5.3.5

= Europe Through the 18th Century= Throughout history there has bin different types of exploration. The European sailors of the 1400's began a dramatic new period of exploration.

Trade
The most valued items were Spices, used to preserve food, add flavor to meat, and make medicines and perfumes. The source of the spices was the Moluccas, its a chain of islands in Indonesia Witch is called the spice islands.In the 1400's, Arabs and Italians merchants controlled the most trade between Asia and Europe. Muslim Traders brought prized goods to eastern Mediterranean ports,and italian traders carried them to European markets. Europeans outside Italy knew that it would be more profitable to gain direct access to Asia. The were also driven by Renaissance Curiosity to seek new lands.

Exploring New Lands
Prince Henry Led the way in sponsoring Exploration for Portugal. Henry saw good promise in africa.He thought Africa would be a place to make some fast money. Henry also tried to find a easier way to reach Asia. Portuguese Helped with this sense he had to go around africa to get to Asia. Henry never got to see the end of is voyage he died in 1460. The Portuguese continued their guest.

The African Slave Trade
Portuguese Trades quickly joined the profitable slave trade, they were followed by European traders. In the 1500's and 1600's Europeans began to view slaves as the most important item of african trade. Most of the money mad by Europeans were because they were buying and selling slaves frequently. over the next 300 years the slave trade grew into a huge and profitable business to fill the need for cheap labor.

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