity d. Language, technology, food, an architecture were taken from the Europeans e. New crops were introduced to the Americas as well, such as wheat f.

New fruits were also introduced such as pears, apples, and oranges g. Chickens, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, mules, and donkeys changed diet and transportation.