In the early 15th Century, there was an explosion of oceanic voyages through the eastern and western world. The European oceanic voyages were exploratory, looking for new trade routes to the east, as well as gold in the new world. The Chinese voyageswere established to continue the prestige that China experienced in the trading world at the time. While European oceanic voyages led to years of colonialism and oppression in the new world, the Chinese voyages spread the prosperity of China throughout the world. European oceanic voyages of the 15th century had two distinct goals: increasing trade and spreading Christianity. These goals were reflected in the writings of those early voyagers. In a letter to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand for …show more content…
This was mainly done through collecting leaders of various nations, bringing them to China, and allowing them to go through a tribute process. This process would lead to China trading with the country that was paying tribute. As a result of these differing intentions, the Chinese treated those whom they encountered with more respect than the Europeans. This is evident in the journal of Ma Huan, an aid on Zhang He’s expeditions, when he describes Calicut (the same area that was described by Vasco da Gama). He writes, “‘The great country of the Western Ocean’ is precisely this country” (Reilly 574). With observations such as this, the Chinese appreciated the lands that they explored with a respect that the Europeans simply did not have. The immediate outcome of the voyages was an increase in kingdoms that were trading with China. Thus, the long-term impact of Chinese 15th century exploration was decidedly different than that of Europe. They invited kingdoms to become a part of the prospering Chinese economy. As Ding, Shi and Weintrit write in Coordinates, “Zheng He treated countries with a relatively backward economy and culture equally and spread the civilization of the Chinese nation, thus contributing to the cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and foreign countries” (Ding). Rather than colonizing and a oppressing a population, the Chinese brought economic prosperity to the regions that they
The extend of most American’s knowledge of early America is of Columbus’ discovery of America for Europe in 1492 and the landing of the Mayflower in Plymouth in 1620. This was true of A Voyage Long and Strange author, Tony Horwitz. Horwitz felt as if there were pieces missing in his picture of early America and set out on a journey that spanned from Canada to the Dominican Republic. The novel starts out with a prologue of Horwitz talking about his own reasons for wanting to learn more of early America and then is broken into three sections Discovery, Conquest, and Settlement. Each section discusses another period in early American history starting with first contact in Vinland and ending with the landing in Plymouth.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus was a self-made man who worked his way up to being the Captain of a merchant vessel. He gained the support of the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, for an expedition to the Indies. With the support of the Spanish monarchy, he set off to find a new and faster trade route to the Indies. Upon the arrival of his first voyage, Columbus wrote a letter to Luis de Santangel, a “royal official and an early supporter of his venture,” in February 1493 (35). The epistle, letter, entitled “Letter to Luis de Santangel Regarding the First Voyage” was copied and then distributed in Spain before being translated and spread throughout Europe. The Letter is held in such regard with the people as it is considered the first printed description of the new world. Through his description of the nature of the islands, Columbus decided the future fate of the islands. His description of the vast beauty of the nature around him, declares both the economic and nationalistic motivations for colonizing the new world.
One effect of the creation of New Monarchies in Europe from the 16th century until the mid 17th century was the increase in overseas voyages of exploration and conquest. For example, Queen Isabella of Castile used the money she gained from taxing the nobles and confiscating their lands to fund Christopher Columbus’s voyage where he ends up discovering the Americas around the beginning of the 16th century. This expedition was important because it resulted in the exchange of plants, animals, ideas between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres for the first time, known as the Columbian Exchange. Thus, the increase in exploration voyages overseas was one effect of the creation of New
Accompanied by 27,000 men on 62 large and 255 small ships, the Chinese eunuch Zheng He, led 7 naval expeditions to Southeast Asia, Middle East and east coast of Africa in the span of 28 years during the Ming Dynasty. The scale of Zheng He’s fleet was unprecedented in world history. The large treasure ships used during the expeditions were purported to be 440 feet long and 180 feet wide (Dreyer, p. 102). Throughout his travels, Zheng He brought Chinese tea, porcelain and silk products to foreign countries and also brought back exotic goods to the Ming court such as spices, plants and leather. Although his voyages fostered commercial trades and cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, the goal of his expeditions stemmed from the political motivation to maintain the tributary system and his voyages had important political implication of causing Neo-Confucian opposition and suspension of the expedition.
The fifteenth century was a period of mass exploration for many areas of the world. Countries such as Spain, France, and England were beginning to send explorers to the newly discovered western hemisphere for their nations to gain both wealth and territory. Many of the explorers thought it was necessary to subordinate Indian civilizations in order to benefit both themselves and their country. Decisions that the explorers made on the other side of the world proved to introduce great controversy in Europe. Some theologians and historians, such as Ginés Sepúlveda, saw invasions of the New World as a way to introduce civilization and Christianity to “barbarians” that are “incapable of government” (Las Casas 3). However, many religious leaders,
The ocean in medieval times was a thing of great mystery to the ordinary medieval peasant. However to the explorers, the church and the educated the sea was a dangerous place. The ocean began to fascinate people in the time of the early Greeks. The Titans ruled the earth in the beginning, and Oceanus, son of Uranus and Gaea was one of them.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. It was written by Thomas Jefferson with input from other delegates and it stated that “All men are created equal…”. The declaration of Independence was written as an argument for the people claiming that they had the right to do away with King George III’s unfair government and declare independence from it. This event was significant because it guaranteed the governments safety to the people of the United States and it guaranteed that all individuals are treated equal regardless of their skin color, ethnic background, or
During the 15th century, the Chinese had one of the most advanced naval fleets known to man. As a result, China was able to establish many trade routes to places such as Africa, India, Singapore, etc… If the Chinese wanted to, they could have sailed all the way to Europe and even as far as North America. However, the Chinese ran into some political problems that prevented explorations in the future. If they had continued their voyages, it would have been possible for them to have discovered the New World before Columbus. Had China discovered America before Columbus, our world would be different from what it is today.
