Spice Islands
The Crusaders introduced Europe to many imported goods from Asia. The most important and treasured goods being spices, such as salt, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, etc. By the 1400s, Europe’s population was growing, and the demand for spices was growing. Spices, in many aspects made the European life better. The spices were used to preserve food, add flavor to food, and make medicine and perfumes. The biggest source of spices was the Moluccas, a group of islands in present-day Indonesia, which the Europeans renamed as the Spice Islands. Since Spices were very important to Europe, the profits were very high and many countries took notice. As you will see below, many countries were involved in the race to get more spices and take control of the Spice Trade.
In the 1400s, the Venetians dominated the Spice Trade in Europe. They worked with the Muslim traders, who brought the good to eastern Mediterranean ports, which the Italian traders carried to European markets. The Portuguese took notice of the profits that the Italian merchants were making, and they wanted in. Prince Henry the Navigator and Vasco De Gama both took part in Portugal taking control of the Spice trade. The Portuguese had control of the Spice trade, whose monopoly profits attracted more rivals including Great Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands. Those countries soon sent out expeditions in search of more cargoes full of spices. Early in the 17th century, the Dutch sent out many expeditions to try to drive out Portugal and take control of the Spice trade. By the end of the 17th century, the Dutch drove out Portugal and seized control of the spice trade. They took full advantage of their monopoly position by limiting supplies to raise prices.
During the 18th century, the British and French were determined to break the Dutch control on the spice trade. By 1796, many Dutch properties in the East Indies fell to the British. In 1824, the British and the Dutch signed a peace treaty that gave the East Indies to the Dutch except for the northern part of Borneo, India, Ceylon, and Malaya which the British took. The French and British smuggled plants from the Dutch East Indies, leaving them in complete control of the Spice trade. By the beginning of the 19th century, no one country completely controlled the Spice trade.
The Spice Islands greatly profited many European countries, making them all world powers. Which, by extension, made Europe more powerful in the world.
In the 1400s, the Venetians dominated the Spice Trade in Europe. They worked with the Muslim traders, who brought the good to eastern Mediterranean ports, which the Italian traders carried to European markets. The Portuguese took notice of the profits that the Italian merchants were making, and they wanted in. Prince Henry the Navigator and Vasco De Gama both took part in Portugal taking control of the Spice trade. The Portuguese had control of the Spice trade, whose monopoly profits attracted more rivals including Great Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands. Those countries soon sent out expeditions in search of more cargoes full of spices. Early in the 17th century, the Dutch sent out many expeditions to try to drive out Portugal and take control of the Spice trade. By the end of the 17th century, the Dutch drove out Portugal and seized control of the spice trade. They took full advantage of their monopoly position by limiting supplies to raise prices.
During the 18th century, the British and French were determined to break the Dutch control on the spice trade. By 1796, many Dutch properties in the East Indies fell to the British. In 1824, the British and the Dutch signed a peace treaty that gave the East Indies to the Dutch except for the northern part of Borneo, India, Ceylon, and Malaya which the British took. The French and British smuggled plants from the Dutch East Indies, leaving them in complete control of the Spice trade. By the beginning of the 19th century, no one country completely controlled the Spice trade.
The Spice Islands greatly profited many European countries, making them all world powers. Which, by extension, made Europe more powerful in the world.
With the search for spices on, Europeans became desperate. At around the time period of 1500, the Arabs had control of the spice trade. Later on, the Europeans learned that the spices they wanted could be acquired in Asia. Proof of Indonesian arrogance towards is shown with a quote that an Indonesian ruler boasted to a European trader.
"You may be able to take our plants, but you will never be able to take our rain."
This angered the Europeans and advised them that in order to obtain the spices they needed, they needed to explore Asia and create sea routes.
"You may be able to take our plants, but you will never be able to take our rain."
This angered the Europeans and advised them that in order to obtain the spices they needed, they needed to explore Asia and create sea routes.
Prince Henry The Navigator
Prince Henry the Navigator is regarded as one of the great initiators of the Age of Exploration, he lead the first act of Europeans beginning their journey to cultural domination of the world. He was the leader in sponsoring exploration for Portugal. Prince Henry’s navigators discovered and claimed the Madeira and Azores islands. By 1415, Portugal had expanded into North Africa, taking the port of Ceuta on the North African coast. Prince Henry saw great promise in Africa, he tried to convert as many Africans to Christianity, and he believed that he would find the sources of riches the Muslim traders controlled. He also wanted to find an easier way to reach Asia, which included going around Africa. The Portuguese believed that with their knowledge and technology, they could accomplish this. Henry rallied up scientists, cartographers and other experts. They repaired and built new ships, arranged new maps and trained captains and crews for long and arduous trips. Slowly, Prince Henry’s ships worked their way south to explore Africa. Although Henry died in 1460, the Portuguese continued on. In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias rounded the southern tip of Africa, which later became known as the Cape of Good Hope, because it opened a new sea route to Asia.
Vasco Da Gama
Vasco Da Gama was a Portuguese explorer whose mission was to find an ocean route to the Indies and claim control of the Spice Trade for Portugal. After a very long and grueling ten months, crossing the Cape of Good Hope and journeying on, Da Gama finally reached the grand spice port of Calicut on the west coast of India. Although the voyage was hard, the journey proved to be highly profitable. In India, Da Gama received a cargo of spices, which he sold for a massive profit. As soon as Da Gama got back home, he quickly composed a fleet, and set sail, seeking greater profits. In 1502, he forced a treaty on the ruler of Calicut. He left Portuguese merchants there whose job was to buy spices when prices were low and store them until the next fleet could return and bring them back to Portugal. Soon, the Portuguese took over key ports around the Indian Ocean, creating a vast trading empire. Da Gama’s voyages made Portugal’s status as a world power, and put Portugal in complete control of the spice trade.
