The Age Of Exploration

Why did the Europeans explore so prolifically between the 14-16 centuries? The ‘Age of Exploration’ is the period between the 14th-16th century and is known for the European exploration into different parts of the world. The Age of Exploration is the period when European countries ventured into unknown territories to find spice routes, to set up trade routes with the East, to find new wealth in the form of gold and silver, and to spread Christianity. Many factors, mostly technological advances, made it easier for countries to explore beyond the European Continent at this time. The world was first ruled by the Portuguese and the Spanish. The western half of the world( France, Ireland, Belgium, Canada etc) was controlled by Spain whereas the

People weren’t forced to go and explore, they went by their own free will. They wanted to be famous, they wanted to be rich. If it wasn’t for their spirit, everyone would think it’s far too risky and dangerous and no one would ever go out to the sea. The Renaissance people were also curious to learn new things. It was the attitude in people who changed. Secondly,

Constantinople was the capital city of the Roman and the Ottoman empires. The Ottoman Turks captured the Constantinople and blocked the silk roads and took the goods. People needed spices as spices enhanced and preserved food (which was very important to be able to take long sea journeys). Spices were more expensive than gold at that time and were only grown in the Far East. Therefore, some men set off, on expeditions to discover spice routes. It took months and many sailors died of a deadly disease, scurvy as there was a lack of Vitamin C. Thirdly,

Some adventurous men were drawn to the seas out of a curiosity to discover more about the world. One such man was Vasco da Gama who was a Portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East. Another explorer, Marco Polo discovered an ancient trading route in China, where rich jewels, spices and silks could be found. He noticed many things he had never seen before. For example, the Chinese used printed paper notes as money and Marco Polo had always used coins before

Advancements in ships affected exploration massively. When ships were improved, people could sail farther, faster and safer. Better ships like that made traveling the world easier. So explorers could go and explore new lands that Europeans had never seen. Along with ships, new navigational tools also helped sailors to travel more safely in the open seas. By the end of the 15th century, the compass improved a lot. Sailors used compasses to find their bearing, or direction of travel. The Printing press helped spread scientific discoveries and it was faster than writing by hand. The Cartography of maps improved and became more accurate as the sailors explored and found the flaws in the old maps. Better maps helped explorers by making navigation