why was there exploration?

• Elizabethans were led to explore due to:

  • expanding trade
  • new technology
  • maps
  • ship design
  • private investment
  • adventure
  • Triangular Trade
• expanding trade:

  • trade expanded quickly in New World
  • English merchants needed new trading opportunities, as war with Spain and Netherlands damaged wool and cloth trade
  • new markets and products were needed to sell
• new technology:

  • navigation becoming more precise
  • new developments like quadrants and astrolabes made voyages direct and faster
  • led to more exploration and trade
• maps:

  • improved navigation led to more accurate maps
  • e.g Mercator Map of 1569
  • gave sailors more confidence they were going in right direction
  • reduced risk and encourgaed further voyages
  • printing allowed maps to become more widespread and consistent
  • used to be hand drawn
• ship design:

  • galleons were designed
  • allowed more supplies to be carried in trade
  • more stable
  • encouraged longer voyages and exploration
  • faster and more manoeuvrable due to sails
  • had greater firepower to protect against pirates
• private investment:

  • Eliazbeth and courtiers funded voyages of discovery
  • rewards could be enormous
  • increased income of Crown and nobility
• adventure:

  • young Elizabethan men took voyages of discovery and exploration
  • published accounts of these voyages encouraged others to explore
  • based on belief that treasures and riches could be found and fortunes made
• Triangular Trade:

  • English merchants first began to exploit slave trade
  • hundreds of Africans shipped to New World
  • made fortunes for British
  • John Hawkins sold slaves to Spanish colonists in 1562
  • bought ginger, sugar and pearls with money
  • made large profit
  • repeated journey in 1564
  • helped to lay foundations of Triangular Trade