Age of Exploration: Maritime Voyages and Discoveries
The Age of Exploration
Maritime Voyages
The fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453 disrupted the Silk Road, prompting Europeans to seek alternative routes to India. This led to a surge in maritime expeditions during the 15th century, aided by advancements in navigation such as the astrolabe, portolan maps, the compass, and the development of the caravel.
Portuguese Expeditions
- African Route: The Portuguese sought to reach India by sailing around Africa. Bartholomew Diaz rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1488.
- Voyage to India: Vasco da Gama’s expedition reached the coast of India in 1498, opening the route to the Spice Islands (Moluccas).
Columbus’s Voyages
The Proposal
Columbus’s plan was based on the correct assumption of Earth’s sphericity, but also on two major misconceptions:
- He underestimated the size of the Eurasian continent and overestimated the westward distance to Asia.
- He used an inaccurate measurement of the Earth’s circumference, significantly underestimating its true size.
Columbus presented his project to King John II of Portugal, who rejected it after consultation with experts. Undeterred, Columbus sought support from the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella. After initial rejection, they eventually agreed to fund his voyage after the conclusion of the Granada War in 1492.
The Voyages
- First Voyage (1492): Columbus sailed from Huelva with the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria, reaching Guanahani (San Salvador) in the Bahamas. He also explored other islands in the Caribbean, including Cuba and Hispaniola (where he established a settlement).
- Second Voyage (1493-1496): Columbus explored the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, and further explored Cuba and Hispaniola.
- Third Voyage (1498-1500): Columbus reached the mainland coast of South America (near the Orinoco River) and discovered Trinidad and Cubagua.
- Fourth Voyage (1502): Columbus explored the coast of Central America from Honduras to Panama.
Columbus died in 1504, still believing he had reached Asia. Amerigo Vespucci is credited with recognizing the discovered lands as a new continent.
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)
This treaty, mediated by the Pope, divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands.
Magellan’s Voyage (1519-1522)
Ferdinand Magellan led an expedition that circumnavigated the globe, proving its round shape. Magellan died in the Philippines, but Juan Sebastián Elcano completed the voyage.
Pre-Columbian Civilizations
- Aztec: An empire located in Mexico, their economy was based on agriculture. They are known for their pyramids.
- Maya: Located in the Yucatán Peninsula, they lived in city-states and their economy was based on agriculture. They built temples and palaces.
- Inca: An empire located in the Andes Mountains, their economy was based on agriculture and livestock. They built fortresses.
Discovery of the Pacific
Vasco Núñez de Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean.