The Age of Discovery
The "Age of Discovery" from 1450 to 1650 lead to a new age of ocean travel, increased migration, and economic, political, and cultural expansion. First, the outward expansion of Europe began with the Viking voyages, and then the Crusades, but the presence of the Ottoman Turks in the East frightened the Europeans and forced their attention westward. Second, political centralization in Spain, France, and England prepared the way for expansion. Third, the Portuguese, under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator, pushed south from North Africa. B
y 1500 Portugal controlled the flow of gold to Europe and Diaz da Gama and Cabral established trading routes to India. Many economic, political, and cultural ideas can be compared and contrasted towards the overseas expansion during the Age of Discovery and during the Age of New Imperialism. The Age of New Imperialism in the 19th and 20th centuries had many motives towards overseas expansion. Special interest groups favored expansion. The economic motive, the quest for material profit, was the basic reason for European exploration and expansion. Fourth, many technological innovations lead to exploration. The colonies were believed to be crucial for national security, military power, and international prestige. Moreover, many technological innovations lead to exploration such as the machine gun, the use of quinine, the steamship, and the telegraph. They wanted to spread Christianity and their beliefs to foreign countries. The German historian Treitschke claimed that colonies were crucial to show racial superiority and national greatness. Renaissance curiosity caused people to seek out new worlds. Many people believed that colonies were necessary to form great nations. People migrated due to limited economic and political opportunity for upper class men in Spain. The development of the cannon, new sailing and navigational developments, such as the caravel ship, the magnetic compass, and the astrolabe, all supported expansion. Although economic benefits were limited because the new colonies were too poor to buy much.
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