Unit 4: Transoceanic Interactions

Silk Roads

Land-based trade routes connecting Asia to Europe, declining due to increased maritime trade.

Mercantilism

An economic doctrine advocating that a nation's wealth is best served by increasing exports and accumulating precious metals.

Columbian Exchange

Biological exchanges between the Old World and the New World, including plants, animals, diseases, and human populations.

Joint-Stock Companies

Investment companies that allowed investors to buy shares, spreading risk among them for overseas ventures.

Astrolabe

An ancient instrument used by explorers to determine latitude by measuring the angle between the horizon and a celestial body.

Lateen Sails

Triangular sails that allowed ships to sail more efficiently against the wind, developed by Muslims.

The Mita System

A labor system requiring Indigenous villages to send a portion of their male population to work in Spanish mines.

Trading Post Empire

A type of trade empire focused on controlling trade networks rather than large territories.

Caraval

A small, fast ship developed by the Portuguese, capable of carrying significant cargo.

Catholic Church Expansion

The effort by the Church to gain new followers and spread Catholicism as part of colonial endeavors.

Exchange of Disease

The transfer of diseases from the Old World to the New World, which devastated Indigenous populations.

Demand for Sugar

A strong European demand that led to the establishment of sugar plantations in the Americas.

Prince Henry's Exploration

The initiatives promoted by Prince Henry of Portugal to explore new trade routes and expand Christianity.

Bubonic Plague

A devastating global epidemic that decreased the viability of traditional Silk Road trade routes.

Jesuit Missionaries

Catholic missionaries known for their role in spreading Catholicism during the age of exploration.

Casta System

A social hierarchy in colonial Mexico based on race and ethnicity, classifying individuals from European, Indigenous, and African backgrounds.

Swahili City-States

Independent, trade-oriented regions on the East African coast that were disrupted by the arrival of the Portuguese.

Afro-Eurasia

The interconnected regions of Africa, Europe, and Asia, particularly relevant for trade networks.

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

The forced migration of approximately 12 million Africans to the Americas for labor, leading to demographic and cultural shifts.

Dahomey Empire

An African kingdom that expanded and profited significantly by capturing slaves to trade with Europeans.