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Difficulty: HardExploration: Causes and Events

Source: Richard Hakluyt, English geographer and cleric, *A Discourse on Western Planting*, 1584

"This enterprise may stay the Spanish king from flowing over all the face of that continent... And if we do not possess these countries, the Spanish king will. If we do, we will stop his path and decrease his revenues, which will make him less powerful to trouble his neighbors... Moreover, we shall by this voyage find a great vent for our woolen cloths and other commodities, and also buy from those parts the naval stores and raw materials that we are now forced to import from the Baltic lands under high tariffs and at the mercy of foreign princes."

Which of the following developments in the period 1450–1750 best explains the motivations behind the English enterprise described in the passage?

  1. The growing role of mercantilist rivalries in driving state-sponsored maritime exploration and expansion.Answer
  2. B
    The shift toward laissez-faire policies that promoted free trade and reduced state control over economic transactions.
  3. C
    The transition of European powers to direct political administration and territorial annexation of South Asian empires.
  4. D
    The decline of English wool manufacturing due to the disruption of land-based Silk Road trade routes.

Answer

The growing role of mercantilist rivalries in driving state-sponsored maritime exploration and expansion.
The correct answer is correct because Hakluyt’s text emphasizes competing with the Spanish Empire for wealth and territory, and securing raw materials (like naval stores) and market outlets for English wool. These goals directly align with mercantilism, an economic theory that drove European states during the period 1450–1750 to sponsor voyages of exploration and establish colonies to build national wealth and weaken geopolitical rivals.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided historical source.
The source is Richard Hakluyt's 1584 discourse advocating for English maritime colonization in the Americas. He emphasizes preventing Spain from monopolizing the continent, reducing Spanish state revenues, finding new export markets for English wool, and securing domestic access to naval supplies without relying on Baltic imports.
Understanding the specific economic and geopolitical motivations mentioned in the text is necessary to categorize the broader historical development.
2
Identify the primary economic system of European states during the 1450–1750 period.
Mercantilism was the dominant economic theory, emphasizing state control over trade, accumulation of gold and silver, colonization to secure raw materials, and maximizing exports over imports to weaken rivals.
This establishes the macroeconomic context within which England and other European powers operated during the Age of Exploration.
3
Evaluate the options against the historical context and the source.
The correct option correctly identifies the role of mercantilist rivalries. The options suggesting free-trade policies, direct colonization in Asia, or a Silk Road-driven domestic wool collapse are either chronologically inaccurate or introduce historical misconceptions.
Evaluating each option ensures that incorrect historical interpretations are eliminated and the most accurate explanation is chosen.

Key Concept

Mercantilist rivalry as a driver of European maritime exploration and colonization.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Exploration: Causes and Events

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