How did Prince Henry and Vasco Da Gama help Europe to become more powerful?
Prince Henry and Vasco Da Gama searched for a new route to Asia, to take control of the Spice Trade for Portugal (a European country). When Portugal was in charge of the Spice trade, they gained huge profits. Which, in turn, led them to becoming a world power, therefore making Europe more powerful.
Prince Henry and Vasco Da Gama searched for a new route to Asia, to take control of the Spice Trade for Portugal (a European country). When Portugal was in charge of the Spice trade, they gained huge profits. Which, in turn, led them to becoming a world power, therefore making Europe more powerful.
Ferdinand Magellan
The Spanish took notice of the profits that Portuguese were making and instantly wanted to try to find a new way to get to the Indies, to obtain control of the Spice trade. They sent Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese nobleman to find a western route to the Indies. Magellan’s ships sailed south and west, reaching the tip of South America. They were the first to reach the southern tip of South America, Magellan found a passage that became known as the Strait Of Magellan. Magellan insisted that they push forward to go across the Pacific to the East Indies, underestimating the size of the Pacific. Finally, in March 1521, the fleet reached the Philippines. Magellan was killed in the Philippines, but the men that went on were the first people to circumnavigate the globe. They also picked up enough spices at the East Indies to pay for the whole expedition.
Who was Christopher Columbus?
Christopher Columbus was a famous and well-known Spaniard explorer and navigator. He very well could be the face of exploration for his time. He was born in Italy, in a city named Genoa. He planned on traveling out west, in search of the East Indies. By the time of his life, most educated Europeans knew that the Earth was round, so he was not scared of falling off the face of the Earth. In hopes of reaching the Eastern Asian coast, Columbus greatly underestimated the size of Earth. Christopher Columbus reached had actually reached two new continents that had been unknown to everyone in Asia, Europe, Africa, and India. Portugal refused to sponsor Columbus, so he turned to Ferdinand and Isabella (of Spain) to finance his expedition to the Americas. Spain had dismissed Jews from Spain, an act to increase authority. By doing so, Spain was in a bad spot, they had many influential people and were counting on Christopher Columbus to bring back prosperity.
Columbus' Journey
On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his men set sail in three small ships, the Niña, the Piñta, and the Santa María. The group of travelers were lucky that they had experienced steady weather and that none of the ships were ever in real danger. After many weeks, the crew had finally spotted land on October 12, 1492. Since Columbus was aiming for the West Indies, he and his men called the foreign people "Indians". After brief exploring in what was really America, Columbus left with all three ships and made it back home in Spain. In Spain, they treated Columbus like a hero. Columbus would return back to the America's in later voyages.
Columbus' Influence on the Treaty of Tordesillas
After the news of a discovery, in 1493, Ferdinand and Isabella turned to the pope to support their new claims of land. The pope set a Line of Demarcation, a line dividing the world into two zones. Because of Columbus' findings, Spain was allowed to claim all exploration and trading east of the line, while Portugal claimed all exploration and trading east of the line. The two countries met later and agreed to these terms in the Treaty of Tordesillas, which was signed in 1494. Since at the time geography was quite unclear, the line was also unclear. This treaty explained to Europe that Spain and Portugal were the leading countries of Europe. It also proved there arrogance to other countries, which greatly bothered many other nations.
The Columbian Exchange
When Columbus had explored the Americas, he had brought many plants and animals back with him to Spain in 1493. When Columbus returned later to the Americas, he had brought 1,200 settlers and lots of European animals and plants. Columbus had then began a global exchange that greatly affected the world. This exchange was named "The Columbian Exchange", being named after Christopher Columbus. Europeans found many new foods, such as tomatoes, pumpkins, and peppers. Two new foods, corn and potatoes, became very important foods in Europe. The easy to grow potatoes fed the rapidly growing population. In exchange, the Europeans introduced the Americas to grapes and wheat. The Europeans also introduced many animals to the people of America. This exchange also caused many people to migrate to the Americas, in search of new opportunity. This exchange also fed much of Europe, causing less deaths, causing a growth in population. Much of the Native American population decreased due to the spread of European diseases such as small pox and measles. From the time of the Columbian Exchange to 300 years after, Europe's population grew from around 60 million people to around 150 million people.
How does Columbus help aid Europe to the road to recovery?
Christopher Columbus was a prominent European figure during his lifetime. He could very be the most famous Spaniard explorer ever. His accomplishments brought new ideas to Europe, such as the growing of potatoes. These ideas did so much to help Europe and its people. Its no mystery why their population exploded after Columbus' journeys, less people were hungry. His explorations also gave Spain much more power out East, so many people left Spain to the Americas in search of new opportunity.
Christopher Columbus was a prominent European figure during his lifetime. He could very be the most famous Spaniard explorer ever. His accomplishments brought new ideas to Europe, such as the growing of potatoes. These ideas did so much to help Europe and its people. Its no mystery why their population exploded after Columbus' journeys, less people were hungry. His explorations also gave Spain much more power out East, so many people left Spain to the Americas in search of new opportunity.