AP WORLD HISTORY — KNOWT NOTES Unit 3 & Unit 4 (1450–1750)

Gunpowder Weapons

Technological advancements (cannons, muskets) that transformed warfare and military strategies.

Fortified Cities

Urban areas with strong defensive walls, which became vulnerable to artillery due to gunpowder technology.

Ottoman Capture of Constantinople

The 1453 event where the Ottomans used large cannons to breach walls and expand their territory.

State-Funded Military Innovation

Government financing of military advancements to enhance capabilities, as seen in the Ottoman Empire.

Standing Armies

Permanent military forces maintained by states, often leading to increased expenses and taxation.

Centralized States

Nations where authority and control are consolidated under a single governing entity.

Religious Legitimacy

The use of religion by rulers to justify their power and authority.

Ottoman-Safavid Conflict

The religious and political rivalry between Sunni Ottomans and Shia Safavids.

Local Elites

Powerful local leaders who maintained control and stability in regions without direct state governance.

Russian Cossacks

A group that maintained local control in Russia while providing military service to the tsar.

Negotiation in State-Building

The process of forming stability and governance through compromise with local leaders.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of diseases, crops, and animals between the Americas and Europe following Columbus's voyages.

Smallpox Impact on Indigenous Populations

The devastation of Native American communities due to diseases brought by Europeans.

Divine Providence

The belief that survival or success was a sign of divine favor, often used to interpret events post-disease outbreaks.

Joint-Stock Companies

Business entities that pooled resources to reduce risk in trade and colonization efforts.

Dutch West India Company

A company established to profit from trade and engage in slavery in the Americas.

Active Participation of African States

The involvement of African nations in trade, rather than being viewed solely as victims of slavery.

Atlantic Slave Trade

The forced migration and enslavement of Africans to meet labor demands in plantation economies.

Plantation Economies

Agricultural systems that relied heavily on enslaved labor to produce cash crops.

Barbados Society

An example of extreme inequality with wealth concentrated among plantation landowners.

Imperial Competition

The rivalry between states to expand their empires through trade and colonization.

Coerced Labor Systems

Forced labor practices that underpinned economic activities in colonies.

Demographic Collapse

The significant decline in population, often due to disease or harsh conditions.

Transition from 1450 to 1750

A period marked by growth in state power through centralized administration, military innovation, and global trade.

Cause-and-Effect of Gunpowder

Gunpowder technology led to empire expansion and changes in military dynamics.

Taxation and Bureaucracy Growth

Increased state expenses from larger armies led to higher taxes and expanded bureaucratic structures.

Religion as a Tool of State Power

The strategic use of religious beliefs to legitimize authority and control by rulers.

Economic Foundation of Colonies

The basis of colony wealth built upon slavery and exploitation of labor.

Conquest Justification

The rationalization of territorial expansion through the lenses of disease and divine will.