Name and explain one broad theme of this chapter and its importance in the time period
covered in chapter 14. Also, explain the theme’s connection to Europe before the historical
period described in this chapter.
A broad theme of this chapter is trade between countries, which was also very prominent
in Medieval Europe. Before 1450, Europeans played a relatively marginal part in a trading
system that linked Asia, Europe, and Africa. Elites prized porcelains and silks from China
wanted ivory and black slaves from Africa and desired textiles and spices from India. Europeans'
search for better access to Asian trade led to the discovery of the Western Hemisphere. European
colonies in North and South America joined this web of Commerce within a few decades. They
capitalized on the goods and riches they found in the Americas, and Europeans dominated
trading networks, built political Empires, and the era of globalization began. Additionally, in the
late Middle Ages, trade brought many new ideas and goods to Europe. City-states like Venice
and Genoa, we're on trade routes that linked Europe’s Western parts with the East. The city
States became highly valued trading centers. Trading ships brought goods to England,
present-day Russia, and Scandinavia. The increase in trade led to a new kind of economy.
Similarly, Commerce and trade in Medieval Europe developed so much that even smaller
communities had access to markets and fairs organized by large estate owners and town co ini
uncils. Churches and monasteries organized markets and fairs and hoped to gain revenue and
boost the local economy. International Trade had been prevalent since Roman times.
Improvements in transportation, banking, and economic development of Northern Europe
resulted in a trade boom in the 9th century. For example, wool in massive quantities was sent to
be manufactured and Slender's. Additionally, thanks to the Crusades, Venetians expanded their
trade interests to the Byzantine Empire and the Levant.
What is an entrepot? Choose one in the Asian part of the Indian Ocean and compare it to
one in the African part of the Indian Ocean.
An entrepot is a trading port where goods are brought in and exported, and the
differences between an Asian entrepot and an African entrepot would lie in what is brought in
and send out. For example, In the South China Sea, the port of Malacca became a great
commercial entrepot. Chinese porcelains, silks, and camphor worshipped there as well as pepper,
cloves, nutmeg, and raw materials from the Moluccas. Sugar from the Philippines and Indian
textiles also made their way to the Malaccan entrepot. In the ports of North Africa, gold was
sold. The gold was transported across the Sahara by African and Arab traders on camels. In
addition to gold, slavesWe're also an important object of trade. Slavery was practiced virtually
everywhere in the world. Arabic and African merchants would take West African slaves to the
Mediterranean to be sold to Europeans, Middle Eastern, and Egyptian markets. They also
brought East Europeans to West Africa as slaves. Arabic and Indian merchants traded slaves in
East Africa.
How did the Ottomans, Persians, Genoese, and Venetians dominate trade in the
Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East? How did this encourage others to explore other
avenues of trade?
The Ottoman and Persian Empires served as intermediaries for trade between Asia, Africa, and
Europe- and Venice and Genoa controlled the trade in Europe. The Middle East was also an
essential supply of goods for foreign exchange, especially silk and cotton. The Turkish Ottomans
and the Persian sausages kids were great Rivals that dominated the Middle East. Persian
Merchants were found in trading communities as far away as the Indian Ocean. The faiths of
these two empires clashed. The Persians’ Muslim faith did not agree with the Ottomans’ loyalty
to Sunnism. The two competed for control over the trade routes to the east. The Ottomans
captured Constantinople in 1453 oh, and by the mid 16th century, they controlled the sea trade in
the Eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and the rest of North Africa. The power
extended as far as Vienna. The ottoman expansion frightened Europeans because their army
seemed invincible, and the empire’s desire for expansion seemed insatiable. The Ottomans’
strength raised economic concerns, and Europeans wish to find new trade routes free of Ottoman
control. Europe consisted of a minor outpost of the World Trading System. In 1304 Venice
created formal relations with the Sultan of Mamluk Egypt. This relationship was the gateway to
Asian trade. Venetian Merchants specialized in spices, carpets, and silks that they got from
middlemen in the east. their ancient rival was Genoa. Genoa dominated the northern route to
Asia in the wake of the Crusades. The expansion that occurred in the 13th and 14th centuries
took the Genoese as far as Persia. When Venice claimed victory in the spice trade in the 15th
century, the Genoese shifted their focus to finance and the Western Mediterranean. Genoese
peoples provided navigation and finance skills to the Iberian monarchs when Spanish and
Portuguese voyageurs when they began to explore the Western Atlantic. Genoese Merchants
eventually helped finance the Spanish colonization of the new world.
