Francis Fu
Mr. Smith
September 28, 2014

AP European History
The Age of Exploration

Throughout history and time, there has been many changes and revisions. With every fail comes a new success and a new solution to a new problem. During a time period called the
Renaissance, people’s ideas have changed and they are looking towards new frontiers, this, sparked the age of discovery and exploration. Today, we will be examining two major changes which occurred in two different regions of the world as a result of the Age of Exploration. One major change was the discovery of a new land across the Atlantic Ocean. This new frontier was later named America, this new “colony” had its fair share of problems but overall, became a financial success and a world super power. When the settlers came to the new land, their was maize for the most part but the Europeans came and brought their food along, this led America to create their own diverse agricultural needs. With the need of more farming, the new land needed more of a work force, and the Triangular trade started. This created a huge impact on our world today. Meanwhile, In other parts of the world Asia was also impacted by the age of exploration in which Europeans brought christianity over to Asia. Along with a new belief system doors started to open in China and trade amongst other nations started to flourish the once “closed off” country. THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

!1

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, he was the man that kickstarted the whole
Exploration thing and before long, in 1607, Jamestown was founded by the Virginia Company as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Jamestown was quite a mess throughout its settlement but through that, it came out with something beautiful. However, during the development of the new settlement, a problem arose that would get the entire world high, this was tobacco a plant that is highly addictive. Europe already has thousands of tobacco
“houses” but as a business venture, they decided the new settlement could get some money out of producing tobacco and they did, however, this damaged the land around them because the new settlers did not know exactly how to get the most out of their new land, therefore, the tobacco sucked up all the water and nutrients which led many settlers to death. Tobacco also caused feuds between Indians and the new settlers. The Indians never liked the “Tassantassas” but Europe just kept sending more people to Jamestown via ship. Because there is an increase of citizens in a new place with unfamiliar settings, the body could not accustom to these situations easily, therefore, new problems emerge.

With the coming of many new settlers a new problem is looming and it will eventually kill off the entire work-force. This silent killer is mosquitos. Mosquitos carry malaria which is highly transmissive and contagious. The more people that Europe sends over, the more deaths there are. Eventually the settlers decided that they need a work force that is cheap and could deal with the mosquitos. The answer lies across the Atlantic Ocean in Africa. The people over there are already immune to many of the disease that both the settlers of Jamestown and the Indians were susceptible to. This in turn, started the Triangular trade. From the English Colonies,

THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

!2

carrying raw materials such as sugar, cotton, and tobacco to Europe. Europe would then bring manufactured goods to Africa, in which the Africans would then bring slaves to the colonies and the Caribbean Islands. Then the trade would start all over again. Slavery did spread, not only in the American settlements but over the entire world.

In Asia, exploration also did an impact. One instance would be the spread of religion, specifically, Christianity. When the Europeans were trying to get everyone on the same religion, they sent out other preachers to go spread the word of god. In China, the only people they allow were Priests and