Written by Hailey Carcia
The article, “Exploration Fever”, explains why the Europeans of the 15th century risked their lives to explore the unventured seas of the west. The need for a sea route, European curiosity, and the escape from poverty fueled the Europeans to set sail.
The Europeans were desperate for a sea route, for the Silk Road was swarming with bandits and thieves, and the Europeans couldn’t cross to get to the Indies after the Turks took control of the route. The only way to get to these goods was to buy them at extremely high prices from the Turks. For this reason, the Europeans looked for an alternative: A sea route.
Heaven was the only hope the Europeans of the dark ages had in their short, brutish lives, and following God’s will promised access to heaven in the afterlife. However, as new ideas began emerging, people became more curious of the natural world and spent less time fearing God. Not long after, the Europeans became aware that the happiness and improvements in their lives were brought by their own hard work and dedication, not by the decision of God. “New perspectives on what could be learned about the natural world played an important part in stimulating the desire to explore new lands” (Exploration Fever page 3).
In addition, escaping poverty lead many Europeans to consider exploration life. As the population multiplied due to an agricultural revolution, land became scarce, and in the end, it was the aristocracy who owned the land and caught the best jobs. Chances for a good life in Europe grew thin, and exploration had many opportunities for a better living and a more preferable life, which is why many families turned to exploration across the seas.
The thirst for a sea route, curiosity, and the escape from poverty nourished the spread of Exploration Fever. The desire for the exotic goods derived from the Indies was enough to drive the Europeans to sea, and so was their new found curiosity of the natural world and the opportunity to start over and build a better life. If it hadn’t been for these catalysts, our history may have been drastically different, and the Europeans may have never stumbled upon America and the Native Americans at all.
Hailey Carcia is a 16-year old Indian writer from London. They love to co-author with their friends and participate in NaNoWriMo every November!
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