Lecture 2: 09/16/10
Why did Europeans find North America and not Asia, etc.?
In the 1400s, the largest and most powerful country is China – India was also
rich and enterprising
Answer:
- China made the decision not to venture abroad in the 15 century (policy) –
the Chinese had the capacity, but not the will
- India is geographically remote from North America
- Muslim countries were well organized but preoccupied with war (war in the
Balkans, with Egypt, etc.)
o No country has a maritime capacity like Europe
15 century Europe, a continent that has descended after the Roman Empire—
Europe was less advanced in the 1400s as they were a 1000 years earlier
Christendom sprouts in 15 century Europe—it is a concept, not an actual system of
governance
- The notion that there is a society that exists beyond national borders.
Christianity creates a bond between countries; acts as a glue between states;
civil society
At this point in time, European societies were expanding to the north, west and
east. Although Europe was Christianized between the 5 and 10 century, Germany,
France, Italy, Balkans, England were the states that recognized Christianity as their
religion—some European states were not Christian (the Slovaks, the Polish)
- The Christian states began to convert these non-Christian states – subjugate
them even: the Heathens were exterminated, non-Christian lands were
“terra nullins” (belong to no one)
This practice—the colonization of non-Christian states and forced conversion—in
eastern Europe provided Europeans with doctrines and procedures of how to
colonize larger areas.
In Spain, the Christian kingdom was expanding while the Muslim kingdom was
receding—after decades of war, the Spaniards generated a military class (religious
militarism) and when the wars came to an end, the Spaniards were left with a large
group of young men born and trained in warfare (was was their industry)
- The Spanish monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand commissioned an Italian
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