European Exploration

• The motives for Columbus’ voyages can be explained using the 4 Gs: God, Goods, Gold and Glory.
• In the fifteenth century, all of Europe was Christian except for small parts in the south east and south west which were held by people of the Muslim faith.
• The Muslims controlled a large portion of the Old World from Africa in the west all the way around to western Asia.
• There was much rivalry between these two religions to see who could gain the most converts and the Muslims were leading which angered the Christians.
• The Christians in Europe were eager to discover new lands where they hoped to find heathens that they could convert to Christianity and increase the membership of their religion as the Muslims had done in the East.
• Many merchants in Europe had more than a religious reason for hating the Muslims.
• The Arab lands formed a barrier between Europe and the East, for example, India.
• The Europeans needed a direct route by sea (transoceanic) that they controlled to avoid high taxes and dangerous conditions.
• The Europeans also hoped to find gold and other precious minerals on the other side of the world.
• Whoever discovered this new trade route by sea would be richly rewarded by the King and Queen and would go down in history forever.
• Europe was divided into a number of kingdoms whose rulers were absolute monarchs.
• The compass, astrolabe and quadrants were developed to assist sailors by providing information regarding the direction and position of the ships when sailing.
• New types of ships such as the caravels and the caravans were introduced in the 15th century, making it possible to venture further out at sea.
• The development of gunpowder meant that more people would be willing to go on long sea voyages since they could better defend themselves.
• A new theory that the world was round and not flat emerged, and men such as Columbus believed they could reach the EAST by sailing WEST across the Atlantic.
• Maps were made more accurate as they included territories in the east.
• Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal founded a navigation school in 1419 which trained European sailors.