I. Global Maritime Before 1450: Pacific Ocean
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I. Global Maritime Before 1450: Pacific Ocean: Malay Peninsula peoples settled East Indies, New Guinea, Melanesian Islands, Polynesian Islands, the Marquesas, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. (Even Hawaii) – This occurred over several hundred centuries Polynesians: Intention of colonizing other islands. Planned expansion. Sailor techniques: Used star navigation, ocean currents, and evidence of land Indian Ocean: Malayo-Indonesians colonized Madagascar -Series of voyages through 1400s Sailors: Used Monsoon winds – established trade routes Moslem traders – Increase in African Moslem empires Chinese Ming Dynasty (1405-1433) – sponsored voyages -Fleets of 60 treasure ships: carried luxury goods (silk, precious metals) – diplomatic relations -Hundreds of smaller ships too -Voyages – not profitable – ended in 1433 Atlantic Ocean: Vikings: During warm period of several centuries, Vikings explored Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland (Vinland) -Colder climate reappeared (1200) – Vikings abandoned Greenland and Newfoundland. Few Europeans and Africans attempted Atlantic Ocean exploration in 13th and 14th Centuries -Both of these societies had attempted Atlantic Ocean exploration, but the voyages never returned: Genoa (1291) Mali (1300s) 1300s – Genoese and Portuguese discovered Madeira Island, Azores, Canary Islands Arawak in South America – colonized Lesser and Greater Antilles --The Carib – took over Arawak settlements European Expansion: (1400-1550) Motives: Iberian Kingdoms – sponsored voyages Reasons: Adventurous leaders Revival of trade and urban life Struggle with Islam for control of Mediterranean Sea: ---Years of warfare with Moslems ---Did not participate much on Mediterranean Sea trade ---Advances in technology: shipbuilding, canon, open to new geographical knowledge Intellectual curiosity Alliance between rulers and merchants City-states of Northern Italy – no incentive for Atlantic Ocean exploration Reason: good alliance with Moslem traders – access to Asian goods Italian ships designed for calm Mediterranean Sea – could not handle open Atlantic Ocean and its violent weather Europe: Anti-Moslem Crusade of 1396 and 1444: Reason: Ottoman Empire’s expansion disrupted European trade routes Portuguese Voyages: Prince Henry the Navigator – captured Moroccan port city of Ceuta -Attack on Ceuta: plundering, religious crusade, and military intervention -Set up Research and Navigation Institute at Sagres Researched Sub-Saharan Africa -Knowledge on gold and slaves in region Institute improved compass and astrolabe Made new vessel – caravel --Small, shallow draft, square and lateen sails, cannon = excellent for exploration Portuguese saw Africans eager to trade Portugal – learned all about prevailing westerly winds that blew back to Portugal Portuguese voyages – funded by properties of Prince Henry’s Order of Christ 1440s – Profit began from voyages Reason: slaves and gold 1469 – commercial sailing Fernao Gomes (Lisbon, Portugal merchant) – sent exploration -discovered São Tomé and Gold Coast Bartholomeu Dias (1487-1488) – reached tip of Africa Vasco da Gama (1497-1499) – sailed around Africa to India Spanish Voyages: Christopher Columbus – asked Spanish crown to sail for new route to Asia -Very persistent in getting Spanish crown’s approval 1492: Columbus sailed to New World (Reached Caribbean) 1493: Columbus reached New World in second voyage 1498: Columbus reached mainland of South America in third voyage -Columbus always believed he travelled to Asia (East Indies) -Other Europeans knew he discovered new lands Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) – world divided into two (Spain and Portugal) -line drawn down center of North Atlantic -Pope Alexander VI -Treaty of Saragossa (1529) – divided the other side of the world Ferdinand Magellan (Portuguese man who sailed for Spain) – sailed across the Pacific Ocean (1519-1522) 1st to circumnavigate the earth Confirmed Portuguese claim to Molucca Islands -Spanish claim to Philippine Islands .