Chapter 9 Flashcards
What period is known as the Age of Exploration?
15th-17th centuries, driven by trade, technology, and European ambition
Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?
A Portuguese prince who sponsored early exploration along the African coast
What significant achievement is Bartolomeu Dias known for?
Rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, opening the route to Asia
Who was the first European to sail directly to India via the Cape of Good Hope?
Vasco da Gama in 1498
What was Christopher Columbus seeking when he reached the Americas in 1492?
A westward route to Asia
What does the Columbian Exchange refer to?
A widespread transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and cultures between the Old and New Worlds
Who was Hernán Cortés?
A Spanish conquistador who overthrew the Aztec Empire in 1521
What was Tenochtitlán?
The Aztec capital, built on an island in Lake Texcoco, later destroyed by the Spanish
Who was Montezuma II?
The last Aztec emperor, captured and killed during the Spanish conquest
What did Francisco Pizarro accomplish?
Conquered the Inca Empire in 1533
Who was Atahualpa?
The last Inca emperor, executed by Spanish forces under Pizarro
What was the Encomienda System?
A Spanish colonial labor system that exploited indigenous peoples for economic gain
Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?
A Spanish priest who spoke out against the mistreatment of Native Americans
What does the Atlantic Slave Trade refer to?
The forced migration of Africans to the Americas for labor on plantations
What was the Middle Passage?
The brutal voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
Who was Olaudah Equiano?
A former enslaved African who wrote a famous autobiography detailing his experiences
What was the Kingdom of Kongo?
A powerful African state engaged in trade with Portugal, affected by the slave trade
Who was Mansa Musa?
A ruler of the Mali Empire known for his immense wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324
What is Timbuktu known for?
A major center of learning and trade in West Africa, flourishing under the Mali and Songhai Empires
What was the Ming Dynasty?
A Chinese dynasty (1368-1644) known for restoring Chinese rule, expanding trade, and building the Great Wall
Who was Zheng He?
A Ming admiral who led massive naval expeditions across the Indian Ocean
What is the Forbidden City?
A vast imperial palace complex in Beijing, built during the Ming Dynasty
What was the Qing Dynasty?
The last imperial dynasty of China (1644-1912), established by the Manchu people
What was the Tokugawa Shogunate?
A military government in Japan (1603-1868) that enforced strict isolationist policies
