Unit 10 Vocabulary Flashcards
(24 cards)
Astrolabe
An astrolabe is an astronomical instrument dating to ancient times. It serves as a star chart and physical model of the visible half-dome of the sky. Its various functions also make it an elaborate inclinometer and an analog calculation device capable of working out several kinds of problems in astronomy.
Caravel
a small, fast Spanish or Portuguese sailing ship of the 15th–17th centuries.
Maritime
connected with the sea, especially in relation to seafaring commercial or military activity.
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement between Spain and Portugal in 1494, brokered by Pope Alexander VI, to divide the newly discovered lands outside of Europe. It established a line of demarcation in the Atlantic Ocean, 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands, assigning lands west of the line to Spain and lands east to Portugal.
Conquistadors
a conqueror, especially one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century.
Indigenous
originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native, like native americans.
Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and people between the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World (the Americas) following Christopher Columbus’s voyages in the late 15th century. This exchange drastically altered agricultural practices, diets, and economies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Smallpox
During the Age of Exploration, smallpox was a devastating disease that significantly impacted indigenous populations in the Americas, Africa, and Australia. The virus, introduced by European explorers and settlers, spread rapidly due to the lack of immunity in indigenous populations. This resulted in catastrophic mortality rates, with some tribes experiencing death tolls exceeding 90%.
Assimilation
The process where Indigenous populations and cultures adopted the customs, beliefs, and ways of life of European colonizers
Mercantilism
an economic philosophy in which a country seeks to amass as much raw wealth as possible, usually through trading, monopolizing resources, and strict regulation, usually from their colonies
Mother Country
The country that starts the colony
Colony
a territory claimed and settled by a foreign power (usually a European nation) that maintained some degree of control over it, often for economic gain or strategic purposes
Triangular Trade
a system of trade routes connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, where goods were exchanged in a three-way pattern. This system played a crucial role in the growth of European economies and colonial empires, particularly in the transatlantic slave trade
Middle Passage
the forced voyage of enslaved Africans from Africa to the Americas, specifically the West Indies and later Brazil
Encomienda System
The Encomienda System, a practice prevalent during the Age of Exploration, was a form of forced labor in the Spanish colonies. Spanish conquistadors and settlers were granted the right to demand labor and tribute from indigenous populations in exchange for providing protection and Christian instruction. The system was intended to help the Spanish control and extract resources from the Americas, but it often led to harsh conditions and abuses for the indigenous peoples.
Dutch East India Company
a Dutch trading company formed in 1602 to conduct trade in the East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) and parts of Asia. It was one of the first and most successful multinational corporations and played a key role in establishing Dutch dominance in maritime trade during the Age of Exploration.
Inflation
Inflation is a general increase in the price of goods and services in an economy over time, resulting in a decrease in the purchasing power of money. This means that the same amount of money buys fewer goods and services than it did previously.
Potosi Natives
The indigenous people living in the region surrounding Potosi, were part of the Inca Empire before the arrival of the spanish
Peninsulares
Spanish-born residents of the Americas
Creoles
People who are descendents of europeans but born in colonies
Mestizos
A person who is part european and part native american
Missionaries
individuals sent by religious organizations, primarily the Catholic Church, to spread their faith and convert indigenous populations to Christianity
West Indies
the Caribbean islands, a group of islands stretching from Florida to South America
Hispaniola
ON his first voyage to the American Indies, shimmering on the western horizon, Christopher Columbus discovered a Caribbean island which he called Hispaniola, meaning “Little Spain, now called haiti