Which nation took the lead in the Age of Discovery? How? What were the benefits?
Portugal and Spain took the lead in the early Age of Exploration. They created the Treaty
of Tordesillas to settle competing claims to the Atlantic discoveries. In 1494, that treaty gave
Spain everything to the west of an imaginary line drawn down the Atlantic and Portugal
everything to the east. Though arbitrary, this imaginary line worked in Portugal's favor in 1500,
when Pedro Alvares Cabral landed on Brazil’s coast, which Cabral claimed as Portuguese
territory. The search for profits determined the direction of Spanish exploration. There was an
insignificant amount in the Caribbean compared to what the Portuguese found in Asia, so Spain
renewed the search for a western passage to Asia. Charles V of Spain in 1519 sent Ferdinand
Magellan, a Portuguese mariner, to find a sea route that would lead them to the spices of the
Moluccas off the Southeast coast of Asia. Magellan sailed Southwest to Brazil and then sailed
through the Pacific. He was met with terrible storms, disease, and starvation that took out many
of his men. Though it revolutionized European understanding of the world, this Voyage made
Spain realize that the passage to the Indies was too long and dangerous for commercial purposes.
They abandoned the attempt to outplay Portugal from the Eastern spice trade and concentrated
on exploiting the new world.
How were Sagres and Prince Henry important in the technological and political support of
exploration?
Prince Henry was influential in the technological and political support of the exploration because
he sponsored many explorations, and in 1418 he started the first school of navigation at Sagres.
Funds from the order of Christ Finance the Atlantic Voyage is along the coast of Africa. Henry
began to promote these voyages in the mid-1420s. He looks for chances to take part in the
Commerce of traditional West African products, particularly he had an interest in slaves and
gold. He also wanted to establish profitable colonies in unexploited Islands, the most successful
of which was founded on Madeira. His interest in geography was influenced by his older brother,
Prince Pedro. In 1425, Pedro went on a tour of Europe, and he visited England, Germany,
Flanders, hungry, and many other places. he returns home through Italy, and from Italy, he
brought a copy of Marco Polo's travels translated for his younger brother in 1428. Prince Henry
was not a sailor nor a navigator, but he sponsored many sea voyages. In 1415, his ships reached
the Canary Islands. In 1418 the Portuguese found the Madeira Islands and established a colony.
Wendy's Expeditions begin, Europeans knew almost nothing about the area past the west coast of
Africa. Under Henry's orders, Portuguese sailors moved beyond what they didn't know, and by
1436 they traveled as far as Rio de Oro. In addition to sponsoring voyages, He furthered
European knowledge of geography, mapmaking, and navigation by starting a school for
navigation in Sagres. He employed cartographers, shipbuilders, and instrument makers.
How do “guns, germs, and steel” explain the ascendency of Europe over the
Americas during the 1500s?
Guns, germs, and steel accurately explain Europe’s ascendancy during this time because
of the massive prevalence of violence, disease, and gold in Europe and the places it colonized.
When Europeans colonized places they ‘discovered,’ they would treat the native people with
violence and hostility to get them to do what was good for Europe. An example of this brutality
is the encomienda system. This system was put in place to give Spanish colonizers the right to
force native peoples into submission, and though it was described as intended to keep the people
safe, it was a cruel form of exploitation. Many native people on the lands Europeans would
conquer fell victim to diseases that came from the Old World. Europeans would bring diseases
like typhus, and smallpox, which would result in dramatic population loss among nature people
due to them not having the antibodies in their immune system to fight back. Gold was also
greatly valued among Europeans in power, and one of the main reasons they would conquer
lands was the amount of potential wealth within the colony. For example, news of the riches in
Mexico and Peru inspired the English to renew their efforts after their efforts proved futile when
they established no permanent colonies in the territories they had explored. Though many of the
efforts of the English, French, and Spaniards ended up being worthless, they were all driven by
the same goal: money.
