history Flashcards
What technological innovations facilitated European exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries?
The compass, astrolabe, and advancements in shipbuilding (notably the caravel).
What were the main economic motivations behind European exploration?
The desire to find new trade routes to Asia for spices and silks, and to access wealth and resources in Africa and the Americas.
Who were the key figures in early European exploration, and what were their contributions?
Vasco da Gama (first to reach India by sea), Christopher Columbus (discovered the Americas), and Ferdinand Magellan (led the first circumnavigation of the globe).
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas, and why was it significant?
The 1494 treaty that divided the New World between Spain and Portugal, influencing exploration and colonization strategies.
Describe the Middle Passage in the context of the Atlantic slave trade.
The brutal sea journey endured by enslaved Africans transported to the Americas, marked by inhumane conditions and high mortality rates.
What role did the Transatlantic Slave Trade play in the economy of European colonies?
It provided a labor force for plantations, especially in the Caribbean and Southern U.S., becoming integral to the agricultural economy.
What were the cultural impacts of Portuguese exploration on the Indian Ocean?
It fostered cultural exchanges between Europe, Africa, and Asia, influencing local economies and societies.
What was the significance of Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India?
It established a sea route to India, allowing Portugal to dominate trade in the Indian Ocean.
How did European exploration affect indigenous populations in the Americas?
Contact with Europeans led to significant declines in indigenous populations due to diseases and violent conflicts.
What economic system rose due to wealth from colonies during the Age of Exploration?
Mercantilism.
What were the abolition movements, and when did they gain momentum?
Movements against slavery that gained traction in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, leading to the gradual abolition of slavery in many countries.
