New Monarchs and Age of Exploration SAQ

Who were the New Monarchs?

France, England and Spain

France centralized power by...

- increasing taxes
- instituting first land tax (taille)
- large royal army
- commercial treaties with England, Portugal and Hanseatic League
- Concordat of Bologna (king had power to appoint bishops in French church)

England centralized power by...

- Act of Supremacy (king has authority over clergy)
- King Henry VII chose smaller landowners for his council
- *NOT AN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY BECAUSE OF PARLIAMENT

Spain centralized power by...

- eliminating powers of nobility
- power to select pope
- Spanish Inquisition (removed other religions from Spain)
- created alliances to remove power from nobles

Causes of Commercial Revolution

- flourishing trade in many countries
- populations recovering after plague
- expeditions overseas to other continents

Political Effects of CR

- rulers gain power b/c of new wealth
- nations compete for power within trade routes
- gaining more land through imperialism
- nobles gained power b/c of investments

Social Effects of CR

- cultural diffusion
- new luxury goods owned by wealthy class
- transitioning to cities --> increased crime and sanitation issues

Economic Effects of CR

- economic stability returned b/c of trade
- Amsterdam and Antwerp --> FIRST STOCK MARKET
- influx of silver in Spain --> states growing wealthier
- Bourgeoisie class increased in size and influence
- tensions between colonial powers

Political Causes of AOE and Old Imperialism

- Europeans who colonized new areas want more power
- send military troops to acquire land
- set goals to gain certain areas so they may become their most powerful

Social Causes of AOE and Old Imperialism

- Renaissance: curiosity about other lands and peoples
- Reformation: refugees and missionaries
- Technological advances (ex: new weaponry)
- religious disputes sent some to other areas of the world

Economic Causes of AOE and Old Imperialism

- more trade encouraged continuous expeditions
- factories create more success than agriculture
- crusades --> bypass intermediaries (Ottoman Empire) to get to Asia
- monarchs seeking new sources of revenue

Political Effects of AOE and Old Imperialism

- Italy loses monopoly in trading systems
- new govts. created in explored areas

Social Effects of AOE and Old Imperialism

- populations of natives of the New World decrease (genocide allowed under Christopher Columbus)
- new knowledge of world geography (Magellan)

Economic Effects of AOE and Old Imperialism

- increased trade
- demand for new goods stabilizes economy of European countries

Price Revolution

- Spain receives influx of silver
- high demand --> increased prices (inflation)
- huge financial gain

De Las Casas Reading

- Bartholomew de las Casas publicly criticized the ruthlessness of the massacre in the Americas
- helps us understand the atrocities which occurred during the expeditions to the Americas under Columbus

Similarities between African/Asian and American Exploration

- allowed for successful trade
- gaining power

Differences between African/Asian and American Exploration

- millions of native lives taken in Americas
- weaponry used to take advantage of natives in Americas
- new influx of knowledge in African/Asian exploration
- Spain completely controlled Americas and their trade, European countries mostly only traded with Africa and Asia
- Columbian Exchange, Middle Passage and Triangular Trade with Americas

Europe gained in Columbian Exchange

- sugar, tomatoes, corn
- syphilis
- gold and silver

Americas gained in Columbian Exchange

- small pox, measles, plague
- wheat, rice, coffee

Effect of Columbian Exchange on the Americas

- many natives died from diseases
- Europeans were immune so they did not suffer as much
- gained new weaponry