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What was the water passage to Asia through the Americas called?

What was the water passage to Asia through the Americas called?

The Northwest Passage is a famed sea route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through a group of sparsely populated Canadian islands known as the Arctic Archipelago.

What was the name of the more direct route to Asia that was searched for but found not to exist?

European explorers searched in vain for the Northwest Passage, a waterway that would allow them to sail through North America to Asia. This would be a shorter, more direct route to Asia. Columbus reaches the Americas for the first time. He first reached a Caribbean Island which he named San Salvador.

Who found a direct route to Asia?

The explorer Christopher Columbus made four trips across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain: in 1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502. He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never did. Instead, he stumbled upon the Americas.

What route did the Portuguese explorers follow to get to Asia?

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama completed the eastern sea route to Asia when he reached India by sailing around Africa in 1498. Another Portuguese explorer, Pedro Cabral, tried to follow Vasco da Gama’s route but swung so wide around Africa he reached Brazil in South America.

Is there a northwest passage to Asia?

Between the end of the 15th century and the 20th century, colonial powers from Europe dispatched explorers in an attempt to discover a commercial sea route north and west around North America. The Northwest Passage represented a new route to the established trading nations of Asia.

Why did Spanish explorers come to the Americas?

Spain’s motives for colonization were threefold: to locate mineral wealth, convert the Indians to Christianity, and counter French and English efforts. The Spanish colonization system was highly successful. First, an armed force subdued the natives and established forts, or presidios, for future protection.

What religious motives did Europeans search for a direct sea route to Asia?

Along with the idea of looking for new trade routes, they also hoped to find new sources of gold, silver, and other valuables. Additionally, Europeans saw exploration as a way to bring Christianity to other cultures that lived in other lands.

Who first made a route across Asia to China?

History of the Silk Route The original Silk Route was established during the Han Dynasty by Zhang Quian, a Chinese official and diplomat. During a diplomatic mission, Quian was captured and detained for 13 years on his first expedition before escaping and pursuing other routes from China to Central Asia.

Where is Vasco da Gama from?

Sines, Portugal
Vasco da Gama/Place of birth

Why did the Portuguese want to find a route to Asia?

Spain and Portugal wanted to find a sea route to Asia because Portugal did not share trade routes with Asia and Europe (no Meditteranean Ports), Spain wanted to Spread Christianity, and both countries wanted to find more trade.

How were the Portuguese explorers trying to reach Asia?

The Portuguese goal of finding a sea route to Asia was finally achieved in a ground-breaking voyage commanded by Vasco da Gama, who reached Calicut in western India in 1498, becoming the first European to reach India. The second voyage to India was dispatched in 1500 under Pedro Álvares Cabral.

Is there a passage through the Arctic?

The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Who was the first European to sail around Africa and land in Asia?

Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama was the first European to sail around Africa and land in Asia (India) during his journey from 1497 to 1499. After da Gama’s journey, European countries with seafaring ships became very powerful.

Who was the first person to travel the Silk Road?

The first explorers and traders to travel the Silk Road were Marco Polo and his brother. The Silk Road was a land route to China. The route went through Armenia, Persia and Afghanistan in the late 1200s.

Why did Europeans want to trade with Asia?

Why Europeans Wanted to Trade with Asia. Europeans knew that trade with Asia would bring great wealth to their countries, but the trade routes were dangerous to travel. One of the main things traders wanted was spices. Europeans valued the spices because they thought the spices could make their food taste better.