Period 4 Note Cards
How did the global trade network after 1500 CE affect the pre-existing regional trade networks?
Land routes such as the silk roads and trans-Saharan, fell into heavy disuse after the Colombian Exchange sparked trading in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Sea routes, however, became the main source of travel for merchants. The Indian Ocean trade routes now included the Europeans, who tried to take control of its commerce. The Mediterranean was still thriving because of Italian city-states like Venice, who produced many luxury goods.
How did public literacy as well as literary and artistic forms of expression develop during this period?
Literacy increased as there were more schools to give people basic education for the work force. Literacy rates would climb at an even higher rate during industrialization as mandatory education was created.
What pre-requisite conditions made these changes possible?
-Advancements in maritime technology (such as compass, ships, sails, etc.) -Discovery of the New World -Initial monetary investments in plantations/exploration -Source of labor (slaves, indentured servants) -Initiative to attain more raw materials through expansion
How were ethnic and religious minorities treated in various empires?
-Blacks were considered inferior in the Americas as they were slaves. This means that they were exploited as a labor force and had less rights. -Native Americans were considered to be savages by the Europeans, which led to conflicts between the two. -Cults in Mexico convulsed the Church. Missionaries attempted to convert the cults through peaceful and violent methods
How did rulers finance their territorial expansion?
-Joint-stock company: the costs were divided amongst shareholders -ex. Dutch East India Company -paid for by government
How did Europeans go about creating new global empires and trade networks?
-Maritime trade routes (i.e. the discovery of the easterly winds that connect the New World to Asia) -advancements in technology (i.e. better stream-lined ship design) -creation of joint-stock companies which we used to finance such explorations
What obstacles to empire-building did empires confront, and how did they respond to these challenges?
-hostile natives- usually dealt with by force -changing climates -disease-natural selection -competing empires-attempted to find more natural resources and grow more cash crops
How did the role of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe develop in this new -world-wide political order?
-the Americas became the site of new colonies of the Spanish and British Empires -Asia-In the seventeenth century Chinese and Japanese citizens participated in the growing opportunities as colonists. Site of European trading empires. -Europe- Great Britain and Spanish civilizations had empires. Portugal and the Netherlands had more of a trading empire in Southeast Asia.,
How did labor systems develop between 1450-1750?
As imperialism picked up speed there was a growing need for labor. Europe began to exploit what they thought of as the "inferior" races. Forced labor included natives and African Americans.
What was the relationship between imperialism and military technology?
As military technology increased imperialism as a result increased and also vice-versa. For example machine guns and rapid-firing rifles made imperialism possible.
What effects did American food-crops have on the diet of Afro-Eurasians?
Because Native Americans did not rely on meat as much as Afro-Eurasians, their plants were much more efficient in terms of calories. Because of this, when Europeans brought home foods such as potatoes and maize, there was a population boom as people started to take in more calories due to the increased efficiency of the crops they consumed.
Describe European merchants overall trade roll c. 1450-1750.
Because many of the resources in the Indian Ocean trade network were difficult to produce or could not be found in Europe, European merchants had to pay in bullion in order to get what they wanted. This led to an outflow in cash for European governments and made the economy more unstable. Europeans, to compensate for this, tried to colonize parts of the world, as a means to produce their own resources and be able to compete with countries in the Indian Ocean and Silk Road networks.
Where did the "universal" religions of Buddhism, Christianity & Islam spread?
Buddhism did not spread much after the Silk Road era. Islam continued to spread to parts of the world, but its main expansion occurred during the post Classical era. Christianity spread mostly during the Columbian exchange as European governments spread into new territories for trade and imperialism.
What were the major notable transoceanic voyages between 1450-1750 CE?
Christopher Columbus- 1492 Vasco de Gama- Africa Captain Cook- Hawiian Islands
What effect did Columbus' ravels have on Europeans?
Columbus revealed an "untouched" land in the west that was viewed as free for the taking. This encouraged heavy exploration of all of the worlds oceans.
How did societies in the Americas reflect the post-1450 economic order?
Due to the insurgence of slaves and immigrants, new societies and social standings developed in the Americas according to race. Native American societies withered as European elites continued to conquer their land and exploit their natural resources. At the same time, European conquest enabled new leaders to arise in the Americas, such as powerful Native Americans.
