Europeans longed for the luxuries of the Far East, including silks, pepper, and spices, but the Far East trade was dominated by Muslims and Venetians who hauled the goods over land, making them extremely expensive. The Impact of Portuguese Exploration Portugals explorers changed Europeans understanding of the world in several ways. Spain, in particular, produced a number of famous conquistadors who established the presence of the Spanish empire in Mexico, California, and Peru. 2 Why was exploration so important to Spain? The effect of the Thrash's set items were huge. Among these was Toribio Motolinia, whose work, History of the Indians of New Spain, provided a comprehensive description not only of conversion methods, but Aztec religious and cultural practices. Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor), painted by Diego Velzquez in 1656, is one of the best-known paintings in history. AP European History: The Age of Expansion, The Market Economy in 17th Century Europe, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, The Age of Discovery and the Conquistadors, AP European History: Overview of the Renaissance, AP European History: Renaissance Philosophy, Art & Literature, AP European History: Reformation Roots & Teachings, AP European History: The Reformation's Effects Across Europe, The Old World and New World: Why Europeans Sailed to the Americas, Portuguese and Spanish Empires: Growth in the New World & Asia, The Columbian Exchange, Global Trade & Mercantilism, Triangular Trade: Route, System & Role in Slavery, The Commercial Revolution: Economic Impact of Exploration and Colonization on Europe, Spreading Religion in the Age of Exploration, AP European History: The Rise of Monarchical Nation States, AP European History: English History (1450-1700), AP European History: The Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment, AP European History: The French Revolution, AP European History: The Napoleonic Empire, AP European History: 19th Century Revolutionary Movements, AP European History: The First Industrial Revolution, AP European History: Unifications of Nation States in the 19th Century, AP European History: Russia After World War I, AP European History: Integration: Europe after the Soviet Union, Developing and Writing Your AP Exam Essay, History 106: The Civil War and Reconstruction, AP European History: Homework Help Resource, ILTS Social Science - History (246): Test Practice and Study Guide, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, High School US History: Homework Help Resource, High School US History: Tutoring Solution, Roman God Pluto of the Underworld: Facts & Overview, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's Mystical Theology, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community, Recognize the exploration of the Portuguese and Spanish Empires, Identify the African and Brazilian expansion by Portugal, Describe the Spanish conquerors and conquest of South and Central America. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire and took part in explorations of the northern Caribbean coast of South America. They are most beautiful, of a thousand varied forms, accessible, and full of trees of endless varieties, so high that they seem to touch the sky, and I have been told that they never lose their foliage. The Spaniards were not far behind the Portuguese in their exploration and empire building. In 1521, Hernando Corts conquered the Aztecs in Mexico, gaining a territory that was larger than Spain itself. Malintzin translated for Corts in his dealings with Moctezuma and, whether willingly or under pressure, entered into a physical relationship with him. The Spanish also introduced Catholicism into the New World. Portugal, the western-most European country, was one of the primary players in the European Age of Discovery and Exploration. The main driving forces for these pressures include the growing population associated with rapid urbanization and human settlements along the coast, industrial growth, oil exploration, production and export and the associated tanker traffic, fishing, tourism, agriculture, aquaculture and sea water desalination. Cortes formally claimed Mexican land for the Spanish crown in 1519. Missionaries like Motolinia had a legitimate desire to convert the natives and others like him, including the Dominican friar Bartolome de Las Casas, who wrote "A Brief Account of the Destruction of the West Indies" to draw attention to the atrocities committed against the natives by his fellow Spaniards. Finally, they also desired to build an empire and spread Catholicism. Spains acquisitiveness seemingly knew no bounds as groups of its explorers searched for the next trove of instant riches. 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. Portugal explored because they needed spices and jewels and they wanted to conquer lands. Portugal discovered new lands, new sea routes and made better maps of the world. In 1542, de Soto himself died during the expedition. In this context, evaluating mercury contamination in coastal sediments and mercury magnification in marine food webs is crucial for . Q. For them, the dungeon of Elmina was their last sight of their home country. One of the greatest lasting effects of Spanish incursion into Latin America was the . He might have gotten all the way to India if his crew hadn't mutinied. Portuguese explorers were able to discover and conquer new worlds. Only by playing upon the disunity among the diverse groups in the Aztec Empire were the Spanish able to capture the grand city of Tenochtitln. Hoping to salvage Portugals Atlantic holdings, King Joo II began negotiations with Spain. In the 15th century, Spanish ships travelled all around the World carrying plants, animals, people, and goods. The trees, fruits and grasses differ widely from those in Juana. 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. In anticipation of winning his own honor and riches, Corts later explored the Yucatn Peninsula. Spain. Spanish relationships with the natives tended to vary depending on the person. In 1488, Bartholomeu Dias managed to make his way around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. Columbus set sail with three small ships and a crew of eighty . The Spanish monarchs knew that Portuguese mariners had reached the southern tip of Africa and sailed the Indian Ocean. What impact did the Portuguese have on exploration? Any other uses, such as conference presentations, commercial training progams, news web sites or consulting reports, are FORBIDDEN. When this lesson is over, you should be able to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Motivated by curiosity, a desire to expand into new places, a longing to spread Christianity, and especially, a hope to tap into the lucrative Far East trade, Europeans of the 15th and 16th centuries looked outward and began to explore their world. This 1502 map, known as the Cantino World Map, depicts the cartographers interpretation of the world in light of recent discoveries. What was the impact of Vasco de Gamas exploration? Then, when they found Amerindians, they wanted to colonize and convert them, as well as have access to their gold. They established posts in Guinea and Angola and a few island plantations to support their business ventures. This slave trade also came into greater usage when the Portuguese followed the Spanish in setting their sights across the Atlantic, colonizing Brazil in the 1530s. Magellan and Joo Serro were the only Portuguese captains, with Magellan in charge of the largest ship, the Trinidad, and Serro at the helm of the Santiago. Although Europeans continued to trade with the east, especially the seagoing Venetians, the venture was expensive and unsanctioned by the Catholic Church, which forbade Christian trade with Muslim empires. Spanish and Portuguese explorations expanded the understanding of the world and the diversity of its people for future centuries. Spanish fleets returned from the New World with holds full of gold, silver, and precious gemstones while Spanish priests traveled the world to convert and save the souls of the native populations. