Beginnings of Colonization

Discuss the meaning of colonization

Explain the different motives/aims of colonization

Discuss the effects of colonization on the colonized country and its people

Navigational instruments

The Crusades, a movement to recover the Holy Land from the Turks, helped propagate the riches and culture of the East. Thus, the products which were brought home by many of the Crusaders further elevated the desire of the Europeans for the wealth that could be found in the East.

Crusade

There were also merchants and travelers who have reached Persia, India, China, and Malaysia. One of these travelers was Marco Polo, a Venetian trader who went to China. He wrote a book that contained his observations on the riches and grandeur of China which inspired more Europeans to go to the East.

The continuous trade between the East and West further ignited the desire of the Europeans for oriental goods and products such as silk, jewelry, precious gems, rugs and carpets, and perfumes from the East. But there was one outstanding product that they considered very important—the spices. Spices such as paprika, pepper seeds, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, ginger, and many others not only made their food tastier but also served as good preservatives which prolonged the edibility and freshness of their meat products.

Caravan trade between East and West

Before the Fall of Constantinople, the Europeans have already been trading with the merchants from the East through three trade routes. One route began in northern China that passed through Samarkand and Bukhara in Asia through Constantinople. Another route began in Malacca going to Cairo, Egypt. The last route also began in Malacca and passed through Baghdad and Constantinople, up to Egypt.

Spice trading

After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered the important cities that were used as trade routes. The Venetians gained monopoly of selling products from the East. Since Venice was very far from Spain and Portugal, the two countries were forced to find new routes going to the East.

The Reconquista, a movement to destroy the power of Islam in Spain and Portugal, also played a part in the expeditionary motives of both countries. The two countries continued the aims of the Reconquista and thus conquered more lands to spread Christianity and stop the spread of Islam. The colonization of new lands was considered the best way to strengthen power and control and expand the territories of the colonizing countries. The colonization of the Philippines by Spain was a part of Spanish colonialism. Colonialism refers to a powerful country’s conquest of a weak country. The conquered country becomes a colony of the conqueror wherein the former is forced to follow the policies, sentiments, programs, and even the culture of the colonizer.

Colonialism has several motives. The intention may be economic in nature wherein the colony becomes a source of natural resources and a market for the finished products of the colonizer. It can also be social in a sense that the colonized people follow the social organizations, norms, and values of the colonizers. Politically, the system of government, laws, and judicial process are enforced on the weak country by the powerful country. The spread of Christianity in the Philippines is considered a part of the religious agenda of Spanish colonization.  Whatever the motives of the colonizers, it all boils down to expansion of territories and the thirst for more power. More often than not, the colonized country becomes a victim.

The Search for Spices that led to the Discovery of the Philippines (youtube.com)