The Role of Europe During the Age of Exploration: Discovering New Worlds

 

The Age of Exploration or the Age of Discovery was possibly one of the most consequential periods in world history. 

Spanning from around the early 15th century through until the 17th century, it was a period when European countries embarked on epic quests over unexplored oceans, searching for new trade routes, wealth, and knowledge. 

What began as an aspiration has been to tap Asia for its spices, silk, and precious commodities quickly became a vast network of discovery, conquest, and colonization that changed the world.

Europe was at the forefront of this era of revolution, and the continent was the force behind global maritime exploration. 

Europe's political agendas, navigational advances, and desire for economic riches not only placed explorers on the waterways but also poised Europe to become the leading power in global affairs for centuries to come.

Why Europe Looked Beyond Its Borders:

Before the Age of Exploration, Europe was fairly isolated in comparison to other sophisticated civilizations, such as China and the Islamic caliphates. 

By the later Middle Ages, however, a variety of circumstances forced Europeans out into open seas.

• Fall of Constantinople (1453): Ottoman conquest of Constantinople cut off much of Europe's overland trade with Asia. Europeans needed alternative access to the lucrative spice markets of India and the Far East.
• Economic Aspiration: Spices, silk, gold, and other luxury products were much sought after. European monarchs realized that control of direct trade routes would enrich their economies and reduce middleman reliance.
• Religious Zeal: Christianity dominated. A number of explorers were motivated to propagate the faith, especially in newly opened lands. The rivalry between Protestant and Catholic powers contributed to religiously motivated expansion.
• Technological Advances: Innovations like the caravel (a general-purpose sailing ship), the magnetic compass, the astrolabe, and improved cartography allowed Europeans to travel long distances in dangerous environments.
• Curiosity and Renaissance Thought: The Renaissance spirit of inquiry encouraged Europeans to question current knowledge and venture forth into new realms.

Portugal: Masters of the Seas

It was the first European power to set the pace for exploration. 

Backed by Prince Henry the Navigator, Portuguese explorers ventured along the coast of West Africa during the early 15th century.

Major Accomplishments:

• Bartolomeu Dias (1488): First to sail around the Cape of Good Hope and prove that there was a sea route to the Indian Ocean.
• Vasco da Gama (1498): Began the first sea voyage to India and established a lucrative spice trade that did not involve the Middle East.
• Pedro Álvares Cabral (1500): Accidentally "discovered" Brazil en route to India.

Portugal constructed trading posts and colonies on the coastlines of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia and established an empire on the grounds of trade and naval domination.

Spain: Masters of the New World

While Portugal was focusing on the African routes, Spain shifted direction to the west. 

It resulted in one of the most famous voyages in human history.

• Christopher Columbus (1492): Supported by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Columbus set sail west across the Atlantic to arrive at the Caribbean islands. While he believed he had found Asia, in fact, he had discovered the Americas.
• Conquistadors and Colonization: Spanish conquistadors and colonizers like Hernán Cortés (who conquered the Aztec Empire of Mexico) and Francisco Pizarro (who defeated the Inca Empire of Peru) extended Spain's dominance across the Americas.
• The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494): Out of a desire to prevent war, Spain and Portugal divided the newly discovered territories along a line in the imagination. The treaty afforded Spain the control of most of the Americas while Portugal toiled with Africa, Asia, and Brazil.

The empire of Spain expanded vast and wealthy with New World gold and silver fueling it. 

This wealth propelled Spain to become a world power of the 16th century.

Other European Powers Join in:

Spain and Portugal dominated the early decades, but other European powers soon entered the Age of Exploration as well.

#1 England:

• Englishman John Cabot (1497) was one of the explorers who reached Newfoundland in search of a passage to Asia.
• By the end of the 16th century, sailors like Sir Francis Drake were famous for circumnavigating the globe and looting Spanish treasure galleons.
• England proceeded to colonize North America, such as Jamestown (1607), and laid the foundation for the British Empire.

#2 France:

• Jacques Cartier traveled up the St. Lawrence River in the 1530s and laid the foundation for French claims to Canada.
• France also sought wealth in the Caribbean, where it established sugar plantations that were crucial to its colonial economy.

#3 The Netherlands:

• The Dutch emerged as major players in world trade, and they set their sights on the East Indies.
• The Dutch East India Company, founded in 1602, became one of the greatest trading companies ever and dominated spice trade routes all over Asia.

Together, these nations made the Age of Exploration a genuine world contest of influence, wealth, and power.

Impacts of European Exploration:

The Age of Exploration was not just about going on an extended journey it had a significant impact on the world and Europe.

#1 Economic Transformation:

• The influx of gold and silver from the Americas enriched European states, propelling capitalism and the modern global economy.
• New trade routes established exotic goods spices, chocolate, tobacco, and sugar affecting diets and lifestyle.

#2 Cultural Exchange (The Columbian Exchange):

• The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of flora, fauna, disease, and culture between the Old World (Europe, Africa, Asia) and the New World (the Americas).
• Europe was supplied with such crops as maize, potatoes, and tomatoes, which were incorporated into European diets. Europeans introduced wheat, horses, and cattle to the Americas in return.
• Disease like smallpox decimated indigenous peoples, bringing about huge population shifts.

#3 Colonialism and Empire:

• European powers established colonies all over the Americas, Africa, and Asia. European colonies were resources of raw materials, wealth, and geopolitical influence.
• The exploitation of native populations and resources had typically disastrous consequences.

#4 The Slave Trade:

• The demand for labor to work on American plantations led to the transatlantic slave trade, in which millions of Africans were kidnapped and sold into slavery.
• This period in darkness left deep-scars on the societies of the Americas and Africa.

#5 Scientific and Geographic Knowledge:

• The process of exploration extended the boundaries of human understanding. Maps became more accurate, and new scientific evidence was put forward regarding plants, animals, and geography.
• The voyages also spurred shipbuilding, navigation, and astronomical advancements.

Europe's Indelible Mark on the Age of Exploration:

Europe's role in the Age of Exploration left a permanent mark on world history:

• Political Hegemony: European nations constructed empires that transformed global politics, subordinating other regions of the world for a period of many centuries.
• Economic Dominance: The wealth generated provided the foundation for Europe's Industrial Revolution and its rise to become the center of the world economy.
• Cultural Exchange: The blending of cultures, languages, and traditions created the world we live in today as interdependent.
• Globalization: Age of Exploration was the beginning of globalization, uniting continents through trade, migrations, and communications.

Ultimately:

The Age of Exploration was the time when Europe first entered the world stage as the impelling force for change. 

Spurred on by riches, religion, and curiosity, European explorers charted new territories, discovered new routes for trade, and established colonies that forever altered the direction of world history.

While the Age of Exploration brought progress in science, technology, and cultural exchange, it also gave birth to exploitation, colonization, and suffering among native populations and enslaved Africans. 

Europe's contribution to this age is therefore both commended and faulted, then, as it represents the duality of human ambition capable of experiencing discovery and destruction.