How much did the importation of gold and silver from the Americas influence the
price of goods in Europe? (short but use examples)
The silver imported from America did not cause initial inflation in Spain; however, along with
the rise in population, the influx of silver caused the rising of prices. Silver mined in the
Americas was Spain's source of wealth in the 16th century. In that time, Spain was experiencing
a dramatic population increase, which raised the demand for food and other goods. The result
was a rise in production costs and a decline in Spain's productive capacity. Spain had expelled
some of its best farmers and people in business, so the Spanish economy was suffering and could
not meet the new demands. The flood of silver from America did not initially cause inflation.
Prices rose most deeply before 1565. silver bullion Imports reached their peak between 1580 and
1620. Philip II, Spain's king, and his successors wrote off state debt and undermined confidence
in the government. When the population declined, prices gradually stabled. Spanish inflation
made its way to the rest of Europe, and between 1560 and 1600, there were significant price
increases throughout all of Europe. Spain suffered the most, but all of Europe was affected.
Who got the short end of the stick in the Columbian Exchange? How?
The Natives Got the short end of the stick in the Columbian Exchange. European immigrants
migrating to the new world led to an exchange of animals, plants, and diseases. These
immigrants searched for zones where they could plant familiar crops, and everywhere they
settled, the Spanish and Portuguese brought and raised labor with the assistance of the
encomienda system. Native Americans never used animals aside from turkeys and game for
food. They also didn't domesticate animals for travel, aside from the use of llamas or alpacas in
the Inca Empire. Europeans brought horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, pigs, chickens, and goats.
Disease brought by Europeans and the animals they brought with them Was the most impactful
form of Exchange. After 1492, the wave of catastrophic epidemic diseases swept the Western
hemisphere can be viewed as a continuation of the black deaths in the 1300s. The world after
Columbus was unified by disease as well as by trade and colonization.
What was the encomienda system, and how does it relate to the Reconquista and the
Spanish social system?
The encomienda system was a labor system put into place by the Spanish crown in the
Americas. The granted conquerors the right to employ Native Americans as laborers were to
demand tribute from them, and in exchange, they would provide shelter and food. The Spanish
were supposed to treat the indigenous people with care; however, the system was a brutal form of
exploitation. It was a legal system used to define indigenous people’s status and was based on the
practice of forcing tribute from Muslims and Jews during the Reconquista. Theme encomienda
system allowed for the Conquistadors to accumulate vast amounts of wealth. The Spanish
benefited from gold and silver in the New World. The results of the encomienda system were the
widespread abuse of indigenous people and the stealing of their land. A person of Spanish and
Native ancestry could not be entered into the system, so some of the indigenous people started to
intermarry with the Europeans to save their families from a life of forced labor. Along with the
forced conversions to Catholicism, the encomienda system resulted in tribal identity and culture
being lost throughout the Americas.
Why is Bartolome de Las Casas such a celebrity in history texts today? What did he
believe that makes him a modern and earlier day hero, and which of his beliefs
might tarnish his reputation today?
Bartolome De Las Casas is a renowned hero in history today because he was one of the first
missionaries to assert that the Indians had human rights, though one massive point of criticism
has been Las Casas’ repeated suggestion to replace Indian labor with African labor. He was one
of the most outspoken critics of Spanish brutality against indigenous people. Along with
Dominican and Jesuit missionaries, he played an essential role in converting indigenous people
to Christianity. He studied the Indies’ juridical problems and began to create a peaceful
colonization plan by recruiting Farmers as colonists. He persuaded Charles V to get rid of some
of the most brutal parts of the encomienda system. Bartolome De Las Casas is thought of as an
early human rights activist. He is sometimes considered the father of liberation theology, which
means that the church should act to create societal change. In his History of the Indies, he
included an apology that repented his belief that Indian labor should be replaced with African
labor. Nevertheless, some still held him responsible for the Atlantic slave trade Institution, And
the enslavement of thousands of Africans. Some historians deny that his suggestions affect the
development of the slave trade, but some believe that Las Casas’ 1516 Memorial was the direct
cause of the granted permission to transport the first 4000 African slaves in 1518. Many
historians see him as neither a saint nor a fanatic, but a person with a sense of justice, exceptional
willpower, that sometimes turned into stubbornness and hypocrisy. Some saw him as more of a
politician than a humanitarian, but that being said, Las Casas’ is seen today as an important
philosopher that paved the way for liberation theology.
Why did “Black slavery” develop during the Age of Discovery?
