FATE, FORTUNE, AND FAITH
The Rise of Capitalism
- originally lending money was considered breaking church law… land considered only true form of wealth. That changed with the wealthy banking families- The Medicis of Florence, and the Fuggers of Augsberg.
- the idea of using money to make money emerged. Capitalism: labour, capital & raw materials came to dominate trade. Capitalists searched for raw materials rather than simply trading goods.
Searching for Wealth
- European came to desire spices, herbs and other material from the East, places such as India. This became difficult with the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453… Ottomans looked to control & regulate trade… caused West to search elsewhere for goods.
Geography
- Exploration spread… especially when wind systems if the Atlantic were discovered. Favourable sailing conditions in the Atlantic made it easier for Euro exploration than the countries that faced the rougher Pacific like Japan.
Technological Developments
- inventions such as the astrolabe and the quadrant allowed sailors to venture into the sea. Mapmaking improved. Also, Portuguese developed Caravel a new type of sailing ship powered exclusively by wind… made huge strides in ability to travel.
The Search for Souls
- religion also motivated exploration. With split of Christendom after Luther’s 1517 95 Theses, and the threat of Islam to the East… explorers looked to expand their religious beliefs. Many colonies also became places for people such as Mennonites and Puritans to practice their religion free from persecution.
Discoveries
- Portuguese and Spanish led the way discovering the Americas, the route to the Pacific and circumnavigating the globe.
The Trial of Columbus
- Columbus settled in what is now Haiti and Dominican Republic… despite sailing genius failed as a governor. Tried to spread Euro ideals and religion. He was sent back to Spain in chains to be put on trial… he was eventually exonerated. See James Michener’s novel Caribbean for more of the investigation into Columbus
The Clash of Empires
- As Europeans explored they faced many existing cultures. Euro life would be changed forever with these interactions, yet their thirst for power & wealth led to clashes in all parts of the world.
The Ottoman Empire
- pinnacle of power under Suleiman I in 1520s & 1530s. Euro were able to surpass Ottomans…

-The driving force behind European expansion was a hunger for new markets and sources of raw materials to feed the emerging capitalist economy.
- After the fall of the Roman Empire, few people traveled more than 50 km… Medieval Europe was self-sufficient for the most part.
- With the launch of the First Crusade in 1906, Europeans began a venture that would lead them to the four corners of the earth… The Crusades may have failed to recapture the Holy Land but they led to an insatiable demand for goods from the Middle & Far East. Thus, exploration multiplied.

UNIT 1: The World Re-Invented Legacy: West & the World
Chapter Three- Contact & Conflict, 1450-1700

	CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE Europe Abroad - influence was spread throughout the world during this time period. Also a two way street… info and cultures came back to Europe as well. Euro-American Societies New Foods - p.121 The Rise of Colonial Empires - see Map on Pg. 122