1. Expansion
Exploration, Trade, Conquest,
and Colonization
1450s to 1750s

2. Did you know?
• The Chinese had sent expeditions
throughout the Indian Ocean – then
decided to isolate themselves.

3. Voyages of Chinese Admiral
Zheng He, 1405-1433

7. Do you remember • The Ottoman Empire controlled the
Eastern Mediterranean trade. Italian
city-states had a monopoly on most
imports into western Europe.

8. Did you know that • Muslim merchants dominated the
multi-cultural Indian Ocean trading
network from the 800s to 1300s.

10. Here come the Europeans!

12. What allowed / caused Europeans to
begin their exploration, trade
involvement, and conquest?
Improvements in technology
• Better ship design (caravel)

14. • The Gunpowder
revolution
• Navigation –
compass, sextant, ast
rolabe, maps.

15. In Europe…
• Demographic recovery after the plague
• Crusading Spirit
• Fragmented state-building led to
competition
• Portuguese began exploring in 1415
• Columbus reached the Americas in 1492
• Vasco de Gama sailed around Africa to
India 1497-98

16. Training and Experience
• Portuguese Seafaring Schools
• Experience in wars with Muslims
• Experience with winds of the Atlantic

17. DESIRE FOR PROFIT
• To find a faster more profitable trade
route to Asia and control Asian trade
networks
• After Europeans made contact with
the Americas, to gain access to the
gold and silver of the Americas (then
later its other resources)

19. Religious Reasons. . .The desire to:
• spread Christian religion and political
control
• Defeat Islamic forces

21. European Exploration, Expansion,
Trade, and Conquest
RESULTS

22. RESULTS of the Exploration,
Expansion, and Colonization


Asia - First the Portuguese and
Spanish, then the
Dutch, English, and others began
to take control of Indian Ocean
trade. China and Japan continued
to control their own ports and
profits.
Africa – Europeans set up trading
ports along the coasts. Slaves
became an important commodity.

23. Europeans in Asia and Africa


Political and economic impact of
Europeans in Africa and Asia was
mainly limited to the oceans and
coastal regions.
Cultural influence of Europeans
and Christianity was limited.

25. Europeans in the Americas



Mesoamerica and
South America –
were eventually
controlled by the
Spanish and
Portuguese.
North America –
Dutch, British, and
French controlled.
Competition led to
“progress”

26. Europeans in the Americas

Europeans had significant
political, economic, and social
(cultural and religious) influence in
many parts of the Americas.

27. Europeans in the Americas


Native peoples
numbers declined
drastically and
the importation of
African slaves
began.
Plantations
economies and
extraction of
other resources
began.

29. The world was changing
Global trade increased dramatically.
 Europe, China, & Islamic Empires
exported manufactured goods
 Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia
exported a variety of raw materials.
 The trade of these goods was
increasingly controlled by
competing European nations.

31. The World Shrinks
Columbian Exchange (Revolution) -between Western Hempisphere,
Africa, and Eurasia
 DISEASES
 CROPS
 LIVESTOCK and Animals

33. International Trade
Two trends developed:

decreased
manufacturing in parts of
the Americas, Africa, and
Asia

Coercive labor systems
spread: slavery in the
Americas, parts of Asia
and Africa.

34. Changes in Commerce
Commercial Revolution –
 Inflation in Europe and Islamic
Empires
 Manufacturing increased
 Increased prosperity – more
“things” for more people