a long period of peace and prosperity for the nations of western Europe. However, the reality is far more complex. All lands to the west of the line, identified as the Line of Demarcation, would be Spains. All lands to the east of the line would go to Portugal. The Spanish also brought smallpox into the valley of Mexico. Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor), painted by Diego Velzquez in 1656, is one of the best-known paintings in history. Vasco de Gamas exploits successfully established a spice trade between Europe and India. It took nearly a year for the Spanish and the tens of thousands of native allies who joined them to defeat the Mexica in Tenochtitln, which they did by laying siege to the city. The Portuguese also traded these slaves, introducing much-needed human capital to other European nations. No products in the cart. Q. [1] John Francis Bannon, editor, Bolton and the Spanish Borderlands (1964), pp. Essay Sample. He believed the earth to be much smaller than its actual size and, since he did not know of the existence of the Americas, he fully expected to land in Asia. Translated to conqueror, conquistadors were a class of men who especially partook in the age of exploration and discovery by leading expeditions to the New World with the understanding that conquest would gain them wealth and power with their monarchs. The travels of Portuguese traders to western Africa introduced them to the African slave trade, already brisk among African states. 201-202. Hernando de Soto had participated in Pizarros conquest of the Inca, and from 1539 to 1542 he led expeditions to what is today the southeastern United States, looking for gold. succeed. Ushered in a new age of sustained global contact; world connected through networks of exchange. What are the most important factors behind the success of Portuguese and Spanish overseas exploration and colonization? Santngel had supported Columbuss voyage, helping him to obtain funding from Ferdinand and Isabella. 247 lessons He then sailed to an island he named Hispaniola (present-day Dominican Republic and Haiti) ([link]). The age of exploration came along way from 15th to the 17yh century bringing along voyages, conquests, new lands, disease, religion, and the exchange of goods. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. In 1521, Hernando Corts conquered the Aztecs in Mexico, gaining a territory that was larger than Spain itself. Below are excerpts from Columbuss 1493 letter to Luis de Santngel, which illustrates how fantastic reports from European explorers gave rise to many myths surrounding the Spanish conquest and the New World. This was centre of the gold trade. In either case, she demonstrates one way in which native peoples responded to the arrival of the Spanish. Spanish relationships with the natives tended to vary depending on the person. Baker Hughes (NYSE: BKR) is a leading energy technology company that design, manufacture and service transformative technologies to help take energy forward. There were new places to explore, room to spread out, and cultures and economies to discover and even control. The local Amerindian population were enslaved by the Spanish, and forced to work. [3] Who ruled the government of ancient Sumer? When the Spanish captured Granada in 1492, it allowed the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, to listen to the arguments of the Genoese sea captain, Christopher Columbus, and his claims that he could find a shorter route to the Far East. Under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator, Portugal took the principal role during most of the fifteenth century in searching for a route to Asia by sailing south around Africa. What are the long lasting effects of Spanish Exploration today? They stayed because of the wealth found in the region. They understood that the Portuguese would soon reach Asia and, in this competitive race to reach the Far East, the Spanish rulers decided to act. For many Europeans, the Age of Exploration signifies a time when new lands were discovered. Those who survived were strongly influenced by Spanish language, religion, art and architecture. Those who resisted were punished by a system called encomienda, in which natives were assigned to settlers through land grants as part of a deal. Portuguese exploration along the African coast was marked by trading rather than colonization with the empire-building posts to protect their ships carrying spices and gold back to Portugal and allying with African kings when possible. Spanish and Portuguese exploration brought a variety of Western ideas to the new world, including dress and leadership positions like that of the governor. The Spanish monarchs knew that Portuguese mariners had reached the southern tip of Africa and sailed the Indian Ocean. The results of the study allowed us to discover the characteristics of the contents which have an effect on informal learning, favoring the child's creativity and the development of abilities and. The world was opening up, and people were realizing how big it really was. From the beginning of the Aztec conquest, a collection of Franciscan friars had come to convert the natives. While they are filled with distortions and fabrications, probanzas de mritos are still useful in illustrating the expectation of wealth among the explorers as well as their view that native peoples would not pose a