CoNqUeSt AnD CoLoNiSaTiOn


3. Ships At this time in the fifteenth century, there were also important improvements in shipbuilding. Around 1400, most ships built in Portugal and Spain had to be sturdy as they sailed in the rough Atlantic Ocean. One way of ensuring the ships were solid enough to withstand these rough seas was to make sure all ships were clinker-built which means that the wooden boards on the side of the ship overlapped. The wood used in these ships was very strong and the sails were all square in shape. As a result, these types of ship were strong but unable to turn quickly.


The Italians were more interested in their ships being quick and agile to allow them to get into harbours in the calmer waters of the Mediterranean Sea more easily. These ships had triangular sails called lateens to allow for quick changes in direction.


Finally, the Portuguese brought the best of both these types of ship together into a caravel. The body of the ship was strong and durable but it used both square sails for power and triangular sails for manoeuvrability. After this breakthrough, ships were made bigger and stronger and finally a ship that was big enough to be used for storage was developed called a carrack or a nao.


Fig 6.8 A lateen ship used triangular sails for agility in the Mediterranean Sea.


Fig 6.7 A clinker-built ship had square sails and was built to withstand high seas.


6


Fig 6.10 A carrack ship, also known as a nao.


Lateen Caravel


Portugal and Spain Italy


Portugal Carrack or Nao Portugal Atlantic


Type of ship Country that first used it Sea in which it was used Type of sail Clinker-built


Square


Mediterranean Anywhere


Atlantic Triangular


Fig 6.9 A caravel ship used both triangular and square sails. Advantages


Strong Agile


Triangular and square Strong and agile Triangular and square Strong, agile and big for storage 151


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