VASCO DA GAMA
Story of the Voyage
Vasco da Gama was the first European explorer to travel to India by ship. He sailed from Portugal and landed in Calcut, India. In 1497, Vasco da Gama was appointed the position of explorer in order to find a route to India. Da Gama left July 8, 1497 with 4 ships. He set sail on the ship St. Rafael. When venturing into the Indian Ocean, Vasco's crew had fallen ill with scurvy. Da Gama had arrived in Calicut, India in May 20th, 1498. Da Gama and other Europeans thought the native people were Christian but they were Hindu. Da Gama stayed in Calicut for 3 months trading for spices. On the way back, Vasco and his crew were stuck in the monsoons. Rather than the previously thought 3 weeks, it now took 3 months to get back. So much of da Gama's crew died to scurvy that it became pointless to keep St. Rafael so the ship was burned to a crisp. Soon after, da Gama's brother Paublo fell ill which prompted da Gama to undertake a trip to the Azores islands in hopes of finding a way to heal his dying brother. A little later, Paublo died and da Gama set sail to return to Portugal. When da Gama returned he was greeted as a hero but he lost much of his crew, with only 54 of 170 men returning with him. In 1502, he was sent on a second expedition to India, where he clashed with Muslim traders. On this voyage, da Gama attacked Arab shipping interests in the region and used force to reach an agreement with Calicut’s ruler.
Why is he important?
Vasco da Gama was important because he established the first civilization in Calicut, India due to his special voyage ships. He is one of the reasons why India is in the state it is today.
The effects of Vasco da Gama's exploration.
The effects of his travels include the devlopment of the spice trade and the Portuguese colonization.. This caused competition between the Europeans' powers which led to a need of halfway stations in Africa. After he arrived, King Manuel led another expedition to India. Vasco da Gama sailed to India to maintain Portugal's dominance. Da Gama's exploration placed Portugal in a position of power within India and its economy and secured the trade routes in the eastern coasts.
Biography
Vasco da Gama was a Portugese explorer who was born to a noble family in Sines, Portugal in 1460. Little is known about his early life. He was the third son of Estêvão da Gama who was an explorer and commander of the fortress in Sines in the southwestern pocket of Portugal. As soon as he was old enough, he joined the navy where he learned how to navigate, Known as a tough and fearless navigator, he was appointed in 1492 by King John II of Portugal to seize French ships as an act of vengeance against the French government for disrupting Portuguese shipping. In 1497, he was appointed to command an expedition equipped by the Portuguese government with the intention of finding a sailing route to India.