serious obstacle to colonization. As a devoted Catholic, Columbus had agreed with Ferdinand and Isabella prior to sailing west that part of the expected wealth from his voyage would be used to continue the fight against Islam. His patronage allowed some of the most important Portuguese expeditions to take place. There were different reasons for the Spanish and Portuguese exploration, with the Portuguese establishing a trading post empire to protect their goods, and Spain focusing on empire-building. extensive migration of people from the Western Hemisphere to Europe and Asia. The most famous of these Spanish adventurers are Christopher Columbus (who, though Italian himself, explored on behalf of the Spanish monarchs), Hernn Corts, and Francisco Pizarro. From these strategic points, Portugal spread its empire down the western coast of Africa to the Congo, along the western coast of India, and eventually to Brazil on the eastern coast of South America. The carrack first appeared, historians believe, in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The Portuguese also traded these slaves, introducing much-needed human capital to other European nations. Although the period known as the Age of Discovery, when Western Europe's conquistadors or conquerors discovered the true expanse of the globe, began with a Portuguese and Spanish desire to find ways to the Far East and the spice trade, it ended with both nations permanently expanding a myriad of trade networks and colonies on continents previously unknown. South American settlement began in 1523 in Venezuela, and in 1524-1526, the Spanish marched through Central America, exerting their control from Guatemala to Nicaragua. Map of Columbus' first journey to the Americas. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Portugals Prince Henry the Navigator spearheaded his countrys exploration of Africa and the Atlantic in the 1400s. The 1492 Columbus landfall accelerated the rivalry between Spain and Portugal, and the two powers vied for domination through the acquisition of new lands. They accomplished this through a combination of military strength and strategic alliances with native peoples. Learn key differences in what each country focused on when colonizing. In the eighteenth century, a French historian compared Spanish and Portuguese expansion in the New World in the following terms: The conquests of the Portuguese in the New World are not as pleasing on a broad view as the conquests of Mexico and Peru. Although the Portuguese originally used the fort primarily for trading gold, by the sixteenth century they had shifted their focus. The Impact of Portuguese Exploration Portugal's explorers changed Europeans' understanding of the world in several ways. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The Spanish established the first European settlements in the Americas, beginning in the Caribbean and, by 1600, extending throughout Central and South America. . They have no iron, nor steel, nor weapons, nor are they fit for them, because although they are well-made men of commanding stature, they appear extraordinarily timid. The traditional European narrative of exploration presents the victory of the Spanish over the Aztec as an example of the superiority of the Europeans over the savage Indians. With the Reconquista complete and Spain a unified country, Ferdinand and Isabella could turn their attention to overseas exploration. However, after three years of entreaties, and, more important, the completion of the Reconquista, Ferdinand and Isabella agreed to finance Columbuss expedition in 1492, supplying him with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Amy has MA degrees in History, English, and Theology. The Impact of Portuguese Exploration Portugal's explorers changed Europeans' understanding of the world in several ways. Portuguese mariners built an Atlantic empire by colonizing the Canary, Cape Verde, and Azores Islands, as well as the island of Madeira. Spain. explored ante empire in Mexico. B. Africans were enslaved and brought to the Americas. A fortified trading post, it had mounted cannons facing out to sea, not inland toward continental Africa; the Portuguese had greater fear of a naval attack from other Europeans than of a land attack from Africans. This era began in the late 1400's and lasted through the 1700's. It is responsible for influencing European culture, initiating globalization, and introducing colonialism around the world. Hoping to gain power over the city, Corts took Moctezuma, the Aztec ruler, hostage. Warfare by the Spanish, using guns, and forced labour in mines and on plantations also contributed. Cortes took land from the Aztecs in what is today Mexico. Henry the navigator was a mapmaker and helped build ships. In 1493, Columbus sent two copies of a probanza de mrito to the Spanish king and queen and their minister of finance, Luis de Santngel. For them, the dungeon of Elmina was their last sight of their home country. The Portuguese replaced Arab control of the trade in ivory, gold and slaves with their own. Settlements sprang up at St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565, and in New Mexico in 1609. The Official Site of Philip T. Rivera. When Vasco de Gama found a new route to India, the Portuguese were able to trade spices and jewels. What does this letter show us about Spanish objectives in the New World? The exploits of European explorers had a profound impact both in the Americas and back in Europe. What was the effect of Spanish and Portuguese exploration? While the Portuguese remained focused on the establishment of trading networks, only turning to full colonization later, Spanish discoveries of established empires in North and South America led them to explore and subsequently expand their own empire with the intention of growing wealthier and spreading Catholicism. The Spanish also brought the disease smallpox. