Maritime and Land-Based Empires from 1450 to 1750

A collection of flashcards covering key concepts and terms related to maritime and land-based empires as discussed in the lecture.

Maritime Empires

Empires that are sea-based or ocean-based, like those of Spain, Portugal, England, and France, involved in expansion over the Atlantic Ocean.

Casta System

A social hierarchy established in Spanish colonies based on racial ancestry and purity, with Spanish peninsulares at the top, followed by criollos, and mixed heritage individuals below them.

Mita System

An Incan labor system that was adapted by the Spanish for silver mining, requiring conquered peoples to provide labor as tribute.

Villa Galleons

Ships specifically designed to carry silver from Mexico to the Philippines to facilitate trade with Asia, particularly in China.

Hacienda

Large estates in Spanish colonies where upper classes grew European-style crops and maintained socioeconomic separation from mixed-heritage individuals.

Debt Patronage

A form of labor control where individuals are bound in debt relationships, often unable to pay off their debts, resembling serfdom.

Pueblo Revolt

A successful uprising by indigenous peoples in present-day New Mexico against Spanish colonial rule in the late 17th century.

Syncretism

The blending of different religious and cultural practices, evident in the adoption of Catholicism among indigenous peoples in the Spanish colonies.

Virgin of Guadalupe

A figure in Catholicism representing a blend of indigenous and Christian beliefs, symbolizing the convergence of cultures in colonial Mexico.

Autocrat

A ruler who has absolute power to make decisions and govern without external constraints, typical in Russian governance throughout history.

Russian Geography

The strategic position of Russia straddling Europe and Asia, leading to a unique history characterized by militarization and a multiethnic population.

Tatars

Groups of Mongol peoples who ruled parts of Russia, influencing its history and culture, but often downplayed by Russian narratives.