European Exploration

In the late 1500’s strong Western European powers began to look for alternative ways to China. Many countries wanted in on the success of Italy since it was located on the Mediterranean it got nearly all of China’s export. This is why Italy flourished so much during the renaissance.

So many countries started sending ships out to secure trade routes for themselves. At the forefront of this were Portugal and Spain. They made vast improvements to ocean vessels and started sailing and navigating academies. At first they tried to find a way to China by sailing around Africa. They colonized much of West Africa and set up trade there but they found that China was too far away it you went around Africa.

A merchant by the name of Christopher Columbus asked for a grant of money from Queen Isabella to explore to the Western part of the Atlantic. At the time a trip out at sea was practically suicide. The current exploration was all done along coastline. Columbus did manage to get three ships together filled with food for the long journey ahead. The voyage was very rough. Columbus was faced with dwindling food supplies and threat of mutiny. Eventually the ships ran into land on a Caribbean Island. After reaching the island Columbus and his crew started exploring the area and discovered Hispaniola.

On his return Columbus was welcomed back and rewarded greatly by the queen. After the discovered land Spain quickly sent ships to conquer the new world. By the 1600’s only 100 years after Columbus’s discovery Spain controlled much of central and South America and held one of the greatest empires of all.

Other countries such as England and France sought a way to China through the fabled North West Passage. This route was said to lead directly to China. These two countries sent out many expeditions to find it but none were successful. However the attempts to find this passage led to the colonization from France and England in North America.