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. In the 1540s, Francisco Vsquez de Coronado crossed the Rio Grande and traveled up the Colorado River. Cortes formally claimed Mexican land for the Spanish crown in 1519. Copies of the letter were soon circulating all over Europe, spreading news of the wondrous new land that Columbus had discovered. Columbus would make three more voyages over the next decade, establishing Spains first settlement in the New World on the island of Hispaniola. It began with the Vikings' brief stint . Then, when they found Amerindians, they wanted to colonize and convert them, as well as have access to their gold. It didn't take long for other Spaniards to realize that Columbus had stumbled upon something completely new, and they decided to stay. Which country initiated the era of Atlantic exploration? Key Explorers The key figure in early Portuguese exploration was Prince Henry, the son of King John I. Nicknamed "the Navigator," Henry was not an explorer himself. In anticipation of winning his own honor and riches, Corts later explored the Yucatn Peninsula. Originally built by the Portuguese in the fifteenth century, it appears in this image as it was in the 1660s, after being seized by Dutch slave traders in 1637. spices, of Asia. Portuguese explorers were able to discover and conquer new worlds. What does it reveal about the state of geographical knowledge, as well as European perceptions of the New World, at the beginning of the sixteenth century? European countries started to think about forming empires, spreading Christianity, and ruling the world. In the 1500s, Spain surpassed Portugal as the dominant European power. (1521) Pizarro took land from the Incas in what is today Peru. Portugal protested that the line gave excessively to Spain. While disease killed populations. Spain brought the ecomienda system to the New World to build plantations for mining and farming, a system that categorically abused the Amerindian labor force without fair trades for their gold. I feel like its a lifeline. Europeans wanted to find their own trade routes and cut out the middle men, and with their better ships, maps, and navigational tools, they finally had the technology to do it. The Spanish were also the first in the New World. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you explored isthmus of panama. There is honey, and there are many kinds of birds, and a great variety of fruits. Spanish and Portuguese Exploration Spain and Portugal were neighboring kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula and fierce competitors exploring the African coastline. As Western Europe transitioned from the regional divides of the middle ages to stronger centralized countries, kings and queens looked for ways of expanding their spheres of influence and world outlooks. In time, much of the Atlantic World would become a gargantuan sugar-plantation complex in which Africans labored to produce the highly profitable commodity for European consumers. What impact did the Portuguese have on exploration? The Portuguese led the way as explorers sponsored by Prince Henry the Navigator sailed down the coast of Africa, establishing a profitable trade in gold and slaves. The spread of Christianity to native populations. The system also allowed them to protect their imports as they traveled back to Portugal. Starting in 1485, he approached Genoese, Venetian, Portuguese, English, and Spanish monarchs, asking for ships and funding to explore this westward route. Hoping to salvage Portugals Atlantic holdings, King Joo II began negotiations with Spain. Over the next two centuries, a string of explorers and conquistadors, or military conquerors, claimed territory after territory for the ever-widening Spanish empire. He understood why the exploration and hunt of the surrounding was done by the Domain . What lands did Spain lay claim to and how did the Portuguese react? Missionaries such as Toribio Motolinia and Bartolome de Las Casas brought Catholicism and advocated for the natives, though they fought an uphill battle. The Portuguese were very pleased by this achievement, and they soon dominated the East Indies trade. Portugal's wealth increased due to its control of the spice trade with India. Sources. . In the BFA programs, students receive practical training through the progression of hands-on projects that increase in complexity. This innovation helped the Age of Exploration flourish because it showed explorers what direction they were headed. Portuguese success in exploration depended on maritime technological advances, especially caravel ships with lateen sails that were triangular in shape and gave Europeans the advantage of finally sailing in both directions along the African coast. The reasons for the difference are to be found in the. Spain also grew increasingly wealthy, but the influx of gold and silver currency eventually caused serious problems leading Charles V to declare bankruptcy and spread inflation throughout Europe. This age of exploration and the subsequent creation of an Atlantic World marked the earliest phase of globalization, in which previously isolated groupsAfricans, Native Americans, and Europeansfirst came into contact with each other, sometimes with disastrous results. Thousands of Spaniards flocked to the Americas seeking wealth and status. