4.4 The Age of Explorations and Discoveries

4.4 The Age of Explorations and Discoveries European Exploration Age (15th-16th Century) • Initiated to bypass Ottoman Turkish blockade. • Used old long-distance trade route from Europe to Far East. Exploration and Discovery Factors in 15th and 16th Century Europe • European interest in long-distance trade and new inventions like the compass. • Development of better maps and ships, and growing interest in geographical knowledge. • Support from Prince Henry and Queen Isabella, who sponsored voyages for their economy, religion, and glory. • Spain and Portugal led in exploration and discoveries, followed by Holland, Britain, France, and Russia. Vasco da Gama's Discovery and Christopher Columbus's Exploration • Vasco da Gama discovered a new sea route to India and the Far East in 1498. • Christopher Columbus was the first European explorer to reach America in 1492. • Columbus discovered new lands, known as America, named after Italian mapmaker Amerigo Vespucci. • Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the world between 1519 and 1522, conquering and colonizing the newly discovered lands. Exploration Age's Economic Impact • Europeans profited from local trade networks. • Enhanced globalizing process. • Voyages promoted faster capitalism development post-colonial conquest.