Empires of Mail in West Africa Essay Example

production and a convenient stopover for Indian traders. The growth of slavery accompanied the prosperity of Asian and African kingdoms from 1200 to 1500. The evidence supporting the settlement of Eastern Pacific islands by Polynesian mariners suggests planned expeditions. The rise of medieval Islam significantly boosted trade in the Indian Ocean. The Ming Empire, between 1405 and 1433, attempted to establish new contacts with the Indian Ocean through the dispatch of seven imperial fleets. Zheng He's Chinese treasure ships carried valuable gifts, such as silks and metals, for distant rulers. The Ming court suspended Zheng He's voyages believing that further exploration would yield little gain. In the early Middle Ages, the Vikings were the most skilled mariners in the Atlantic region.

Early Amerindians from South America not only sailed up the Pacific coast but also colonized the West Indies. The maritime revolution that significantly influenced world history was initiated by Portugal and Spain. However, the Indian states did not take the lead in exploring the Atlantic due to various factors. The ships used in the Mediterranean were not suitable for Atlantic exploration, and trading states like Venice and Genoa preferred alliances with the Muslims. None of the given options adequately explains the motivation for Iberian overseas exploration. Prince Henry of Portugal, also called Henry the Navigator, dedicated his life to promoting exploration. The caravel's advantage was that it possessed all of these qualities.

Bartholomew Diaz, the first Portuguese explorer to reach the southern tip of Africa and the Indian Ocean, sailed to new territories. In contrast, Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, had different aspirations. Columbus believed he would reach the West Indies but was mistaken. Interestingly,

Columbus carried a letter from Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand addressed to the Chinese Empire.