Conquest and Exploration

2. Causes of the Age of Exploration - an
historical turning point
Crusaders brought back silk, spices, sugar and other items from the east
and increased the desire for the luxury and trade goods.
In 1275 the Venetian Marco Polo made an historic trip to the court of
Kublai Khan in China and returned with silk, spices, gold, silver, ivory,
jade, porcelain, and other trade goods.
As population in Europe grew and became more urbanized, demand for
certain trade goods like salt from Africa and silk and spices from East
Asia increased to satisfy people’s basic needs and wants. The desire for
these goods and the subsequent high prices that they commanded in a
market economy generated new interest in expanding trade monopolies.
In Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand married to unite two kingdoms of
Aragon and Castille. The Moors were defeated at Granada and the
Spanish crown had “extra” money to invest in exploration. In 1492,
Isabella paid for the voyages of Christopher Columbus (Cristóbol Colón)
who claimed land in the Americas for Spain.

3. Christopher Columbus
1492 - Columbus landed in the Americas - Christopher
Columbus, in a quest for a water route to the East
Indies and riches for Spain, landed on the Caribbean
Island of San Salvador in the Bahamas, claiming that
land and much of the Americas for Spain. His
discoveries led the way for Spanish domination of life in
Mexico, Central America, much of South America and
the southwest United States for the next 300 years.

4. Three Primary Reasons for
Exploration
Economic = Gold
• The Spanish found vast amounts of gold and silver in the valley of Mexico and in
their South American conquests – this income fueled the Spanish economy in
Europe and contributed to the rise of Spanish political power in the 16th
and 17th
centuries.
Social = God
• The spread of the Roman Catholic Church to the Americas still has significant
impact today. The majority of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean islands,
and South America are still Catholic. The spread of Spanish language was part of
the social impact of the conquest and still dominates the region.
Political = Glory
• Through the acquisition of a colonial empire in the Americas, Spain’s influence
dominated European politics for 200 years.