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. An error occurred trying to load this video. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. They also found a sea route to India. Back to Table of Contents. The Jesuits attempted to covert the natives to Christianity, but most of the other colonists were more interested in pushing west to find gold and silver. Although Portugal opened the door to exploration of the Atlantic World, Spanish explorers quickly made inroads into the Americas. What was the impact of Vasco de Gamas exploration? Eventually they blocked access altogether. The map shows areas of Portuguese and Spanish exploration, the two nations claims under the Treaty of Tordesillas, and a variety of flora, fauna, figures, and structures. Rather than leading to the discovery of gold and silver, however, the expedition simply left Coronado bankrupt. The increased flow of silver altered the worldwide global trading both socially and economically. In 1542, de Soto himself died during the expedition. Portuguese sailors continued to make important discoveries in this new arena as well. Sugar fueled the Atlantic slave trade, and the Portuguese islands quickly became home to sugar plantations. Its hills and mountains, fine plains and open country, are rich and fertile for planting and for pasturage, and for building towns and villages. All of these items are still traded across the Atlantic today to places all over the world. The resulting Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 drew a north-to-south line through South America ([link]); Spain gained territory west of the line, while Portugal retained the lands east of the line, including the east coast of Brazil. A desire for Asian spices and other Asian goods: European maritime expansion began with the goal of establishing new trade routes to African and Asian markets to buy ivory, pepper, cotton, and For more than a century, Baker Hughes . Menu and widgets What was Portugals role in the age of discovery? Sugar fueled the Atlantic slave trade, and the Portuguese islands quickly became home to sugar plantations. They were far more interested in trade, and before long, they had carried millions of Africans away from their homes as slaves. As they died, new workers were needed. The Carrack or Nao (meaning ship) was developed as a fusion between Mediterranean and Northern European-style ships. Jul 22nd, 2021 Published. Inspired by tales of rivers of gold and timid, malleable natives, later Spanish explorers were relentless in their quest for land and gold. The dungeon of the fort now served as a holding pen for African slaves from the interior of the continent, while on the upper floors Portuguese traders ate, slept, and prayed in a chapel. By this and other means, native people helped shape the conquest of the Americas. In this context, the Portuguese and the Spanish became the first countries to explore the Atlantic consistently, finding routes around Africa to the East and new continents untouched by European expansion. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. So basically it helped explorers reach their destination. Using the explorers first name as a label for the new landmass, Waldseemuller attached America to his map of the New World in 1507, and the name stuck. Spanish . Corts arrived on Hispaniola in 1504 and took part in the conquest of that island. The Reconquista marked another step forward in the process of making Spain an imperial power, and Ferdinand and Isabella were now ready to look further afield. Lutheranism History, Facts & Beliefs | What is Lutheranism? Such endeavors were accomplished by the conquistadors Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, who subdued the Aztec and Incan Empires in 1521 and 1533. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire and took part in explorations of the northern Caribbean coast of South America. The surviving Spaniards, numbering a little over three hundred, returned to Mexico City without finding the much-anticipated mountains of gold and silver. He and his followers explored what is now Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. However, the overthrow of the Mongols by the Ottoman Empire had closed that border as the longstanding religious differences between Christian Europe and Muslim Ottomans allowed the old conflict to disrupt the flow of trade. The compass rose also told . In this instance, Cortes actually operated without approval from the Spanish crown or the governor of the Cuban colony because he desired a chance to make his own name and wealth without the credit going to his superiors. They were hoping to get rich, like their Spanish neighbors. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. What was the positive impact of Portuguese exploration? When Vasco de Gama found a new route to India, the Portuguese were able to trade spices and jewels. The explorers also gained new foods like corn and pineapple.