Growing Up In The Age Of Exploration

If I were living in Europe during the Age of Exploration I probably would have been very exciting about all the discoveries occurring around me.  Children are always interested in adventure and new things so growing up during that time period would intrigue me and make me want to be an explorer like the role models exploring for and representing the country I currently lived in. 

If the new discoveries influenced me in such a way that I felt like I needed to take part in the adventure, then I would try to set out and do my part to help the explorers the best I could.  Exploring myself as a woman would be difficult but I could still research exploring and educate myself so I could teach men that did want to pursue the dream.  

The Age Of Exploration

            The Age Of Exploration was a time of innovation and discovery.  It lasted from 1418 to 1620 and was filled with risks, races, and daring voyages into unknown territory that brought people all over the world.  The purpose for the start of the Age of Exploration was because people wanted to find alternate sea routes to Asia.  Demands for foreign goods were increasing and Asia had many spices that were highly valued in Europe.  Spices could preserve food longer, added flavor, and could be used to make fragrances.  New knowledge could also be learned from exploring the world and many explorers knew that if it were them who discovered something of value they would acquire fame and wealth.  One final reason for exploring was so people could spread the beliefs of Christianity to all the places they traveled.            

            The first countries to send out explorers were Portugal and Spain.  Portugal started the trend and Spain followed suit.  Soon after those countries began conquering new lands and discovering many things the race for success began.  Countries took part in a silent battle against each other.  After Spain and Portugal, England, France, and the Netherlands followed suit.  All wanted new land and the benefits in which that land came with.

            After the Age of Exploration was well under way, the economy started to change in the European countries.  It became a Capitalist Economy.  This occurred because as merchants began trading a lot, they gained wealth.  As they gained wealth they were able to pay for more voyages and over time, eventually were able to open up trading companies.  As more and more people did this, the merchants got richer and richer and more companies were being opened. 

            The two explorers that I think are the most important are Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci.  They both go together and have very similar historical goal.  Christopher Columbus was the man who discovered the new world, but Amerigo Vespucci was the man who realized that is was a new world.   

Europe Transformed

An artist's depiction of Rome's decline.

Many different things contributed to decline of Rome.  Although historians know Rome fell, no one is one hundred percent certain on the reason why.  In Rome’s prime their empire was seen as the ‘Queen of the Earth”.  They flourished but when they started to slowly spiral downwards the reasons were unclear.  The reasoning for Rome’s decline is to date one of the biggest mysteries of the Roman Empire.  One of the primary theories for the decline is that taxes became to high and prices became unsteady.  When taxes rose people were not able to pay up and residents were thrown in jail or they lost everything.  Emperors tried to fix the destroyed economy by making prices stable.  Merchants were becoming unfair and charging ridiculously high prices for small things due to the difficult times.  A way to fix this was to make a maximum price for each good but these rules were ignored.  Another theory for the decline of Rome was the conversion to Christianity. Historians believe that when Constantine converted to a Christian it created an unstable element in the lives of the Roman people.  When people are uncomfortable things to get done to their highest possible potential.  Epidemics were another possibility that led to the downfall of Rome.  Sickness was able to spread easily because Rome was a highly populated city.  There were also no treatments for diseases and no known way to prevent them.  When the Roman military started failing this was another reason for Rome’s decline.  Without a strong military Rome could not expand, fight, or protect themselves from enemies trying to take their land, people, and resources.  Another opinion is an extremely unique one-that Rome didn’t fall at all.  Instead it merged into the Medieval Times. 

Roman's conversion to Christianity. 

Roman legions.

            The people after the fall of Rome had a difficult time adjusting.  Although they tried to learn from Rome’s mistakes the time after Rome’s decline was gloomy, unsettled, and chaotic.  Small tribes tried to succeed on their own and no one banded together to create a bigger group of people.  Another thing that fell with Rome was the trade.  Since Rome essentially wasn’t there, there was no gathering place for all the traveling merchant…and no big city to trade in.  In the end, after Rome fell, the Dark Ages began.  Many things were lost including religion.  While the church was with Rome it became extremely urbanized so when Rome was lost, the church didn’t know what to do.  

A Merchant...

This astrolabe would have helped a merchant.

Merchants use and used many things that the Muslims discovered in the areas of geography and navigation.  Muslim geographers and scientists helped by calculating the circumference of the earth, dividing the earth into climate zones, accurate maps, atlases, and books of maps.  Travelers would use these for many different purposes at many different times.  A merchant in particular would use these navigation skills frequently because traveling makes up their jobs.  If they can't travel they can't work, make money, and provide for their families.  These navigation techniques were clearly very important then considering they are very important now.  We would be far behind if we didn't have the help of Muslims in navigation and geography. 

A Doctor...

In this picture a doctor tends to a sick man.

A doctor would use many things that Muslims contributed to the world.  Things that the Muslims invented/discovered that a doctor could find useful would be their many hospitals, their medical care systems, ambulances, remedies, and discoveries about surgery and infections.  The Muslims established hospitals in many places-by the tenth century, Baghdad had at least five hospitals.  The government also made sure that there were teaching centers for doctors, patients were separated, and the government paid for everyone's medical expenses.  The Muslims also had caravans that they could drive to sick patients houses.  The remedies they discovered would help doctors everywhere and the learned much information on amputation and the treatment of bacteria in infections.