The Early Modern Period, c. 1450 to c. 1750: Content Summary 4.1: Causes and Consequences of Iberian Maritime Exploration and Colonialism

As a result, western European demand for both Asian trade goods and the African gold to pay for these goods increased significantly. (4.1.A)

Portuguese monarchs were the first to sponsor exploration in the early 15th century, and they established colonies on Atlantic islands, such as Cape Verde, and trading posts along the African coast. (4.1.A)

Portuguese monarchs were the first to sponsor exploration in the early 15th century, and they established colonies on Atlantic islands, such as Cape Verde, and trading posts along the African coast. (4.1.A)

Outside of Portugal, fragmented Iberian states were gradually unifying into what would become the Kingdom of Spain. (4.1.A)

As Spanish monarchs consolidated power, they began surpassing Portuguese investment in maritime exploration. (4.1.A)

As Spanish monarchs consolidated power, they began surpassing Portuguese investment in maritime exploration. (4.1.A)

Sugar, produced on Atlantic island plantations that imported enslaved Africans, made some Iberian colonies quite profitable. (4.1.A)

Sugar, produced on Atlantic island plantations that imported enslaved Africans, made some Iberian colonies quite profitable. (4.1.A)

Starting in the late postclassical era, a variety of Asian and Muslim maritime technologies spread to Europe. These included the compass, rudder, lateen sail, and astrolabe. (4.1.B)

As a result, Europeans began to improve shipbuilding by combining these innovations with local advances in metal refining and woodworking. (4.1.B)

As a result, Europeans began to improve shipbuilding by combining these innovations with local advances in metal refining and woodworking. (4.1.B)

The Portuguese were the first to utilize these technologies and apply Arabian geographic knowledge to explore the West African coast starting in the mid-1400s. (4.1.B)

Knowledge of currents helped Iberian expeditions reach both the Caribbean and South Asia in the 1490s and helped them circumnavigate the globe by 1522. (4.1.B)

Knowledge of currents helped Iberian expeditions reach both the Caribbean and South Asia in the 1490s and helped them circumnavigate the globe by 1522. (4.1.B)

After the initial voyages of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish established settlements and encomiendas in the Caribbean. (4.1.C)

After the initial voyages of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish established settlements and encomiendas in the Caribbean. (4.1.C)

The devastating spread of European diseases and the superiority of Spanish weapons aided Spain’s conquest of these empires. (4.1.C)

The devastating spread of European diseases and the superiority of Spanish weapons aided Spain’s conquest of these empires. (4.1.C)

The profits yielded from Spanish silver mines in Mexico and the Andes Mountains, as well as the cultural legacy of the Reconquista, inspired further colonial expansion in the Americas. (4.1.C)

Unlike in eastern South America, sophisticated, powerful states such as the Kingdom of Kongo, the Tokugawa Shogunate, and the Mughal and Ming dynasties limited Portuguese settlement to coastal ports established only with the permission of local rulers. (4.1.C)