How did pre-existing political and economic elites react to these changes?
Due to the rise of aristocracy, power shifted from the important members of social groups to smaller family units who were wealthy and well-connected. Therefore, these important members lost their social status.
How did rulers make sure that their governments were well run?
Empires appointed rulers of their own descent to run the colonies. When empires felt that their power was in jeopardy of being overthrown they used violence to decimate the opponents. For example, in the Americas the local government destroyed the rebellious indentured servants in their fight for power, known as Bacon's rebellion.
What were the economic and social effects of the Columbian exchange?
Economically, the trade system provided cheap labor and created new markets in the newly formed colonies of the New World. In Africa, the loss of population and slave trade stunted the long term economic growth of African governments. Socially, racism grew as people began to see some Africans as less than people as a means to justify enslaving them.
How did empires attempt to administer the new widespread nature of their territories?
European powers tended to install officials in the areas that they ruled who were of European descent. For example the Spanish appointed creoles to political offices in Latin America and some parts of South America. '
What plants/animals were deliberately transferred across the Atlantic as part of the Columbian Exchange?
Europeans brought many animals from their homeland to the Americas in order to make their lives easier. Examples of animals that the Europeans deliberately brought over include: horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens. Animals brought to the Old World from America include turkeys, llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs.
How did the post-1450 economic order affect the social, economic, and political elites?
It directly benefited the merchant class due to the increase in trade. The gap between the powerful elite (plantation owners) and the indentured servants and slaves increased as well as the rich became richer but the lower class did not change in economic status. 2
How did pre-existing land-based empires and new empires during this era compare to previous era's empires?
New land empires became arenas of global trade. There was a greater connection between empires. Technology, culture, religion, art, and political ideas were easily spread and shared across great distances. There also was more diversity in animal and plant life across the globe because of the new connections made during imperialism.
What technical developments made transoceanic European travel & trade possible?
Once Europeans received technology from Asia, they found ways to greatly improve it. They improve cartography and navagation and were able to produce highly accurate mads of oceans and land masses. They also discovered the ocean and wind currents of the Atlantic and Pacific, making travel quicker and easier.
How did the arts fare during this period?
They did well and continued into present times.
Why did Portugal begin longer maritime voyages ca. 1430 CE?
Portugal was a very small country that relied heavily on trade to get by. They began their ocean explorations in search for resources, money and religious converts to Christianity.
How did agriculture's role change between 1450-1750?
Prior to 1492, there was minimal contact between the new world and Eurasia and Africa. Once Columbus made contact with North and South America the exchange of crops, slaves, and diseases began, known as the Columbian exchange. Agriculture became a way of exploiting underdeveloped nations. Europe used the raw materials of the America's to make themselves wealthier. Before, agriculture was primarily used as a food source for a population. Afterwards, agriculture was also used to produce commodities such as tobacco and sugar cane (meaning agriculture also became more important in global trade).
What role did religion play in legitimizing political rule?
Religion became a way for empires to justify their actions. These powers believed it was their duty to civilize and spread their religion to those they deemed "uncivilized". Religion was part of a greater scheme of cultural assimilation of the natives. For example, converting the Native Americans into Christians alleviated the tension between them and the British Empire, allowing for easier trade between them.
How did slavery within Africa compare to the pre-1450 era?
Slavery within Africa increased to match demands of the slave trade. Cities also grew along the eastern border of Africa. These towns became hubs of the salve trade. Slavery enabled towns to grow in Africa. Slavery became a source of income for African towns.
How did the Atlantic slave trade affect both African societies and the economy of the Americas?
The Americas benefited from the slave trade because the increase in labor allowed for an increase in productivity. This also helped the economies of European nations because they reaped the benefits of the American colonies.
What foods were transferred to new geographic regions as part of the Columbian Exchange, and what were labor systems made this transfer possible?
The Americas gave potatoes, beans, squash and maize to Europeans. Europeans brought wheat, rice, bananas, and grapes. Coffee from Africa and sugar cane from Asia became cash crops in the newly colonized Latin America.
How did the practice of religions develop in this era?
The Columbian exchange helped make Christianity a more global religion. Because Europe forcibly spread Christianity to North and South America, Christianity was able to box out Islam and other religions in the New World.
