Significant Motive For Early European Explorations

The significant motive for early European explorations across the Atlantic was the dream of enormous riches. Initially, Portuguese and Spanish explorers and merchants were interested in exploiting lands in Africa search of silver and gold. In order to this they had to develop new vessel technology to take them there. This started a chain of happy accidents that would later help Atlantic Europe discover and conquer the new world. As more exploration was done, the Spanish were able to locate material goods and silver in the Americas and on Caribbean islands. Soon the British got involved and started to colonize different regions in the new world, which also then lead to other great benefits for Europe. While they originally hoped to find a sea
Previously they were unable to venture out because there ships were incapable of facing winds and only allowed travel in one direction. However, through extensive research done by Prince Henrique, mainly in Asia, they were able to copy more efficient boat and sailing techniques (“Europe on the eve of global expansion” slide 12). More commonly, their ships were based off of the ones originally created by the Chinese fleets. They also used Arabian navigation tools to make traveling more accurate and efficient. With the design of triangular sails the Portuguese were finally able to make trips down the coast and back. They then were able to capture and take over the Canary Islands, including Madeira, later turning it into sugar plantations (Lecture, December 3). Slave trade then began as more workers were needed in order to fill the demand of sugar as it increased. Plantations were also the caused that brought other Europeans to travel to the New
During this period of colonization they discovered cotton, which fibers appeared to be stronger than ones from India (“Globalization” slide 29). Farmers soon started growing this cotton and sending back to England. England soon improved their technology for spinning cloth and fibers, and no longer needed to purchase it from India (“Globalization” slide 41). This also stimulated more engagement within the slave trade. Trading groups and organizations would typically accept cloths as payment for slaves, and now that England had the power to make them, trading drastically increased. Additional to cotton, other crops such as corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squashes, and chilies were discovered ("1491: Rewriting the History Before Columbus” 2013). These crops would later become essentials in the diets of millions of Europeans, Africans, and Asians. This became the Columbian Exchange was a long term benefit that improved the diet of the people of Europe (Lecture, December 3). With the introduction of potatoes and corn, people in Europe lived longer, less died in child birth, and fewer children died of early childhood infections. The end result was a marked increase in the European