Age of Exploration

Definition

The Age of Exploration, also known as the Age of Discovery, refers to the period from the late 15th century to the early 17th century when European powers embarked on extensive overseas voyages. Driven by the pursuit of trade, religious expansion, and wealth accumulation, this era marked significant global interactions that reshaped societies, economies, and cultures across continents.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Age of Exploration began in the late 15th century with notable figures like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan leading expeditions that opened new trade routes.
2. One key motive for exploration was the desire for direct access to Asian spices and goods, which were highly sought after in Europe.
3. Religious motivations included spreading Christianity, particularly after the Protestant Reformation, as European nations sought to convert indigenous populations.
4. European nations established colonies in the Americas and elsewhere, leading to significant economic benefits through resource extraction and trade.
5. The Age of Exploration had profound effects on indigenous peoples, often resulting in cultural exchanges, conflict, and devastation due to diseases brought by Europeans.

Review Questions

• How did trade motivate European nations during the Age of Exploration?
  • Trade was a primary driver for European exploration as nations sought direct access to lucrative markets in Asia for spices, silk, and other valuable goods. The traditional land routes were long and controlled by intermediaries who inflated prices. By discovering new sea routes and establishing trade networks, countries like Spain and Portugal aimed to maximize their profits and secure dominance over international trade.
• Analyze the impact of religious motives on European exploration during this period.
  • Religious motives played a significant role in driving European exploration as nations sought to spread Christianity to new territories. The Catholic Church supported these efforts, especially after the Protestant Reformation led to competition among Christian denominations. This desire for conversion often justified colonization efforts and led to complex interactions with indigenous populations, including conflict and cultural exchange.
• Evaluate how the Age of Exploration set the stage for future global interactions and conflicts.
  • The Age of Exploration fundamentally changed global dynamics by establishing connections between previously isolated continents. These interactions led to economic exploitation through colonialism and resource extraction, which laid the groundwork for later global trade systems. However, they also created lasting conflicts over territorial claims and cultural imposition. The exchange of goods and ideas during this period significantly influenced economic patterns and sociopolitical structures worldwide, shaping modern international relations.

Related terms

Mercantilism:

An economic theory that emphasizes the role of the state in managing trade and accumulating wealth through a favorable balance of trade and the acquisition of colonies.

Columbian Exchange:

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following Christopher Columbus's voyages.

Treaty of Tordesillas:

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal, sanctioned by the Pope, that divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between the two powers along a meridian in the Atlantic Ocean.