Portugal was the first to send expeditions to Asia in search of new trade routes. Prince Henry of Portugal established colonies in Africa and developed new navigation instruments. In 1487, Bartholomew Diaz discovered the Cape of Good Hope while sailing around Africa to reach India, opening a new route for Portugal. Spain then sent Columbus in 1492 to find a western route to Asia, resulting in the discovery of North America instead. Further Spanish explorers like Amerigo Vespucci and Vicente Pinzon explored the new lands, leading to naming the continents America.

1. Chapter 4:
Presented By:
Ebale, Marilou C.
BEED – II

2.  To the west, for quite a long time, the Philippines and the rest of the world was Tierra Incognita
(Unknown Lands).
 These lands, had become new and exciting “discoveries” for the Europeans from the reasons such
as trade, Christianization and civilizing the “uncivilized”.
 The colonizing was led by the Portugal and Spain, rival each other for the possession of rich
colonies in America, Asia and Africa using their great navals with naval supremacy, daring and
imaginative explorers, and Spanish pope who had power to defined the territorial rights to Spain.
 Using both the “sword and the cross” Spanish conquistadores and missionaries succeeded in
establishing colonies in the Americas without much resistance.

3.  In the 16th century, Europe was experiencing some changes because of the growth of
industry and commerce, the advances in science, the improvement in the science of
navigation, and the invention of machines and marine instruments.
 Many Europeans to admire the wonders of the east. Due to the stories told by the
crusaders.
 Some Europeans were already trading with Asian countries. Oriental spices, silk, fruits,
attar of roses, Persian rugs, perfumes and precious stones were easily sold in European
market at big profits.
 The Venetians enjoyed this monopoly at the start. Soon after, the Portuguese, the
Spaniards, and other people of Europe began to trade with oriental countries.
 This made Commercial rivalry and it led to European expeditions to Asia.

4. THERE ARE THREE TRADE ROUTES :
1. Northern Route:
o Which passed through Central Asia by land, then to the cities of Samarkand and Bokhara, then
around the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, and finally to Constantinople in the Mediterranean.
2.Central Route:
o Which started from Malacca in the Malay peninsula, then to the Indian ocean and the Indian
ports, then to the Persian Gulf to Baghdad and Constantinople, finally to Cairo in the
Mediterranean.
3. Southern Route:
o Which also started from Malacca, then the Indian ocean and to the ports of India, then to the
Red Sea, and finally to Cairo in the Mediterranean.
 In 1453, the Turks captured the city of Constantinople and closed the northern and central
routes but they let the venetians used the southern route with the condition of paying
money. Therefore, they monopolize and compelled Portugal and Spain to look for another
route in going to Asia.

5.  Portugal was the first to send expeditions to the East.
Prince Henry, who was one of the most famous Portuguese navigators was also
called, “The Navigator” sent an expedition to the Azores, near the coast of
Africa in 1421 due to his desire to make Portugal a sea power.
 After developing of the islands of Madeira and the Azores as Portuguese
Colonies, he led expeditions himself to western Africa using the instruments for
navigation that he developed, like:
Astrolabe Windrose Compass
Caravel

6.  In 1487, the Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Diaz discovered the “Cape of
Good Hope” and continuing his voyages reached Calicut, India.
 It recorded as the first time that a European reached the East by sailing around
the southernmost tip of the continent of Africa.
 Spain, upon learning of this successful voyage, sent an expedition to what is
now North America.
 Christopher Columbus discovered North America in 1492 while sailing
from Spain but he thought that Asia.

7.  Later on, a explorer Amerigo Vespucci was sent by the
Spanish king and queen to explore what Columbus had found.
 The geographers at the time thought that Amerigo found a
“New World” so they named this land “America”.
 In 1500, Vicente Pinzon discovered what is now
Brazil.
 In 1513, Nuñez de Balboa crossed what is now
Panama and discovered the “Pacific Ocean”.