*Henry the Navigator, 1420-60
*Columbus, 1492-3
*Vasco da Gama, 1498-9
Compass (Chinese)
*Astrolabe (Greek/Muslim)
*Caravel (East African/Muslim)
Rudder (Chinese)
Cannon (Chinese)
Trading-post Empires
*Conquistadors ("conquerors")
*Aztecs (Mexico), 1519
Hernan Cortes (1485-1547)
New Spain
Incas (S. America), 1532-
Francisco Pizarro (ca. 1478-1541)
1. What were the motives of Spain and Portugal to send explorers to Africa, Asia and the Americas?
2. What means (technologies) made this possible?
3. Why were Western Europeans able to conquer the Aztecs, but only established trading posts in most of Africa and Asia?
1. How were the Aztec and Inca empires created and governed? What were their weaknesses?
2. What are the major reasons why small numbers of Spanish conquistadors were able to conquer the two empires?
1. What was the impact of the Portuguese on Indian Ocean trade in the 16th century?
2. Why was there no conquest of Asia or Africa?
1. Why was Columbus luckier than he was smart?
1. What were the Spanish motives to conquer the Aztecs?
2. According to the passage, why did the Spanish win the war against the Aztecs?
3. Is the author, Bernardino de Sahagun, a reliable informant about these events?