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 The Americas, Europe, and Africa Before 1492, Creating New Social Orders: Colonial Societies, 15001700, Rule Britannia! 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? He understood why the exploration and hunt of the surrounding was done by the Domain . Even though the empires of Mexico and Peru had already had thriving trade routes, superior technology and biological factors of new diseases to which the Amerindians had no resistance gave Europeans the advantage. 5 What was Portugals role in the age of discovery? Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. 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. All lands to the east of the line would go to Portugal. 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. What are the long lasting effects of Spanish Exploration today? They were far more interested in trade, and before long, they had carried millions of Africans away from their homes as slaves. Portugal got richer because of the Indian trade. However, the reality is far more complex. The Europeans enslaved the Native Americans and took most of them back to Europe. The Spanish brought horses, guns, and other weaponry with them which frightened the Aztecs. In addition to navigation, what purpose would such a map have served? The motives that spur human beings to examine their environment are many. There is honey, and there are many kinds of birds, and a great variety of fruits. (1521) Pizarro took land from the Incas in what is today Peru. European countries started to think about forming empires, spreading Christianity, and ruling the world. Everywhere they traveled, they brought European diseases, which claimed thousands of native lives as well as the lives of the explorers. Rather than leading to the discovery of gold and silver, however, the expedition simply left Coronado bankrupt. The Impact of Portuguese Exploration Portugal's explorers changed Europeans' understanding of the world in several ways. What should we consider when we interpret these documents today? The spread of Christianity to native populations. The Portuguese expanded in wealth and founded the international slave trade, an institution whose ramifications would haunt Atlantic history until the nineteenth century. 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. 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. Vasco de Balboa 1513- goal was to find gold and a new sea. Bartholomew Dias found the Cape of Good Hope, while his successor Vasco de Gama made it to India, where he realized Portuguese dreams of having a direct spice trade link and allowed the Portuguese to dominate the trade. Test and improve your knowledge of The Age of Discovery & Exploration with fun multiple choice exams you can take online with Study.com. Which type of automated bidding strategy is Target CPA? 4 What are the long lasting effects of Spanish Exploration today? Although, this conquest took over 30 years to accomplish. Map of Columbus' first journey to the Americas. Along the way, they discovered plenty of ways to make a profit from their voyages, and pretty soon they were leaders in the gold and slave trades. Probanzas de mritos featured glowing descriptions of lands of plenty. They explored the coasts of Africa and brought back gold and slaves. Spain and Portugal divided the New World by drawing a north-to-south line of demarcation in the Atlantic Ocean, about 100 leagues (555 . The Spanish were also the first in the New World. By this and other means, native people helped shape the conquest of the Americas. . a long period of peace and prosperity for the nations of western Europe. The time was ripe to explore, discover, and expand. 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. What does this letter show us about Spanish objectives in the New World? What was the effect of Spanish and Portuguese exploration? The Spanish monarchs knew that Portuguese mariners had reached the southern tip of Africa and sailed the Indian Ocean. For example, the mariner's astrolabe, which helped to plot location by measuring the altitude of the sun and stars. . 27 chapters | The money flowed freely, but they still hoped to find a way to the East. He spent most of his life in the Americas advocating for the natives. Why was exploration so important to Spain? An exchange of ideas, fueled and financed in part by New World commodities, began to connect European nations and, in turn, to touch the parts of the world that Europeans conquered. 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. [3] Posted on . Cartographers developed new ways of mapping. Spaniards captained the other three ships (San Antonio, Concepcin, and Victoria), and constant Spanish scheming against the Portuguese would have grave consequences for the voyage. 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. Westward Expansion, 1840-1900, Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business, 1870-1900, The Growing Pains of Urbanization, 1870-1900, Leading the Way: The Progressive Movement, 1890-1920, Age of Empire: American Foreign Policy, 1890-1914, The Jazz Age: Redefining the Nation, 1919-1929, Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 5 Pages. Vasco Nez de Balboa marched through Panama to the Pacific ocean; Hernando Corts conquered Mexico; Francisco Pizarro subdued Peru; and Francisco Vsquez de Coronado moved north. After taking Cuba in 1511, the Spanish continued traveling further into the territory with the conquistador, Hernan Cortes, attacking the Aztec Empire in 1519, taking their capital of Tenochtitlan in 1521. Dutch & Spanish Dominance in South & Southeast Asia, The Italian Wars and Weakening of Papal Authority, Protestant Reformation on Germany | History, Effects & Impacts. In 1418, the Portuguese came upon the Madeira Islands and established a colony at Porto Santo. Riches poured in from the colonies, and new ideas poured in from other countries and new lands. Vespuccis widely published accounts of his voyages fueled speculation and intense interest in the New World among Europeans. Which country initiated the era of Atlantic exploration? 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. Gold became the biggest source of income for the Portuguese crown. In 1492, they completed the Reconquista: the centuries-long Christian conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The Portuguese continued to focus on building trade networks and establishing a trading post empire without heavy colonization in direct contrast to the Spanish.