Learning to Discover the World
On March 4th, 1394, Henry the Navigator was born into Portuguese royalty. Henry, the third son of King John I and Phillipa of Lancaster grew up in the royal family and was well educated (Britannica). Inspired by astrological literature and military campaigns, Henry hoped to one day send quests for gold, new land, and trade. At the time the Silk Road hardly supplied enough goods, and Henry hoped marine trade would assist Portugal. However, while Henry wanted to find and colonise new lands, few others dared to travel. Nevertheless, Henry was a sponsor and advocate of trips along the West African coast and to smaller islands. He also built a school to educate others on necessary navigation skills. Henry’s accomplishments
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First, Henry helped to sponsor voyages in hopes he could convert others to christianity, find new land to conquer, and improve trade. Thus he proved that sea travel was possible and encouraged others travel, despite their fear of the unknown. Through spending his wealth on travel, Henry helped others to seek adventure. His trips were an opportunity for glory and gold, enforcing renaissance ideals like individualism and worldly pleasures. Henry also helped to found the School of Navigation, which taught explores how to navigate the oceans and create maps. These skills were essential to the growth of sea travel, allowing people to travel farther than before. Finally, by seeking trade in West Africa, Henry proved that voyages were a profitable investment, and inspired others to make trips to Africa. Soon after his death, other countries prospered from slave trade by seeking efficient trade routes. Slave trade quickly lead other explorers to embarking on journeys out of greed. Overall, Henry galvanized others to discover the world either for god, trade, resources, or glory. Through attempting to fulfill Portugal’s potential, Henry the Navigator taught people to look beyond land for new ideas, and began a new Age of
Dom Henrique of Portugal is also known as Henry the Navigator. Prince Henry was involved with the expansion of Portuguese rule in the Pacific Islands. His main reasons for his voyages were to explore Africa, expand trade, and expand Christianity. This is important because Prince Henry’s goals and achievements are what inspired Vasco de Gama's discovery of a way to India and Christopher Columbus’s voyage to America[ "Prince Henry the Navigator." Prestage, Edgar. (accessed February 17, 2014). http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07239a.htm ]. He is one of the main reasons that Christianity has spread so far to foreign lands and has influenced different cultures.
Toward the end of pre-colonial times in Europe, due to the fall of Constantinople, many European nations felt the need to find an alternate route to the East Indies. The trade of rare goods such as spices, rice, exotic fruits and silk fabrics were much in demand, but came at extreme prices. In the beginning of the ‘Age of Exploration’, Portugal was in the forefront with the early explorers Henry the Navigator, Zarco and Tristao Vaz Teixeira, and Diogo Silves discovering the Madeira Islands, the Azores, and the exploration of Africa respectively, but King John the II of Portugal was unconvinced by Christopher Columbus’s pleas to fund his plan to sail West to the East Indies. Columbus made many demands for self-profit, including ten percent of any riches with which he returned, and even an ‘Admiralty’. Subsequently, Columbus took his plans to Queen Isabella of Spain. Spain acquiesced, and Columbus set off on his fateful journey. The Roman Catholic Church was very interested in expanding the Christian faith during this time and applied its influence on the monarchy. Religion also played a large personal role as Columbus truly believed that God spoke to him, and guided his hand. Additionally, at this time in Europe, land and food were at a premium. The monarchs of the era were fully aware that the acquisition of more land, slave labor and possible natural resources would greatly increase their power, prestige and subsequent wealth. After learning of Columbus’ successful return and the Treaty of Tordesillas (which divided the New World between Spain and Portugal), King Henry VII of England threw his hat into the ring and sent John Cabot sailing from Bristol on an attempt to find a shorter route to the ‘Indies’. Not to be left out in ...
