Overview
This lecture explains the underlying causes and main motives behind European exploration during the late 15th and 16th centuries, focusing on economic, religious, and political factors.
Preconditions for European Exploration
- Europe was weak and fragmented compared to Asian and Islamic powers from 1200-1450.
- Black Plague and a period of global cooling (the Little Ice Age) reduced Europe's population and productivity.
- Climate warmed in the late 1400s, improving agriculture due to new techniques and technology.
- Increased food supplies led to significant population growth in Europe.
- Economic revival spurred renewed interest in luxury goods from Asia and increased trade.
- The Renaissance began in Italy, spreading cultural and intellectual rebirth across Europe.
- Political consolidation strengthened European states, making exploration feasible.
Motives for European Exploration
- Three main motives: gold (economic), God (religious), and glory (political).
- Economic motive: Demand for Asian luxury goods and new trade routes after Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453.
- Navigation shifted to sea routes to bypass Ottoman-controlled land trade routes.
- Improved banking systems facilitated larger-scale trade and exploration.
Portugal and Spain Lead the Way
- Portugal, led by Prince Henry the Navigator, established a trading post empire along African and Indian Ocean coasts.
- Vasco da Gama sailed around Africa to reach India in 1498, making Portugal dominant in Indian Ocean trade.
- Spain, unable to compete in the Indian Ocean, funded Columbus to find a westward route to Asia.
- Columbus reached the Caribbean in 1492, mistakenly believing he had reached Asia.
Religious Motives and the Protestant Reformation
- Europe was predominantly Roman Catholic but faced internal criticism for church corruption, simony, and sale of indulgences.
- Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in 1517 triggered the Protestant Reformation and a split in Christianity.
- Religious conflict became intertwined with political rivalries; both Catholic and Protestant states sought to spread their versions of Christianity globally.
- Spain, fresh from the Reconquista and Inquisition, was eager to spread Catholicism overseas.
Competition for Power: Glory and Nation-States
- Emerging nation-states fueled competition among European powers for colonial dominance.
- Spain initially dominated the Americas, prompting rivals to seek their own colonies.
- Political rivalries often had religious dimensions, intensifying competition and conflict.
- Spain and Portugal resolved colonial disputes through the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, dividing the Americas between them.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Little Ice Age — A period of global cooling in Europe causing agricultural hardship.
- Renaissance — A cultural and intellectual revival starting in Italy in the 15th century.
- Trading post empire — A network of fortified trading sites rather than full colonies, used by Portugal.
- Simony — The buying and selling of church positions.
- Indulgences — Payments for the forgiveness of sins, sold by the Catholic Church.
- Protestant Reformation — Religious movement beginning in 1517 that challenged Catholic practices and authority.
- Nation-state — A centralized political entity governing a unified people.
- Treaty of Tordesillas — 1494 agreement dividing lands in the Americas between Spain and Portugal.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the causes and motives for European exploration.
- Be ready to discuss the impact of the Treaty of Tordesillas.
- Prepare for further exploration of the consequences for indigenous peoples in the next lecture.