How did the Columbian exchange affect the spread of religions?
The Europeans were always searching for Christian converts. They went to the Americas in order convert the native populations. Asian and African religions like Islam and Hinduism did not have a prominent effect in the Americas because no one from those continents really tried to migrate to the New World.
What originally motivated Europeans to travel across the North Atlantic?
The Europeans were originally searching for converts to Christianity among the local populations.
What new mercantile financial means developed to facilitate global trade?
The advent of stock companies made it possible for smaller investors to provide more capital for less risk. This led to more money being transferred and as a result facilitated global trade.
What new financial and monetary means made new scale(s) of trade possible?
The creation of stock companies made it less risky to invest in exploration and colonization for rich people. With less risk, more people were likely to invest and as a result exploration grew at a much faster rate. This meant more resources for Europeans; who could now trade at a much greater scale.
Where did those developments originate?
The majority of European technology originated in China and the Middle East.
What were the unintentional biological effects of the Columbian exchange?
The native populations of the Americas and Oceania had never previously been exposed to diseases like small pox, measles, and influenza, which were carried by the Europeans. Over half of the native American population died from contagions. Many island societies were completely wiped out.
What were the overall effects of this change in global interconnection?
The world became more open to trade, technology spread farther faster, and conflicts between bitter rivals increased. Disease was spread to the Americas, killing at lest half of the native population. However, at the same time, new crops from the Americas like potatoes and maize helped to increase populations elsewhere.
Describe the degree of global "interconnection" after 1500 CE compared to before 1500 CE.
The world after the 1500's became much more connected and was able to communicate and spread technology much quicker than before. For once, the Europeans led the world in technology and exploration, and started the Colombian Exchange, beginning the early modern era.
How did labor systems develop in the colonial Americas?
There was a need for labor force in the New World to work the tobacco and sugar cane plantations. Initially, indentured servants were sent to the New World. These servants were promised a head right of 50 acres after 7 years of service. Indentured servants became more risky because they were prone to rebellion. As a greater need for labor arose, slaves also were forced to migrate from Africa to the New World.
How were gender and family structures affected to these changes?
There was an increase in women rulers during the 16th century, For example Mary Queen of Scots of Catherine de'Medici, Regent of France. These women were often more respected s rulers during these times; however, women were still seen as their husbands property. Since aristocracy became increasingly favored by society, the family unit became more prevalent.
How did settlers' action affect the Americas environmentally?
There were many things that settlers did that forced Native Americans to change their lifestyles. One example of how settlers changed the environment is that they began to work the land more vigorously than the Native Americans. This resulted in less ecological stability and erosion of land. Europeans also brought many diseases which the Native Americans were not immune to, and as a result wiped out large amounts of the population. Settlers also forced the Native Americans in land, and as a result they became more reliant on a nomadic lifestyle in which they hunted bison.
How did the people of various empires react to their government's methods?
These people either accepted the new rulers and complied with new leadership or they resisted the new rule. Some colonies attempted to remain neutral as well.
How did political rulers legitimize and consolidate their rule?
They appointed officials that were of their own descent, hired translators in order to negotiate with the locals, and attempted to assimilate the locals into their culture and religion.
What previously established scale(s) of trade continued?
Trade throughout the Indian Ocean trade network continued as a high rate throughout the age of exploration.
What role did silver play in facilitating a truly global scale of trade?
With Spain discovering and entire mountain of silver in South America, this allowed for the creation of literally millions of silver coins. The coins became a sort of global currency. China started to develop as a manufacturing country because it had something to trade its products for. But due to the utterly massive increase in silver, there was an inflation.
Where did Zheng He and the Chinese Treasure Fleets travel?
Zheng He's fleets travelled throughout the entire Indian Ocean trade network. The fleet went as far as the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Some historians theorize that Zheng He may have even travelled across the Pacific Ocean to parts of America, but this has not been proven.
How was peasant labor affected between 1450-1750?
n regards to the end of industrialization, peasant labor shifted from farms to factories. In the Americas, indentured servants began to decrease as more slaves were shipped across the Atlantic. Also, in Europe here was a shift in the control of peasant labor. Tighter control and less freedom for the laborers emerged.