Christopher Columbus one of the most famous explorers with an extraordinary legacy was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. He was an Italian explorer and navigator and is very well known for his four voyages and his “discovery” of the New World. Columbus began sailing when he was just a teenager in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. Later, he moved to Lisbon, Portugal and then Spain where he spent the rest of his life. Columbus’ purpose was to find a passage to Asia by sailing West, but during his voyage he ended up in the Caribbeans and South America. Columbus propose was turned down by King John of Portugal and the rulers of England and France. After several years of being declined, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella funded Columbus’ voyage due
The Age of Exploration brought many unforeseen changes to the people of Africa. On a path seeking gold, glory, and God, many explorers reached new parts of Africa. Explorers were seeking a more direct route to Asia and believed they must travel through Africa to reach these Asian lands. Namely, Portugal was interested in this under the direction of Prince Henry. There, he believed they could capture the riches of Muslim trade and convert the natives to Christianity. King Henry died before the route to Asia could be accomplished but he laid the groundwork for later exploration and encounters with Africa. During the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, Europeans desire to find Asia greatly impacted the lives of native Africans through the slave
During the European exploration, which was in the 15th and 16th century, explorers were sailing around to explore, trade, spread, or get new things. These places were throughout Europe (Spain, Portugal, etc.), America (The colonies), and through Asia. These explorers were sailing through the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. These explorations started from Portugal with Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama and this time of exploration spread to different countries and other explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortez and more. All this exploration was all done with new sailing innovations and navigation schools (which was created by Prince Henry) which taught people to explore and sail across the sea. Some major points of European exploration were the discovery of the new world (America), which was a new place never explored by the Europeans. The exploration of the coastlines of the Indian Ocean and the China Sea, as well as explorers trying to find new and faster sea routes to different places, which was also important. European exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries was motivated by God (spreading Christianity), gold (wealth), and glory (becoming glorious for your country
King Henry VIII is considerable the most controversial monarch Great Britain has ever had. He is commonly known for his ill-advised decisions, six wives, and splitting Great Britain from the Catholic Church to create the Church of England. King Henry VIII of England’s determination to guarantee his family line’s continuation in the throne caused many problems, such as religious tensions, economic hardships, and political adversaries that continued one long after his death.
It is thought by many that Christopher Columbus was a skilled sailor on a mission of greed. Many think that he in fact did it all for the money, honor and the status that comes with an explorer, but this is not the case entirely. Columbus was an adventurer and was enthused by the thrill of the quest of the unknown. “Columbus had a firm religious faith and a scientific curiosity, a zest for life, the felling for beauty and the striving for novelty that we associate with the advancement of learning”. He had heard of the legendary Atlantic voyages and sailors reports of land to the west of Madeira and the Azores. He believed that Japan was about 4,800 km to the west of Portugal. In 1484, Columbus wanted support for an exploratory voyage from King John II of Portugal, but he was refused. In 1485, Columbus took his son Diego and went to Spain to get some help.
Christopher Columbus was a renaissance explorer in 1492. he was sent by queen Isabelle and king Ferdinand of Spain to look for a trade route to east Asia
Christopher Columbus had two main motives for trying to find a sea route around the world to Asia. Columbus’ first reason was that he wanted the fame. He believed that the earth was round and according to his theory, the earth was only 18,000 miles in circumference (Symcox, 9). He believed that it would be faster to sail around the world to Asia than sailing around Africa. He wanted to be the first person credited for sailing around the earth to Asia. Columbus also wanted to make a name for his family. The second reason Columbus wanted to sail around the world was simple. He wanted to make money. Columbus’ want for fame and fortune drove him to create a sea route to Asia.
Columbus was a very good speaker and very persuasive. He convinced the King and Queen of Spain to fund his expedition to “Asia” and he told about all the gold and spices that would be discovered there and how they would be wealthy.# Columbus told them his famous terms which stated that he would receive no less than one-tenth of all the wealth that would arrive from Asia through the new route, and not only wealth he had made on his expedition but for all the wealth made from all future expeditions.# Columbus did not want this to be limited to himself, but after he died the profits would continue on to his heir. He also wanted to have receive titles such of “viceroy” and “admiral of the ocean sea”. # This shows his amount of greed and how much he wanted to be known as someone with high power.
Henry VIII was born on June 28, 1491 at Greenwich Palace. His Parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, were very loving and proud parents, even though they didn’t see much of their children. Henry was their second son. He was styled as the “Duke of York”. He had his own servants, Court Jesters, and to top it off he had is own whipping boy that would receive whippings whenever Henry did something bad.
“Three explorers from the Age of Exploration” 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.
Another great navigator from Portugal was Henry the navigator, he was the prince of Portugal who began to establish an observatory and also a school of navigation, and he also directed many long voyages that ignited the growth of Portugal’s colonial empire.
Exploration was economically, politically, and religiously motivated. All explorers had an objective before embarking on their voyages; however, not all explorers went about their expeditions the same. Christopher Columbus described in his journal how his main goal was to aid himself and Spain by treating the Natives and their lands that he encountered as a means to profitable goods. Samuel de Champlain had contrasting ideas, and he allied himself with certain tribes giving the French additional control. Champlain’s friendliness, concern, and cooperation with the natives took him past the economic dealings and into a more trustworthy relationship.
In 1497, King Manuel I chose da Gama to lead a voyage, and this was the first time someone had attempted to sail from India to Portugal by sea (history.com). King Manuel I wanted to establish trading alliances, but also wished to label himself as the King of Jerusalem (biography.com) . There were four ships, including the São Gabriel, captained by Vasco da Gama and Pedro de Alenquer. Also, da Gama’s brother led the São Raphael. In addition to those two ships, there was a supply ship and the Berrio (history.com).