Conquest of the Oceans: Where, How and Why?

Document A Document B Document C Document D Document E

-China - Portugal's Prince - Spain & Columbus – Portugal & Da – Spain & Magellan
Henry Gama
The Order (A) The Chinese Emperor The Portuguese King Spanish Portuguese King Spanish King
monarchs/royalty

The Reasons (B) Trade, exploration of To pay for the To discover a new Exploration, after Magellan proposed
unknown lands. To expensive luxuries route to Asia by realizing that the an idea to sail to the
create bonds and imported from Asia, travelling in the Eastern end of the Moluccas through
convince the and to support trade opposing direction Atlantic was not in the waters of the
“barbarians” from in West Africa, and usually taken. fact landlocked, and southernmost bit of
the foreign lands of protect their to try and discover a South America. To try
the merit of Chinese monopoly over West better route, by sea, and circumnavigate
culture. African trade. to India. Conquering the world before any
new territories and other nations could.
gaining a monopoly
over Indian trade by
crushing the Muslim
groups in the area.
Financing (C) The emperor’s The King’s grant for a Spanish royal The trip was largely The King paid for 75%
coffers and natural 20 percent share in funding, Columbus’ financed with the of the expedition,
resources. all profits from contract w/ the confiscated property largely by borrowing
voyages to West Crown gave him 1/10 of the Moors and from German
Africa, income from of all merchandise Jews expelled by the bankers, a Flemish
sugar plantations. bought or found. King at the time. commercial firm
supplied the rest of
the funds
Resources (D) 100 auxiliary ships, “gentlemen of his 3 ships 50-100 tons 23 ships, 10 5 ships, 120-60 tons
w/ treasure ships household” courier and 50-60 feet long. belonging to the each, with 270 men,
weighing around 150 ships averaging 50 King, and 13 from all a mix of different
tons 1000s of men tons and only merchant investors.
 including high-level, needing 25 men to ethnicities and
specialized workers, sail. cultures
valuable trade items
Attitudes (E) Zheng He believed Portuguese historian, Columbus’ view was To instill ”proper” Pigafetta, the writer
that Chinese culture Azuarara, Prince very Eurocentric, the values and establish of the journal,
was superior to that Henry and his crew belief that anyone a solid monopoly in believed that the
of the foreign seemed to believe not following his the country, it was conversion of those
nations’, but didn’t that it was in belief system is necessary to use in foreign lands is a
actively want to everyone’s best wrong. This whole force against the major goal, and was
pursue assimilation, interest to be “new” continent is “uncivilized”. Any eurocentric. There
others might not converted. Glory and one that should be atrocities committed were a lot of
have wanted to profit are worthy to colonized were for the greater different people on
continue the voyages be fought over. They immediately and good and by the will the ships, so
considering the costs believed that their used for its abundant of God. perspectives must
and enormous need culture is the only natural resources. He have varied, however
for resources. right one. viewed the “Indians” we only have one,
as inferior and poor, and Pigafetta
without gold. believed that though
there were
difficulties
encountered by the
ship and its crew, it
would be worth it if
for the sake of
progress and new
exploration.

Trade (F) A giraffe and A written account of Columbus brought Da Gama’s profits 50 tons of spices
“wonderful precious the journey from back some and the established were left on the ship
things” as well as the Azurara, indigenous people, Portuguese with the 18 survivors,
physical stone tablet commissioned by his but they didn’t monopoly in some and the personal
that Zheng He had King, as well as gold, survive for very long. Indian territories. account left in
ordered to be made traded resources i.e. Coastal trade ports, Pigafetta’s journal.
 as a record of the spices, slaves and Gold from Cuba and and the Indian
journey ivory. a settlement. Trade exports.
items from the
“Indians” as well as
his written account.
Problems (G) “Savage waves” War and conflicts The trip took a very Attempted mutiny by Magellan’s death,
suggests storms and with those of foreign long time, and De Gama’s crew, and rough seas, difficult
rough waters, and lands, difficult because there was no conflict with the navigation, disease,
the mention of navigation land in sight, residents in the area storms, length of
“brigands” who tried navigation was travel.
to plunder their difficult.
ships.
Benefits (H) The exploration of Exploration of other New knowledge New trade routes, The discovery of this
other lands helped lands helped about the discovery and more chances for new route didn’t
the cartographers establish other trade of a new continent, profits, settlements, initially have any
involved learn more routes and expand as well as new trade and new resources. benefits. But when
about the world, and on their knowledge routes and new, Spanish traders and
the valuable trade of the world and its different resources explorers finally were
goods benefit the geography as well as and gold. More able to use the route
people’s knowledge develop new access to new Magallen and his
of foreign powers. techniques. resources. crew discovered, it
helped with
establishing new
trade routes and
faster travelling to
Asia.