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New Worlds: The Great Voyages of Discovery 1400-1600
This is a narrative history of the great voyages of discovery. The author starts his survey with a portrait of medieval Europe, its economy, its geography and the developments in naval architecture and design that made the great voyages possible. From there, he goes on to consider in detail the voyages of Henry the Navigator, Columbus, da Gama, Cabot; the Portuguese spice empire in Asia (which is contrasted with the simultaneous rise of the Mogul Empire) and the opening up of both South and North America. The culmination of these navigational efforts was the circumnavigation of the earth by Magellan and the opening up of successful Pacific trade routes. A final chapter considers the impact of European expansion, its effect on the European world view and economy and the challenges to the Spanish and Portuguese from the Dutch, English and French.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
33 people want to read
About the author
Ronald H. Fritze
17 books7 followersRonald H. Fritze is an American encyclopedist, historian, and writer known for his criticism of pseudohistoric ideas.
Fritze earned his BA in history at Concordia College in 1974. He obtained a master's degree from Louisiana State University and a PhD from Cambridge University in 1981. He has worked at Lamar University in Beaumont and the University of Central Arkansas in 2001 as chair of the history department. He is currently Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Athens State University.
Fritze is the author of Invented Knowledge: False History, Fake Science, and Pseudo-religions (2009) a book which critically examines the pseudohistoric claims of Martin Bernal's Black Athena, Erich von Däniken, Immanuel Velikovsky, Atlantis, Christian Identity, Nation of Islam, and fringe related pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact theories. According to Fritze pseudohistory is a "charlatan's playground" targeting those too "willing to suspend disbelief" and slip into an "abyss of fantasy". Fritze considers such pseudohistoric ideas to be irrational and misleading the public. The book has received positive reviews.
Fritze earned his BA in history at Concordia College in 1974. He obtained a master's degree from Louisiana State University and a PhD from Cambridge University in 1981. He has worked at Lamar University in Beaumont and the University of Central Arkansas in 2001 as chair of the history department. He is currently Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Athens State University.
Fritze is the author of Invented Knowledge: False History, Fake Science, and Pseudo-religions (2009) a book which critically examines the pseudohistoric claims of Martin Bernal's Black Athena, Erich von Däniken, Immanuel Velikovsky, Atlantis, Christian Identity, Nation of Islam, and fringe related pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact theories. According to Fritze pseudohistory is a "charlatan's playground" targeting those too "willing to suspend disbelief" and slip into an "abyss of fantasy". Fritze considers such pseudohistoric ideas to be irrational and misleading the public. The book has received positive reviews.
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