Age of Exploration
The Age of Exploration was a vast time in progression into the modern world. The Age of Exploration during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries was, affected by religion, economical change, political motivation and technological advances throughout Europe. Religious attempts and missions to convert native peoples to Christianity proved to be a motive for the spread of the Church. Economical advances opened Europe to the rest of the world, bringing large amounts of luxury and strategic resources (gold, silver, spices) into the European countries. This caused change within European markets, a inflationary cycle began, and a grand increase in prices. The political aspects of the Age of Exploration expressed power through the new monarchies to the rest of Europe. Glory and gold became desires of European leaders, to expand the empire. Advances in technology was a key to success in colonizing South America, Africa, North America, and Asia. Advances in sailing, navigation and trade lead to much success for the seafaring nations of Europe.
The Church used conversion of natives as one motive to explore unknown areas of the world. One of the three G’s (God, Gold and Glory) the spread of God became a partial justification and a major part of the exploration of the French, Spanish and Portuguese. In 1455, Pope Nicholas V granted the Portuguese all lands south of Cape Bojadar, also allowing the reduction of savages (or enemies of Christ) to slavery. Then in 1493 Pope Alexander VI drew an imaginary line called the Line of Demarcation, giving Portugal lands to the east and Spain to the west. The Catholic Jesuits saw the new colonies as a proving ground for religious commitment and to torture all who resist. Yet although conversion took place, many natives were nearly wiped out due to foreign diseases, massacres, and slavery, mainly by the Spanish. The efforts to convert in the name of God lead to the creation of Spanish and French missions by the...