The expansion of European influence also resulted in the establishment of global networks of transportation, communication, and exchange. The spread of food crops and domesticated animals led to a dramatic surge in global population.

The search for basic resources and lands suitable for the cultivation of cash crops, the desire to establish new trade routes to Asian markets, and the aspiration to expand the influence of Christianity.

Prince Henry the Navigator, promoted voyages of exploration in west Africa to enter gold trade, discover profitable new trade routes, gain intelligenceabout the extent of muslim power

1488 Bartolomeu dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope and entered the Indian Ocean.

By the mid-fifteenth century Portuguese mariners had developed a strategy called the volta do mar that enabled them to sail from the Canaries to Portugal. Volta do mar took mariners well out of their way, experience soon taught that sailing around contrary winds was much faster, safer, and more reliable than butting up against them.

, win converts to Christianity, and make alliances against the muslims with any Christian rulers he might find.

Their charters granted them the right to buy, sell, build trading posts, and even make war in the companies’ interests.

Christopher Columbus proposed sailing to the markets of Asia by a Western route. Columbus believed that the Eurasian landmass covered 270 degrees of longitude and that

Some topics in this essay:
Henry Navigator, European Asian, Greek Persian, Asia Western, India Company, Portugal Volta, Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus’s, San Salvador, English Dutch, pacific ocean, india company, volta mar, asian markets, western route, east india company, trade routes, east india,