Allright, I was wondering, in a scenario where Europeans don't need to get to India faster, how would America be discovered? What reason would anyone have to sail west? Would they even, or would America be discovered centuries later?
Allright, I was wondering, in a scenario where Europeans don't need to get to India faster, how would America be discovered? What reason would anyone have to sail west? Would they even, or would America be discovered centuries later?
Some people are just adventurous. Over several thousand years, it's a mathematical certainty that at least one of that sort of person will have access to a watertight boat. It's pretty much inevitable, which is why it happened so often (Leif Eriksson, Madog, that Irish saint, etc.).Allright, I was wondering, in a scenario where Europeans don't need to get to India faster, how would America be discovered? What reason would anyone have to sail west? Would they even, or would America be discovered centuries later?
What would cause them not to want a shorter route to India?
Some people are just adventurous. Over several thousand years, it's a mathematical certainty that at least one of that sort of person will have access to a watertight boat. It's pretty much inevitable, which is why it happened so often (Leif Eriksson, Madog, that Irish saint, etc.).
Yeah,even people at the time knew this.It's why the Portuguese called Columbus out on this and refused to endorse his venture.The route isn't shorter; Columbus was acting on the incorrect premise that the globe was smaller than it really turned out to be.
Another major issue in seeking out a western route for trade with India (and later for seeking for a Northwest Passage), of course, was the fact that the islamic world had emerged, and its powers were - more often than not - at odds with Christian Europe. This made travel to the east less safe and more difficult, and made the idea of a western route more attractive. Of course, the was no usable Northwest Passage, and until the Panama Canal, any trade along that route would have to go around Tierra del Fuego.
To answer the question: the absense of islam, or a friendly relation with islamic powers, combined with (the retention of the previously recorded) accurate notions of the globe's circumference, might well mean that there is far less of an urge to seek out a western route for trade with the east.
On the other hand... an accurate idea of how big the globe is might just lead some people to eventually question if there's just a vast empty ocean between Europe and China, or if there's something there.
As mentioned above, the European fishermen will find it, and eventually it will be known. Or alternatively, Portuguese sailors will find Brazil and exploration will lead to finding the rest. So a New World explored/colonised through Canada and/or Brazil instead of the Caribbean.
It's debatable that the New World was known in some obscure circles before Columbus "officially" "discovered" it - there's been some suggestion that Basque fishermen and possibly some guys from Bristol had been fishing the Grand Banks for years, based on how many cod they were always able to bring back. Even if you have a total collapse of maritime culture in Europe, someone will eventually read the Sagas and get curious about this Vinland and Markland that are in there, and go looking.
Yeah,even people at the time knew this.It's why the Portuguese called Columbus out on this and refused to endorse his venture.
Possibly one (or more) of the following things:You have to wonder what was wrong with Ferdinand and Isabella that they supported such an obvious madman.
Yeah,even people at the time knew this.It's why the Portuguese called Columbus out on this and refused to endorse his venture.
You have to wonder what was wrong with Ferdinand and Isabella that they supported such an obvious madman.
There was even a Norse bishop from Greenland who exercised authority over Vinland for something like five minutes.IRC the Portuguese had a tax office set-up for the Grand Banks fisheries in the 1470s before Columbus "discovered the New World" but the Portuguese found the land otherwise worthless and focused on their route to India instead.
The route isn't shorter; Columbus was acting on the incorrect premise that the globe was smaller than it really turned out to be.
Another major issue in seeking out a western route for trade with India (and later for seeking for a Northwest Passage), of course, was the fact that the islamic world had emerged, and its powers were - more often than not - at odds with Christian Europe. This made travel to the east less safe and more difficult, and made the idea of a western route more attractive. Of course, the was no usable Northwest Passage, and until the Panama Canal, any trade along that route would have to go around Tierra del Fuego.
To answer the question: the absense of islam, or a friendly relation with islamic powers, combined with (the retention of the previously recorded) accurate notions of the globe's circumference, might well mean that there is far less of an urge to seek out a western route for trade with the east.
On the other hand... an accurate idea of how big the globe is might just lead some people to eventually question if there's just a vast empty ocean between Europe and China, or if there's something there.
not to mention the ship technology of the Atlantic facing countries was getting better, better ships means you have a chance of returning to tell the tale of land to the west
So how many years do you think it could be delayed?Also,what are the effects of this delayal?I think so, yes. And if nothing else, once naval technology gets good enough to actually sail the distance from Europe west to Asia, sooner or later somebody's going to try and make the trip.