Who established a foothold in Africa for trade?

Who established a foothold in Africa for trade?

• A. The Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator
• B. Christopher Columbus
• C. Amerigo Vespucci
• D. Ferdinand Magellan

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that Portugal’s early expansion along the African coast was driven by organized exploration and the creation of trading posts. Prince Henry the Navigator financed and promoted voyages down the West African coast in the early 1400s, helped develop navigational knowledge at Sagres, and supported the establishment of early forts and trading stations. This combination of exploration and footholds along the coast gave Portugal its first direct access to African markets and resources, setting the stage for sustained Atlantic trade. The other explorers—Columbus, Vespucci, and Magellan—are tied to the Americas and global navigation, not to establishing initial African trade footholds.

The main idea is that Portugal’s early expansion along the African coast was driven by organized exploration and the creation of trading posts. Prince Henry the Navigator financed and promoted voyages down the West African coast in the early 1400s, helped develop navigational knowledge at Sagres, and supported the establishment of early forts and trading stations. This combination of exploration and footholds along the coast gave Portugal its first direct access to African markets and resources, setting the stage for sustained Atlantic trade. The other explorers—Columbus, Vespucci, and Magellan—are tied to the Americas and global navigation, not to establishing initial African trade footholds.