Unit II: Contact: Europe and America Meet, 1492-1673

Question/Problem 1:What were the geographic, economic, technological, personal, and political factors between the Crusades and 1492 that coused the Europeans to explore?

The following quotation is Samuel de Champlain's description of the characteristics of a "good and perfect navigator."

Above all to be a good man, fearing God, not allowing His sacred name to be blasphemed on board his ship, ...and careful to have prayers said morning and evening....He had better not be a delicate eater or drinker, otherwise he will be frequently upset by changes of climate and food....Be continually on his guard against scurv y, and be provided with remedies against it. He should be robust and alert, have good sea±legs and be indefatigable ...so that whatever accident may befall he can keep the deck and in a strong voice order everyone to do his duty. He must not be above le nding a hand to the work himself, to make the seamen more prompt in their attention....

He should be pleasant and affable in conversation, absolute in his commands, not too ready to talk with shipmates, except the officers; otherwise he might be despised. He should punish ill-doers severely, and reward good men, gratifying them from ti me to time with a pat on the back, praising them but not overdoing it, so as to give no occasion for envy --that gangrene which corrupts the body and if not promptly quenched leads to faction and conspiracy among the crew....He should never let himself be overcome by wine, for if an officer or seaman becomes a drunkard it is dangerous to entrust him with resposibility; he might be sleeping like a pig when an accident occurs...and be the cause of loss of vessel...He should turn night into day, watch the greater part of the night, always sleep clothed so as to be ready to come on deck promptly if anything happens. He must keep a provate compass below and consult it frequently to see if the ship is on her course..He must be...cognizant of everything concerning ship handling, especially of making sail. He should take care to have good food and drink for his voyage, and such as will not spoil, to have good dry bins to keep bread or hardtack; and, especially for long voyages, to take too much rather than too little....He must be a good economist in issuing rations, giving each man reasonably what he needs, otherwise dissatisfaction will be created,...and entrust the distribution of victuals to a good and faithful steward, not a drunkard but a good manager; for a careful man in this office is above all price.