New Writing Assigment, Opinion Paper on Vasco Da Gama

Gloria Barnett
GLS 414
March 22, 2010

A Taste for Spice Could Change the World

With a great desire to better understand the world in which he lived, Vasco Da Gama studied and became proficient as an astronomer, mathematician, and navigator. He was known for his firmness and fortitude. Vasco Da Gama was a very intellectual man with great courage; he even fought in wars against the Castile in his youth. Prior to his discovery of the sea route to India, most of Europe had been racked by war. England and France had been fighting for over 100 years, destroying much of their land as well as the lives of many. Famine and disease, especially the Black Death, great political instability, and financial crises had tormented all of Europe for generations. The fearless explorations of Da Gama changed history, possibly saving Western Europe from being taken over as another conquest by the Ottoman Turks or their ilk. The success of Vasco Da Gama’s discovery of a sea route to India contributed to the rapid development of trade in the 1500s and beyond.

A sea route to India was transformative for Portugal and most of Western Europe. The success of a civilization requires communication outside of the boundaries of Western Europe. Without Vasco Da Gama’s great intellect and bravery, this feat could not possibly have been achieved. It could be argued that another person may have easily taken his place had he never existed. I must admit that I initially had those thoughts when beginning the research for this writing assignment. It became very clear, however, that it would have been virtually impossible to duplicate what Da Gama accomplished with the same successful outcome. His plan was an almost perfect recipe for success to which he was the key ingredient. Da Gama was blessed with not only a desire to learn, but also a very influential family at the perfect time in history. This was the very beginning of the age of discovery and exploration. Perhaps fifty or even 100 years later, another may have taken on the task with a similar desire, but many things would likely have already changed within the world, diminishing the opportunity for success.

New technology such as lens grinding for eye glasses, telescopes, and the magnetic compass for navigation were just being introduced to Europe at this time. This was perfect timing for sea exploration. Gunpowder, which was introduced from China, had recently become available as well. This revolutionized warfare by making cannons and firearms available as a tool for battle. There was a new motivation for wealth and a desire for wealthier lifestyles by common citizens. It had become well known that many highly desired commodities were being traded through treacherous areas blocked by the Ottoman Turks. A new route had to be discovered...so, in about 1497, “A Portuguese captain, Vasco Da Gama, was commissioned by his king to find a route to India” (252). His discovery was less expensive and ultimately safer than the original land route. Without the ability to tap into the industry of buying and selling spices, gold, and silks along the silk routes controlled by the Turks, Portugal and all of Western Europe would likely have become weak, leaving them open to takeovers by more powerful and wealthier countries. Had Da Gama not discovered the sea route, many European countries might have lost their abilities to sustain themselves, much less to grow to be contenders in the international trade market.

Vasco Da Gama undertook this endeavor with a crew of 170 men, most of whom were released from local prisons or from the drudges of society. He had to contend with fears of the virtually unknown. Many in his crew had concerns about sea monsters and were fearful of their vessels falling off the edge of a flat earth. There were many uncertainties that they faced as they sailed through uncharted waters for nearly a year. Their vessels were wooden ships averaging about eighty feet long. Their rations were meager at best. Da Gama had the advantages of being a well educated soldier who attended the Portuguese court and of the ability to speak several languages, which allowed him to contend with the most adverse conditions. He was also a master of physics, geometry, and astronomy and had fearless spirit of confidence that rarely existed in his time. His strong leadership earned him the respect and allegiance of his crew members who were content to do their duty with great hopes of earning honor within their homeland, and they succeeded.

The Portuguese began to trade with Asia, breaking the Venetian monopoly. This discovery helped build wealth throughout much of Western Europe. Banks in Italy and Germany profited by financing Da Gama’s early explorations. Many of the goods obtained through use of the sea route were shipped to port cities in Northern Europe such as Antwerp, many of which profited as much as if not more than the Portuguese. Access to these new luxury goods boosted the commerce of Western Europe, stimulated manufacturing, and instilled a sense of hope in a society that had long been oppressed by feudalistic standards. Capitalism became the “ism” of the future, in a sense, allowing people to put many of the difficulties of medieval Europe behind them.

The newfound strength of Western Europe helped push the Turks back to the easternmost parts of Europe, affording Western Europe the freedom to grow and become the most relevant contender in the world economy. Hundreds of years after Da Gama’s death, we are still influenced by the same standards by which he lived, strength, perseverance, nobility, and a strong desire to be educated. Without the early endeavors of Vasco Da Gama we as a society, may have never experienced many of the freedoms we enjoy today. If we did not have the freedom to utilize international trade, our international economy would be severely off balance. Our world would likely be different had it not been for the great accomplishments of Vasco Da Gama known as the Admiral of the Indian Ocean.

Work Cited
Roberts, J. M. A Short History of the World. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993