Age of Explorations was a time of discovery of the new world during the 15th through 17th century. Many Explorers were in search for new passage ways, new trading ports, new land, new spices, and riches. The three explorers discussed in this paper is Henry Hudson, Jacques Cartier, and Francisco Pizarro. Henry Hudson was an explorer whose main purpose was to find a route to Asia from Europe, he had a series of three voyages trying to achieve this. Jacques Cartier was sent to find riches and a route to Asia as well. Francisco Pizarro served on an expedition, which he discovered the Pacific Ocean.
They had no other choice but to look for alternative routes. The first of the journeys associated with the Age of Discovery were conducted by the Portuguese under Prince Henry the Navigator (“Begin Exploring the Age of Exploration with This Handy Overview”). By the 1400s, Portugal is strong enough to expand into North Africa, and they seize the coastal city of Ceuta in 1415. Their victory inspires Prince Henry, later known as Henry the Navigator, to organize voyages along the western coast of Africa (“Age of Exploration Timeline”). Newly formed Spain wanted to quickly catch up to the other European powers so they finance Christopher Columbus ' voyage to find a western trade route to Asia. Columbus lands in the Caribbean in 1492, convinced he has reached East Asia (BBC). His voyage opens the Americas to later European explorers (“Age of Exploration Timeline”). John Cabot sets out on a voyage from England. When he lands on the east coast of North America, he claims the land in the name of King Henry VII, mistakenly believing he is in Asia. (“Age of exploration Timeline”). Soon the French and Dutch join in to explore the new world. With this New World discovered tons of new resources and crops flourish into Europe. For example some of the new crops that were brought back to Europe
In the early part of the 15th century C.E., a massive fleet of Chinese ships went on a series of seven voyages under the direction of Admiral Zheng He (The Ming Dynasty: Exploration to Isolation). For approximately 30 years, China sailed it's ships around Southeast Asia, India, and even East Africa trading exotic goods and reportedly establishing political alliances (Viviano). In addition, many estimate the Chinese flagship as being about 4.5 times larger than a European ship of the time period (Hadingham). These accounts of Zheng He's voyages can be used to argue that China in the early 15th century was the equal or possibly even superior to Europeans in terms of technology, navigation, trade, and it's political scope. Despite these voyages tremendous success, a faction of Confu...
ALBUQUERQUE, AFONSO DEAfonso de Albuquerque (14??-1515) was a Portuguese soldier and explorer who sailed to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas, a group of Islands in Indonesia) in 1507-1511, trying to monopolize trade with this area; from Europe, he sailed around Africa to the Indian Ocean. He was appointed the Viceroy of India by King Emmanuel in 1509. He forcibly destroyed the Indian city of Calicut in January, 1510, and took Goa (in southern India) in March, 1510, claiming Goa for Portugal.
In the book, When China Ruled the Seas, Levathes tells us about seven voyages made by junk armadas during the Chinese emperor Zhu Di's reign. 'Treasure ships' as they were called, were under the command of admiral Zheng He, these ships traded silk, porcelain, and many other fine objects of value. They sailed from India to East Africa, throughout Korea and Japan, and possibly as far as Australia. She believes that China might have been able to create a great colonial realm one hundred years before the Europeans explored and expanded, from China's navy of some three thousand ships.
1. In the fifteenth century, Europeans had taken a liking to Asian goods. A merchant named Marco Polo had found a route to the new Far East, however, due to the new restriction by the countries he was passing through, and the skyrocketing taxes that had to be payed to be passed through them, the trail was unable to be used. The merchants then sought a sea route to get to their precious Asian goods. Sailing down the Atlantic Ocean, and moving past the tip of Africa and back up to land in Asia. A myriad of other routes had been hypothesized and tried. This voyage was very long because of the ships having to doge an entire
In the book, When China Ruled the Seas, Levathes talks about seven voyages made by the Chinese armadas during emperor Zhu Di's reign. Admiral Zheng was in control of many “Treasure ships”. These ships traded silk, porcelain, and many other fine goods. They sailed from India to East Africa, through Korea and Japan, and might have even traveled all the way to Australia. Levathes believes that it could have been very possible for China to have been able to create a great kingdom to rule over one hundred years before the Europeans even explored and expanded, with China's giant navy of about three thousand of these large treasure ships.