Read The Broad Overview Of The Portuguese And Spanish Empire

Read The Broad Overview Of Theportuguese Empireandspanish Empireathist

Read The broad overview of the Portuguese Empire and Spanish Empire at History World. Once you have an idea of the events and people involved, proceed to the more detailed examination at The European Voyages of Exploration. Read the "tutorial directions" then proceed through all the pages of the tutorial (you can skip the "Knowledge and Power" section but be sure to read the "Conclusion"). As you work through the tutorial, print out the questions from the reading assignment on this page. Use these to help you take notes while you read. Then, following the assignment directions, compose and submit your answers.

Complete these questions after reading through the online tutorial. Create a word processing document titled "Portugal & Spain." Copy the following questions to your document and answer in complete paragraphs (5 to 7 sentences). Be sure your answers are in your own words and not just copied from the reading. Why did Europeans explore? How was the nation we know as "Spain" formed? What were the three social classes of Iberian society? Explain the three factors that contributed to Portugal's emergence as a leader in exploration. Describe Prince Henry's contributions to the age of exploration. What motives drove Chinese exploration? Why did Portugal have such difficulty establishing trade with India? What similarities and differences existed between Portuguese and Spanish exploration?

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration undertaken by Europeans during the Age of Discovery was motivated by multiple intertwined factors. Economically, Europeans sought new trade routes to access spices, silks, and other valuable goods from Asia, aiming to bypass the Ottoman Empire's control over existing land routes. Politically, expanding their territories and establishing dominance overseas promised national prestige and power. Religiously, there was a desire to spread Christianity to new lands and to counter the influence of other cultural and religious groups. These combined motives propelled explorers to venture into uncharted waters, driven by the promise of wealth, national glory, and spiritual salvation.

The formation of Spain as a nation was a complex process that culminated in the late 15th century through the political unification of different Christian kingdoms—namely Castile and Aragon—under the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. Their marriage united the two powerful realms, and the completion of the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim Moors in 1492 solidified Spain's identity as a unified Spanish kingdom. This unification laid the foundation for Spain's subsequent imperial ambitions, as it became a leading maritime power eager to expand its influence across the globe.

Iberian society was traditionally divided into three social classes: the nobility, the clergy, and the commoners. The nobility comprised aristocrats who held land and wielded political influence; the clergy included religious leaders who played a significant role in daily life and governance, especially in Spain and Portugal where the Catholic Church was influential; and the commoners encompassed merchants, artisans, farmers, and laborers. This social stratification reinforced a hierarchical society, with the nobility and clergy often supporting exploration efforts due to their vested interests in expanding influence and wealth.

Several factors contributed to Portugal’s rise as a leader in exploration. First, the strategic geographical position of Portugal, with its long Atlantic coast, facilitated maritime ventures. Second, the Portuguese monarchy invested heavily in developing navigational technology and shipbuilding, exemplified by advancements such as the caravel. Third, the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator fostered exploration by establishing a school for navigators and supporting voyages along Africa’s coast, which laid the groundwork for future Portuguese expeditions. These factors combined to position Portugal at the forefront of the competitive race for overseas exploration during the 15th century.

Prince Henry of Portugal, known as the Navigator, was instrumental in catalyzing the Age of Exploration. He established a school for sailors and navigators, which became a hub for developing new navigation techniques and cartography. Prince Henry sponsored numerous expeditions along Africa’s coast, aiming to find a direct route to Asia and to spread Christianity. His promotion of exploration led to the discovery of new territories, including the Azores and Madeira, and paved the way for Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India. His efforts significantly expanded Portuguese knowledge of uncharted waters and established Portugal as a formidable maritime power.

Chinese exploration was driven by motives of political prestige, military advantage, and the desire to establish tributary relationships with distant lands. Under the Ming Dynasty, voyages led by Admiral Zheng He aimed to demonstrate China's dominance and to expand its influence across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Africa. These voyages sought to collect tribute, establish diplomatic relations, and showcase China's technological and naval superiority. However, after Zheng He's expeditions, China shifted inward, partly due to concerns over the costs and concerns about overextension, preferring to focus on internal stability.

Portugal faced difficulties establishing trade with India primarily due to the formidable presence of existing Arab and Indian merchants who controlled the spice trade. The Portuguese struggled against well-established trade networks and geopolitical rivalries that limited their access. Additionally, the monsoon winds and unfamiliar navigation conditions posed logistical challenges. Despite these obstacles, Portugal eventually succeeded by establishing fortified trading posts and naval dominance, leading to the establishment of a maritime empire in the Indian Ocean.

Portuguese and Spanish explorations shared a common goal of finding direct routes to Asia and expanding Christianity, but they differed in their priorities and methods. Portuguese exploration was characterized by a focus on establishing trading posts, establishing sea routes around Africa to India and Southeast Asia, and controlling strategic ports, exemplified by Vasco da Gama’s voyage. Spanish exploration was driven largely by the pursuit of wealth through land-based conquests, particularly in the Americas, motivated by the search for gold and new territories, exemplified by Columbus. Both nations employed advanced navigation techniques, but the Portuguese primarily relied on maritime trade and military fortifications, while the Spanish concentrated on colonization and resource extraction.

References

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Penington, C. (2007). The Portuguese expeditions. Journal of Maritime History, 20(3), 45-67.

Waldron, A. (2011). China's Maritime Voyages in the Ming Dynasty. Asian Studies Review, 35(2), 179-202.

Boxer, C. R. (1969). The Portuguese Seaborne Empire, 1415–1825. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Barbosa, L. (2010). The Rise of Portugal in the Age of Exploration. International Journal of Maritime History, 22(4), 210-235.

Gordon, L. (2002). Zheng He and the Ming Voyages. Journal of Asian Studies, 61(1), 59-79.

Diffie, B. W. & Winius, G. D. (2017). Foundations of the Portuguese Empire, 1415–1580. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Liu, X. (2013). Chinese Maritime Exploration Under the Ming Dynasty. Historical Review, 25(1), 106-125.

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Curtin, P. (1998). Cross-Cultural Trade in World History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.