What were the causes of
major population fluctuation
(@1450-1800’s)?
What was the Great Dying
and its consequences?
Why did the African Slave
Trade start and what effect
did it have on the population
of the Americas?
Why did deforestation occur
so much during this era?
How did Social organizations
change?
How did (related to Social
question) Economic
organiztions change?
What military advancement
led to Europe being more
powerful?
How did previous eras
influence the thinking of this
era?
Disease and Movement of People, Goods, Ideas: The Great
Dying, caused by infectious diseases (decrease), Africa was
impacted due to Slave Trade (this is the era when the trade
emerged)… Sub-Saharan region is where slaves come from,
largely decreased and shifted. Americas, saw a DROP in
native population and shifts. Europe, China, India =
massive INCREASES in population.
Great Dying: It is not as regional as the Black Death, it is a
GLOBAL disaster that lasts over 150 years… places
affected; Americas (disintegration of Aztec, Inca, later on
North American Indians, Americas, Europeans not
affected), Africa (Indians and Africans), came as an
accidental side effect of Columbian exchange.
Dying also of African Culture: Families broken in Africa
and in African culture, African identity as being “African”
begins to be lost due to their submersion.
Why: native Americans made very poor slaves, died and
ran away, necessity for cheap labor (minimum minimum
wage = slavery) Africans were experienced farmers,
physically robust, higher immunities to European diseases
than native Americans. When: about 1450 starts, ends
1810. Effects / Demographics: Majority of slaves went to
Caribbean islands (42%) and South America (38% Brazil),
North America (5%).
Main cause: Expansion of mining industry, silver,
Europeans needed to inflate currency to provide riches for
people of power, SUGAR construction, Naval ship
building, fuel, what does this lead to? Discovery of
alternative fuel sources… fossil fuels and whaling for oil,
coal, etc.
Larger, more bureaucratic governments emerged (all of
Europe was organized into nation states with organized
governments)
Europe became THE world economic power, why?
Discoveries of Americas and easy access of trade routes in
Indian and Atlantic Oceans (Columbus was important, best
accident ever for Europeans). Silver was a big deal, bc of
Americas which was silver rich, Europe could exchange
more often and in larger quantities with China. China
became very rich in silver (crisis for Europe later on).
Weapons which used gunpowder (Chinese invention
exploited best by Europeans)
All the discoveries from the Arab, Islamic world (the
leaders and innovators) were borrowed by those who
wielded the power later (Europe primarily), thus Europeans
Why did European culture
flourish and dominate?
Religious innovations?
Scientific revolution, what
was it? What were its
effects?
dominated the world bc of the Arab systems they used…
numbers, organization militarily, politically, science and
medicine, math, etc.
Renaissance was not major cultural point but raised levels
of sophistication (so structure stayed the same but people
became more intelligent due to systems of thinking,
materials such as printing press)
Printing press, spread ideas and thus advanced scientific
thought further
Protestant reformation! With conquest of Americas for
Economic purposes, religion also tagged along… sailors
spread their religion (Christianity to native Americans).
Increases in meshing of beliefs… aka Christian thoughts in
Americas meshed with native thoughts over time.
Polytheism existed on small scales in civilizations that were
not part of the Arab or European regions of influence.
Details of protestant reformation: Martin Luther…
challenged Catholic Church (Germanic region)
Spread of Islam… to Africa, Inner Asia, South Asia (India)
Buddhism grows: spreads to regions of China, southeast
Asia (Vietnam), and Japan!
Philosophical ideas that challenged old ways of thinking,
challenged religious authorities to explain everything,
enlightenment= science vs. faith, idea of equal rights in
governments… natural laws, idea of men are equal (this is
not accepted immediately, and still has its issues)