Heimler’s History: State Sponsored Maritime Exploration (1450-1750)

Introduction

• Focus: State sponsorship of maritime exploration (1450-1750)
• Key question: Why did states sponsor maritime exploration?
• Overview:
  • Motivations: Gold, God, and Glory

Motivations for Exploration

Gold

• Economic System: Mercantilism
  • Fixed amount of wealth in the world (like a pie measured in gold)
  • More trading posts = more wealth for states

God

• Religious Impulse: Spread Christianity
  • Missionary religion with a focus on converting people in new lands

Glory

• Empire Building: Prestige of controlling large empires
  • Competition among states to claim territories

State Sponsorship: Changes and Continuities

• Historically: People always explored seas
• New development: Large-scale state sponsorship

Specific European States and Explorers

Portugal

• Geography: Expansion focused on the sea
• Notable Explorers:
  • Bartholomew Diaz (1488): Sailed around southern Africa
  • Vasco de Gama (1498): Sailed to India, claimed territory
• Empire Building:
  • Trading-post empire: Small land claims at strategic locations
  • Monopoly aim over the spice trade

Spain

• Notable Explorers:
  • Ferdinand Magellan: First to circumnavigate the globe
  • Christopher Columbus: Sought westward route to Asia, discovered rich Aztec and Inca empires
• Territorial Claims:
  • Philippines, extensive gold and silver resources
• Impact:
  • Columbian Exchange (to be covered in next video)

England

• Explorer: John Cabot (1497)
  • Aim: Northwest passage to Asia
  • Result: Claimed land from Newfoundland to Chesapeake Bay
• Colonization:
  • Jamestown established in 1607

France

• Exploration: Sought northwest passage
  • Claimed land in Canada
• Settlement:
  • Quebec established in 1608
  • Focus on trade with natives, better relations

Dutch

• Explorer: Henry Hudson (1609)
  • Sought northwest passage
  • Claimed Hudson River Valley, named it New Amsterdam

Conclusion

• Summary of state-sponsored maritime exploration
• Encouragement to subscribe and support the channel
• Suggestions for further content exploration