3.0 Introduction

The Renaissance aroused a spirit of adventure as well as a great deal of curiosity among the Europeans. After Constantinople was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Europeans had to depend upon the Italian merchants for securing oriental goods. Venice was a great commercial empire lying between Europe and the East, in the 14th and 15th centuries. The ports of the eastern Mediterranean received spices from the Indies, silk from China, gems and fine cotton goods from India, pearls from the Persian Gulf, ivory and emeralds from the east coast of Africa, and also fine steel weapons from the forges of Damascus and other Muslim cities. Venice then bartered in exchange, products from Europe such as hides, furs, woolen clothes and copper. To carry out this exchange, Venice sent out great trading fleets, which passed through the straits of Gibraltar stopped at ports on the west European coast and ended in the lowlands. Though the Europeans, like the Portuguese, envied the Venetian monopoly of trade, they were forced to depend upon Venice for commodities such as spices.

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Index

3.0 Introduction
3.1 Importance of Geographical
Discoveries
3.2 Causes of Geographical Discoveries
3.3 Early Travelers to the Far East
3.4 Important Geographical Discoveries
3.5 The Consequences of the Discoveries
3.6 Dates & Events
3.7 Points to Remember

Chapter 4