People Flashcards
(29 cards)
Christopher Columbus
1451-1506: Proposed sailing to Asia by a western route. Fernando and Isabel of Spain sponsored his expedition. Ended up in Central America, believing it was Asia. News of his voyage let to colonial expansion to the new world.
Vasco da Gama
Sailed around the bottom of Africa to India for trade. His expedition opened the door for trade between Europe and Asia.
Afonso D’Alboquerque
Commander of Portuguese forces in Indian Ocean (16th century). Sought to control Indian Ocean trade by forcing merchants to buy passes.
James Cook
1728-1779: One of the most important pacific explorers. Charted Eastern Australia and New Zealand, added new islands to European maps, and probed the Arctic Ocean and tropics. He helped geographers have accurate understandings of the globe.
Martin Luther
Published the Ninety-Five Theses and kickstarted the Protestant Reformation. He believed that salvation was between God and the individual, and that the Church had nothing to do with it.
John Calvin
He believed in predestination and in God’s “Elect” people. People should dress simply, work hard, and lead pure lives. “City upon a hill” mentality, where Calvinist communities are meant to be examples of righteousness to all other communities.
St. Ignatius Loyola
Founder of Society of Jesus. Wanted to extend bounds of Roman Church. Rigorous education made these missionaries extremely effective.
Charles V
Inherited authority of Austria, Burgundy, Spain, Germany, Bohemia, Switzerland, and parts of Northern India. He was unable to establish his empire as a supreme political authority in Europe because of French fear of Holy Roman Empire. The Turks and the Germans worked together with the French to resist. He abdicated his throne later because of this difficulty.
Henry VIII
Broke off from the Catholic church and created the Church of England. Hed did this because the pope wouldn’t let him divorce his wife who hadn’t given him the birth of a son.
Louis XIV
“Sun king”. Built the palace at Versailles. Established new industries and built roads/canals. Waged a series of wars designed to enlarge French boundaries.
Peter the Great
He wanted to expand Russian borders. He reformed the army with better pay and extensive training and modern weapons. He ordered Russians to dress more western European. He built a seaport at St. Petersburg.
Catherine the Great
She wanted to make Russia a great power. At first she had a strong interest in social reform, but then when it inspired challenges to her rule she abandoned that cause. Her primary concern is the preservation of aristocratic rule. She worked to improve government efficiency and economic development.
Oliver Cromwell
Served as an English general and helped overthrow the royalty in England. Served as Lord Protector until his death.
Galileo Galilei
Anticipated the law of inertia; showed how objects behave in freefall due to gravity. Discovered also that there were spots on the sun, showing that the heavens weren’t perfect.
Nicolas Copernicus
Challenged existing theories before him with his discovery that the sun was the sun was the center of the universe and not the earth.
Isaac Newton
Discovered basic laws of physics regarding to motion and gravity. These laws would eventually bear his name. Father of modern science. He is from England.
Hernan Cortes
Landed in Mexico to search for Gold. Eventually conquered the Aztec nation in Mexico in 1521 by placing them under siege. Disease along with superior weaponry helped them to win. He is from Spain.
Francisco Pizarro
1530 expedition to Inca Empire. Toppled the Inca Empire in Peru and founded Lima
Virgin of Guadalupe
She became a symbol for the Mestizos as they embraced Roman Catholicism. Supposedly she appeared to Juan Diego and a shrine is built for her there.
King Afonso I (Nzinga Mbemba)
King of the Congo Empire from 1509-1543. He converted to Christianity. Wrote many letters to the King of Portugal complaining about the Portuguese traders in his country.
Queen Nzinga
Led her armies in fighting off the Portuguese
Bartolome de las Casas
Catholic missionary who traveled to New World and was disgusted by slavery. He was an advocate for indigenous peoples’ rights and for the abolition of slavery.
Kangxi Emperor
(1661-1722) Manchu emperor who helped the Manchu’s consolidate their rule on China. He advocated and helped implement Confucianism. He expanded the Qing empire into Mongolia and Central China, and Tibet.
Qianglong Emperor
(1661-1722) Manchu emperor who helped the Manchu’s consolidate their rule on China. He advocated and helped implement Confucianism. He expanded the Qing empire into Mongolia and Central China, and Tibet.
