We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Contribution to European Expansion

essay
The whole doc is available only for registered users
  • Pages: 2
  • Word count: 495
  • Category: America

A limited time offer! Get a custom sample essay written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed

Order Now

The most important contribution to European expansion was the search for new trade routes. Christopher Columbus in 1492 accidentally stumbled across the Americas on his way to India in search of foreign goods and a new, quicker path to get to them. The Europeans already had trade routes, but each of them had a flaw. Either the route was too long, too costly, or too long. The main countries of their times sent different explorer’s to find new trade routes.

Portuguese Prince Henry (the Navigator) founded an observatory and navigation school on the southern Portuguese coast at Sagres. He basically directed Portguese exploration during his lifetime. After this death exploration was directed by a private “contractor” named Fernao Gomes. Bartholomew Dias reached the Cape of Good Hope at the south end of Africa in 1487 and returned to Portugal with the news. Vasco da Gama reached the Swahili Coast of East Africa on his way to India. He returned to Portugal with spices from India. In 1494, the Spanish and the Portuguese signed a treaty to divide the world in two. The dividing line ran through the Atlantic with Spain gaining lands to the west including all the Americas. Brazil was given to Portugal. The eastern half including Africa and India was given to Portugal as well.

The Spanish country came into great unity after the marriage of Ferdinand of Argon and Isabelle Castile. In 1492 Columbus led three ships from Cadiz in search of a trade route to India instead he found the Bahamas. He had basically discovered a new world. Vasco Nunez de Balboa, sailing for Spain, reached the Pacific Ocean in Panama in 1513, claiming everything touched by the Pacific Ocean for the king. Ferdinand Magellan led a Spanish expedition that sailed around the world. Although Magellan died in the Philippines, a Spanish navigator, Sebastian del Cano, successfully returned to Spain in 1522 with one ship and fifteen sailors. Hernan Cortez and 400 men conquered the Aztec Empire (Mexico). Finally Francisco Pizarro took advantage of a succession crisis in the Inca Empire (Peru) to establish an inland military center at Lima in 1533. The Spanish were more interested in finding and exporting gold back to Spain from south America and Mexico then to make colonies.

In 1497 John Cabot of England sites “new found land” while searching for Northwest Passage. In 1577 Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England. He circumnavigates the world. The first English settlement was founded in 1607 in Virginia and it was called Jamestown. This was the first of the original 13 colonies that England would come to own.

All of these expansions were owed to search for new trade routes and to Christopher Columbus for being the most successful failure of the c 1500. Portugal got Brazil and the eastern lands of Africa and India. Spain received Mexico and South America. Finally England expanded to what is now called the USA.

Related Topics

We can write a custom essay

According to Your Specific Requirements

Order an essay
icon
300+
Materials Daily
icon
100,000+ Subjects
2000+ Topics
icon
Free Plagiarism
Checker
icon
All Materials
are Cataloged Well

Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this website. If you need this or any other sample, we can send it to you via email.

By clicking "SEND", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.
Sorry, but only registered users have full access

How about getting this access
immediately?

Your Answer Is Very Helpful For Us
Thank You A Lot!

logo

Emma Taylor

online

Hi there!
Would you like to get such a paper?
How about getting a customized one?

Can't find What you were Looking for?

Get access to our huge, continuously updated knowledge base

The next update will be in:
14 : 59 : 59