The well known Christopher Columbus was not the only explorer from the Iberian Peninsula who shaped the world today. Vasco Da Gama, a less popular explorer, actually had a large impact and array of accomplishments. He set off for India in 1497, following his passion to explore and be the first to reach Calicut. Gama was placed on the Saõ Gabriel by King Manuel to find spices and open up a sea route to India. Gama was inspired to explore because of the Renaissance in Europe.
After news and information of Columbus’s expedition spread across Europe faster than ever with Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, colonists saw several benefits of settling in the newly-discovered land and European exploration began to skyrocket. In 1493, European colonization of the New World quickly became the single goal of several countries, including Spain, France, and England. European Colonists finally acquired the necessary resources to explore the New World and decided to take action around 1497. According to Eric Foner’s Give Me Liberty, Countries in Europe competed with each other in order to be regarded as the most superior and wealthiest nation along with having a high amount of national glory. (Eric Foner, ed., Give Me Liberty, 51).
Christopher Columbus reached the North America accidentally while trying to reach India in 1942, which is one of the most significant discoveries in the Age of Discovery. Columbus’ discovery both increase the competition with the Portuguese and with other European countries. After the Portuguese and the Spanish, other countries like England, France, and Netherlands also joined the Age of Discovery. To speak of the impact of the Age of Discovery, there are basically two sides, one is on Europe, and the other is on the new world. Agriculturally, Europe and the New World had similar mutual influence by the other, because they both introduced new plants from each
Throughout the sixteenth century different factors such as economy, society and religion had varying effects on the government policies of the Spaniards before and after the colonization of the Americas. Government policy in the New World was wholly reformed due to the Spanish attitudes in relation to the lands and people they conquered. As the Spaniards established control over the Americas, labour policies were adjusted as to better exploit newly conquered lands and people. Since the Spanish thirsted for gold, they soon discovered many foreign resources that quickly became popular in the western hemisphere. These newly discovered resources caused Spanish trade and commerce to flourish.
Aside from economic gain, european powers were inspired to colonize overseas empires due to unrelentling ambition. The more territories a country conquered, the more glory and power were awarded. Although the conquering of overseas empires brought about political and economic advantages, colonies were often exposed to inhumane treatment and discrimination. Colonization among the European powers created a legacy of evil and egotism as many colonies suffered from the burden of European
Ultimately having the support of the crown worked in his favor to exploit the land and its people. Columbus’ discovery of this new land led to the Columbian Exchange where animals, plants, and humans were “products” of the New World and transported to the Old World. Another product he came across was gold something he seems to leave out of this document. The way Columbus took advantage of the native people was brutal not only by enslaving them but by colonialism which essentially is a takeover. They killed mass amounts of people to achieve that.
The East Indies Company became very profitable for the Dutch Republic during the seventeenth century. In the early years of the running of the East Indies Company the primary goal was to control the spice trade with Europe, and to acquire Portugal’s trading network. The company had great success with combining force and trading skills, and they became the chief supplier of spices to Europe within half a
The Age of Exploration was a great change in the history of world during 15th-18th century. European explorers went on voyages of discovery in search of different routes for getting riches. Once the New World was discovered, the exploration brought many new things to Europe and from other places of the world to the New World. Three causes for the Age of Exploration were Glory, God, and Gold and the effects of the European exploration were the European dominance of the world, the spread of religion and the Columbian Exchange, which introduced many new products and at the same time brought diseases. One cause for the Age of Exploration was Glory.
The East India Company’s interest in Indian trade promoted their desire to colonize different economically advanced regions of India. India and other regions of southwestern Asia were originally under control of the Mughal Empire, and by the early 1600’s the empire had developed military dominance, wealth, and an abundance of Indian artisans. The empire’s artisans were yearned for all over the world for their ability to produce large amounts of high quality products. Anything the British produced was overshadowed by the Mughal empire’s artisans and this fact sparked Britain’s interest in Indian trade. In the early 17th century, members belonging to the East India Company traveled for the first time to the Mughal Court to negotiate trading relations with the empire (Major).
Although Columbus thought he had reached Asia, he had actually discovered North America and it upheld it for Spain then colonized North America. Many people were glad by the opportunity for new knowledge. Explorers saw the chance to earn wealth. As well new lands were discovered, nations wanted to claim the lands for themselves. ARGUMENT 1: THE EXPLORATION OF RELIGION Christianity was important to the Europeans culture during the Age of Exploration.