Black slavery developed during the age of discovery due to Mediterranean Europe not
having access to their traditional source of slaves. When the Ottomans captured Constantinople
in 1453, the flow of white slaves from the Mediterranean to Western Europe was halted. The
Iberian Reconquista meant that the supply of Muslim captives had decreased massively.
Mediterranean Europe was cut off from a traditional source of slaves, so it turned to sub-Saharan
Africa, which had an extensive history of slave trading. When Portuguese explorers started
exploring the west coast of Africa, the first thing they look for with slaves. The first ship of
African slaves returned to Lisbon in 1444. Royalty was happy, and more shipments followed.
Portuguese Merchants found that it was easier to trade with local leaders, rather than seizing
slaves by means of small raiding parties. These leaders were used to dealing with captured
slaves through Warfare with neighboring powers. Portuguese traders brought hundreds of
Africans to Lisbon each year from 1490 to 1530. Eventually, slaves constituted 10% of the city's
population. In addition, the increase in demand for sugar created a need for more labor. Sugar
production was an arduous task, so European solved the labor problem by enslaving Africans to
provide the work. Even so, slaves worked an infinite number of occupations as soldiers, miners,
sailors, artisans, servants, and in the production of cotton, rum, tobacco, indigo, wheat, corn, and
of course, sugar. The transatlantic slave trade began in 1518 when Charles V authorized traders
to bring Africans to the Americas. The Portuguese brought slaves to Brazil around 1550, and by
1600 thousand were coming in a year.
Why did people dislike Montaigne and like Shakespeare? (short)
People disliked Shakespeare and Montaigne because their works challenged the idea of European
superiority. Montaigne's essay “Of Cannibals,” reveals the impact of overseas discoveries and
rejects the notion that one culture is superior to another. Similar to him, Shakespeare's work
shows the impact of new discoveries and contacts. In his play, Othello, the complicated racial
references reflect the confusion surrounding race and religion classification in Shakespeare's
time. Shakespeare even borrowed words from “Of Cannibals,” and that suggests that he intended
to criticize racial intolerance. Many Europeans of the time believed that black skin was supposed
to be equated with slavery itself. They believe that blacks or destined by God to serve as slaves
eternally. In addition, increasingly rigid ideas surrounding slavery were developed as profits
grew from plantation slavery. Both Shakespeare and Montaigne challenged the idea that your
skin color has anything to do with superiority, thereby challenging the common thought of the
time.
Which best describes 1450-1650: Age of Discovery, Age of Reconnaissance (NOT
Renaissance!!), or Age of Expansion?
Age of Discovery best describes 1450-1650 because it was ultimately the discoveries
made during this time that led to the European expansion, and the term reconnaissance, if taken
literally, is arguably not a correct depiction of what was happening. The Age of Exploration
began in the 14th century and continued through the 16th. In this time, European nations began
exploring the world and discovering new routes to Asia, the Americas, and the Far East. Saying
that ‘Age of Expansion’ described this time period best would be unfit, even though Europeans
did colonize places all over the world and expand. The expansion was caused by the discovery of
new land and the prospect of potential wealth and fame. Religious fervor was also a driving
force. This time period was critical in the discovery and development of world history and
geography. A large amount of the unknown world was mapped, and many advances were made
in navigation. Technological developments in weaponry, shipbuilding, and navigation pave the
way for European expansion. For example, in the fifteenth century, the Portuguese developed the
caravel. The caravel was a small, light, ship that gave the Portuguese an advantage in trade and
exploration. Saying that the ‘Age of Reconnaissance’ describes this time period best would be
inaccurate as well, just because of the meaning of the word ‘reconnaissance.’ The dictionary
definition of reconnaissance is, ‘military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain
strategic features.’ They did not use ‘military observation to locate an enemy.’ Instead, they
sailed around the world searching for new land, sometimes to no avail. Europeans didn't view
those from the Old World as enemies because they had no idea they existed. They also were not
observing or even searching for new lands, rather searching for new trade routes to a land they
already new existed. Instead, when they found the New World, they viewed it and its people as
ways to make money. For example, in 1519, the Spanish Crown sent explorers from Cuba to the
mainland under Hernando Cortes. The intent was to launch the Mexica Empire. Cortes found the
Gulf of Mexico on April 21st and quickly took control. Over a few decades, a series of
indigenous kingdoms fell under Spanish domination.