Portuguese mariners navigated an eastward route to Africa, establishing a foundation for a
trading empire Colonized the western coast of Africa and eventually the eastern coast of South America o Merchants used these outposts as debarkation points for subsequent journeys Trading posts in China and Japan as well Although a huge landmass was not established, these colonies were strategic holdings which gave them unrivaled nautical trade routes and a global empire of trading posts o This introduced them to African slave trade; exporting African slaves along with African ivory and gold o Portuguese islands become home to sugar plantations; operated by African labor to produce highly profitable commodity for Euro consumers Spanish exploration and conquest Established first Euro settlements in the Americas, beginning in the Caribbean, and by 1600 extending throughout Central and South America o Most famous of these explorers are Christopher Columbus, Hernan Cortes, and Francisco Pizarro The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1469 unified Catholic Spain, and began a process of building a nation competing for world power Interested in regaining catholic power within the Iberian Peninsula; done so in 1492, completion of the Reconquista o Afterwards leading to expanding their power Goal to expand Catholicism to gain a commercial advantage over Portugal o Ferdinand and Isabella sponsored extensive Atlantic exploration o Sponsorship of Columbus; they understood the Portuguese would soon reach Asia, in a competitive race to reach the Far East Columbus landed in the Bahamas, believing he landed in the East Indies; called the native Tainos the term “Indios” – termed as “Indian” Columbus’ 1493 letter, the probanza de merito (proof of merit), described his “disvoery” of a New World; reports and letters written by Spaniards in the New World to the Spanish crown, designed to win royal patronage o Historians try to understand the context and the culture in which was written by conquistadors o Useful in illustrating the expectation of wealth among the explorers, as well as their views of the native peoples in which they would not pose an obstacle to colonization o Columbus believed that the Americas were part of Asia An Italian, Amerigo Vespucci, sailing for the Portuguese crown, explored the South American coastline; unlike Columbus, he realized the Americas were not part of Asia King Joao II began negotiations with Spain, resulting in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 drawing a north-to-south line through South America – Portugal acquiring territory to the East, and West to Spain Columbus’ discovery opened a floodgate of Spanish exploration o Hernan Cortes hoped to gain hereditary privilege for his family, in tribute payments and labor from natives; he arrived in 1504 on Hispaniola o Cortes entered the capital of the Aztec (Mexica) Empire in 1519, where he was astonished by the sophisticated causeways, gardens and temples of the city; however, freighted by their sacrificial practice in their religion o What fascinated Cortes was the Aztecs wealth in gold Cortes o Took hostage of the people of Mactezuma o People of Tenochtitlan revolted against interlopers in their city, driving Cortes to the shore o Cortes formed alliances slowly with natives, whom were against the Aztec o The Spanish brought smallpox into the valley of Mexico, paying a heavy toll on the people in Tenochtitlan; this played a huge role in the city’s demise o Malintzin is a controversial figure in history because she maintained a physical relationship with him, and helped him conquer the Aztecs; without her Cortes would not have been able to communicate with the Aztecs Francisco Pizarro o Went to the Caribbean in 1509, in hopes of receiving wealth and titles o Pizarro founded Lima, Peru; like Cortes he not only combated natives, but competitors as well Hernando de Soto o Explored the Southeastern Americas in search of gold o Brought himself and the natives disease; he died in his expedition o To no avail, gold was not found The Spanish Golden Age Gold and silver from the Americas fueled the golden age Led to the Spaniard renaissance-like era
Religious Upheavals in the Developing Atlantic World
Until the 1500s, the Catholic Church provided a unifying religious structure o Not only controlled learning and scholarship, but also finances; taxes were levied on the faithful Martin Luther in 1517 and John Calvin in the 1530 brought the reform efforts o Catholic dominance came under attack as the Protestant Reformation Martin Luther German Catholic monk who took issue with the Catholic Church’s practice selling indulgences (documents that absolved sinners of their errant behavior) Objected to the Catholic Church’s taxation of ordinary Germans and the delivery of the Mass in Latin Europeans called for reforms o the Catholic Church before Luther He compiled a list of what he viewed as needed Church reforms; this was known as The Ninety- Five Theses Instead of making reform while being part of the Catholic Church, instead it triggered a movement called the Protestant Reformation that divided the Church John Calvin French lawyer that advocated making the Bible accessible to ordinary people Fled Catholic France and led the reformation movement Calvinism emphasized human powerlessness before an omniscient God and stressed the idea of predestination (the belief that God selected a few chosen people for salvation while everyone else was predestined to damnation) Protestantism in England Luther’s idea that scripture should be available in everyday language of worshippers inspired English scholar William Tyndale to translate the Bible into English in 1526 King Henry VIII established a Protestant state religion o Due to his desire to have a boy with Catherine; however, this did not occur, so he sought an annulment to their marriage, but the Pope refused o This led to him creating the national Protestant church; this allowed him to annul his own marriage – then marrying Anne Boleyn o Anne Boleyn and Henry did not have a male heir, and Henry accused her with adultery, sentencing her to death o Jane Seymour had a son, Edward, whom ruled for a short time o Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and his discarded first wife Catherine, then came to the throne, committed to restoring Catholicism; nicknamed “Bloody Mary” – many execution of Protestants o Queen Elizabeth brought power back to the Church of England, establishing it as the state church, retaining the hierarchical structure Some English members began to agitate for more reform; known as Puritans, they worked to erase all vestiges of Catholicism from the Church of England o Became an increasing state pressure to conform o Many crossed the Atlantic in the 1620s and 1630s instead to create a New England, a haven for reformed Protestantism