Expeditions for Serendipity

Abstract

This research paper tends to discuss the trade activities that occurred after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D., which according to some historians marked the end of the middle age. The fall of Constantinople can be identified as a milestone in the history of the world that was able to transform many things. This also further defines how that very same incident provided the opportunity for marine trade activities exploring the new world. As a result of Constantinople getting into the hands of the Arabs, Europeans started to embark new voyages through sea, in order to re-establish their trade activities. These new expeditions, led to the European countries discovering many new lands and as a result, they wanted to culminate their powers in these newly found lands. This denotes the beginning of colonialization, which was especially experienced in the Asian continent. This negatively affected the colonised countries because the European nations exploited the resources of these countries and gained profits for themselves by selling products in European markets at higher prices. These European nations included the British, Portuguese as well as the Dutch. They spread their dominance in the southern parts of Asia, by forming colonies under their rule. The paper discusses the first European expeditions to Sri Lanka, which is a turning point in the country’s history.