5. GREAT EXPEDITIONS EUROPEAN EXPANSION
1.
Spain and Portugal led great expeditions. Different events permitted an expansion overseas: Trade routes: - In 1453 the Turks conquered Constantinople and traditional routes to teh Orient were blocked. - It was necessary to find alternative routes for the luxury goods, such as silk or spices. 2. Expansion policies: - After the reconquista, Portugal and Spain competed to expand their territorie. - The conquest was focused to the Atlantic Ocean. 3.Technical advances: - Some crucial nautical instruments: 1. Compass: - It has a magnetised needle used to locate North, South, East and West. 2. Rudder: - It is a piece of wood fixed to the back of a boat used for controlling its direction. 3 Astrolabe: - It determines the distance of a celestial body, and calculate time and latitude.