Guns, Sails and Empires: Technological Innovations and the Early Phases of European Expansion, 1400-1700

by Carlo M. Cipolla

Book Overview

European expansion was essentially a commercial venture, and the fact that the colonial policies of the European powers had a very pronounced mercantile tone was the natural consequence of the basic motives behind that expansion. A wide range of opportunities magnetized the Europeans overseas. Religion supplied the pretext and gold was the motive.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 089745071X
• ISBN13: 9780897450713
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Sunflower University Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Non-Eurocentric Examination of Europe's Dominance

Why did the countries of Europe go from second rate powers to world domination in so few years (historically speaking). Cipolla does a creditable job of examining the reasons, mostly social, that allowed this to happen. He points out that if you looked at Europe in 1200, you may not have put your money on Europe winning as big as it did.