Europeans explored and colonized much of the world between the 1400s and 1700s for reasons such as trade, religion, and glory. They established trading posts and settlements in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This led to immense political, social, and economic changes, including the rise of new empires and the spread of Christianity and European culture. It also involved exploitation such as the Atlantic slave trade and the transfer of wealth from colonies to European powers. By the late 1700s, capitalism had begun to replace the system of mercantilism in guiding international trade.

1. Exploration and Colonization(1400s – 1700s)Created by Ben BindewaldSouthwood Middle School

2. The “Old World”Europe, Africa, and Asia in the Early 1400s

3. TradeTrade -Europeans wanted goods such as spices, silk, and tea from “the Indies” (Southeast Asia)The Silk Road -Ran from Europe to the Indies -Was kept safe by strong Chinese rulers

4. The Silk Road

5. Changes in Trade RoutesNew rulers took over Silk RoadIt became unsafe to travelIncreased taxes made trade very expensiveRise of Ottoman EmpireOttoman rulers became “middle-men” in trade between Europeans and AsiansAsian goods became too expensive for most Europeans to buy

6. Europeans Explore The World

7. Why did Europeans want to explore?To find new trade routes to the IndiesWanted to go around the “middle men” and trade directly with merchants in the Indies to get richFor glory and adventureTo spread their cultureChristian religion and European values

8. Obstacles to ExplorationLack of knowledge and technologyOcean currents and wind patternsSometimes carried ships off courseSailors had to ride with the currents and windsLimited ability to explore far away places

9. Europeans began exploringin the late 1400sSharing of ideasMap-makers, shipbuilders, navigators, and inventors shared information that made exploration possibleEuropeans gained access to maps and sailing information from the Chinese, Greeks, and ArabsDevelopment of new technologyBy the late 1400s, Europeans had the technology needed to begin exploring faraway places

10. Exploration TechnologyCompassA device which helped sailors find direction by using a magnetized needle which always pointed north

11. A device which helped sailors use the position of the stars to figure out their location (latitude)AstrolabeCaravelA fast, lightweight ship which used triangular sails and a rudder for easier navigation at sea and in shallow waters

12. A mixture of chemicals that explodes when litUsed in guns and cannons for: -protection from other Europeans -to dominate trade -to fight against natives -to hunt for foodGunpowder

13. Voyages of Exploration

14. Search for New Trade RoutesPortugal and Spain were the first European nations to search for new water routes to the IndiesPortugal sent explorers East around AfricaSpain sent explorers West across the AtlanticEngland (Great Britain), France, and Netherlands, all began exploring soon afterwards

15. EuropeanColonialism(1500s-1700s)

16. colonialism: a system in which powerful nations rule over the land and people of weaker nations -colony: a land and its people that are controlled by a more powerful nation -colonial power: a nation which has taken control of the government and economy of a weaker nation or territory (a.k.a. mother country)

18. Trading posts along coast – Portugal (other Europeans came later)South Africa – Netherlands (eventually forced out by Great Britain)

19. India – Great Britain (forced other Europeans out)

20. Dutch East Indies (Spice Islands) – Netherlands

21. The Philippines – Spain

22. British Canada, 13 Colonies – Great Britain

23. New Netherlands (NY) – The Netherlands

24. New France, Louisiana, Haiti - France

25. New Spain, Florida, West Indies, Peru – Spain

26. Brazil – Portugal

27. Australia, New Zealand – Great BritainTypes of Coloniestrading post empire: a collection of colonies used to trade items, typically along an established trade routesettler colony: type of colony where people move from their mother countries to create permanent settlements or townsplantation colony: a type of colony in which large areas of land are farmed by enslaved people to grow cash crops

28. Europeans in Asia

30. Europeans Explore AsiaPortugal finds first all water route to Asia in late 1400sPortugal, Spain, France, England, and Netherlands compete for control of tradeTrade RoutesEuropeans set up trading postsIndia and ChinaSilks, tea, porcelainSoutheast AsiaSpices (cloves, cinnamon, pepper)

31. Spread of ReligionsHinduism and BuddhismSpread throughout Asia by 1400sIslamSpread by Muslim merchants and militariesChristianitySpread by European merchants and missionaries throughout AsiaCaused conflict with Chinese and Japanese rulers who believed it was a threat to their cultureLed China and Japan to isolationism, a policy of turning inward and cutting off contact with the outside world

32. Europeans in the Americas

33. European Explorers and ConquerorsChristopher Columbus “discovered” the Americas while looking for a western route to the IndiesOther explorers from Spain, Portugal, England, France, and the Netherlands continued to explore the “New World”European nations later began conquering and colonizing the Americas

34. European Colonies in the Americas

35. Spanish coloniesSouth American ColoniesPlantation farmingMiningWest IndiesPlantation farmingNew Spain and FloridaSettler and Plantation ColoniesMining

36. French coloniesNew FranceTrading Post EmpireFur Trapping and FishingLouisianaTrading Post Empire and Plantation colonyHaitiPlantation Colony

37. English colonies13 ColoniesSouthern ColoniesPlantation ColoniesTobacco, Rice, and Indigo (and Later, Cotton)Northern ColoniesSettler ColoniesFishing and TimberBritish CanadaTrading Post EmpireFur Trapping and Fishing

38. The French and Indian WarEngland defeated France

39. France gave up territory to England and SpainEuropeans spread diseases which killed many Native AmericansEuropean missionaries came to spread Christianity to nativesTreatment of Native AmericansSpanishEnslaved natives and forced them to work on plantations and in minesFrenchLived among nativesLearned native languagesHunted, fished, and traded with nativesEnglishLived peacefully alongside natives at firstAs more English settlers arrived, natives were forced off landEuropeans and Native Americans

40. Europeans in Africa

41. Exploring Africa’s CoastsEarly trade relationshipsBy the 1500s, Europeans had been trading with Africans for gold, salt, and ivory for centuries.Portugal searches for all water route to the IndiesSet up first trading post colonies along coasts of AfricaOther Europeans came laterWere initially uninterested in Africa’s interior

42. African Slave TradeMany African kingdoms had participated in the slave trade for hundreds of yearsBought and sold criminals, debtors, and prisoners of war as slavesEuropean Interest in SlavesAs Native American populations declined, Europeans wanted an inexpensive source of labor for their plantation colonies in the Americas

43. Triangular TradeManufactured goods (tools, guns, rum, and cloth) from Europe to the coast of West AfricaSlaves from Africa to the American coloniesRaw materials (sugar, molasses, tobacco, and cotton) back to Europe

45. “The Middle Passage”“The Middle Passage”- the awful trip made by enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the AmericasAbout 16 million enslaved Africans were brought to the Americas between the 1500s and 1800sSlave traders crammed as many slaves as possible below deckOne in five slaves did not make the journey