DD3006_03_Explorers: Age of Encounter

Video on Vasco Da Gama: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/pbs-world-explorers-vasco-degama/pbs-world-explorers-vasco-degama/

Video on Magellan: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/pbs-world-explorers-ferdinand-magellan/pbs-world-explorers-ferdinand-magellan/

It was a really interesting to learn more on the beginning of era before colonialism and how the European found he major route to go to the other part of the world. Something I just found out is the presence of Spice Island which refer to the Moluccan. I had no idea that island of Indonesia had been famous since then. I thought that the main Spice Island would be in Java, especially Batavia where later VOC will come and make it a main trading point.

I watched some more of the video and realise that, as said, most of the narratives were based on the point of view of the European and how their knowledge and technology has helped to ‘discover’ and ‘conquer’ the world.

It just made me wonder what has made the European developed faster than other part of the world? Or what if actually all developed at similar rate, but the European were able to record and keep track more properly (and colonise), as well as still teaching it in education system therefore in our world history European became remembered as the main super power when relates to the age of encounter. (exception to few such as Zheng He — even though may be he had been acknowledged because of the fleet size). Has our early international history mostly been shaped by the narrative of the Western world? I think so…

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