Unit 4 Notes Flashcards (Ap World History)

Chinese compass

A navigational instrument that helped sailors determine direction.

Caravel

A small, fast ship used by the Portuguese that utilized the lateen sail.

Prince Henry of Portugal

A key figure who sponsored explorations along the west coast of Africa and started a navigation school.

Columbian Exchange

The trade of goods between the Old World and the New World, including crops and livestock.

Hernan Cortés

The Spanish conquistador who explored Mexico and defeated the Aztecs.

Francisco Pizarro

The Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire.

Joint-stock companies

Companies that allowed individuals to invest in trade enterprises while maintaining government control.

Mercantilism

The economic philosophy promoting the accumulation of gold and the restriction of trade with other countries.

Vodun

A religion that mixes African traditional beliefs with European Christian elements, primarily in the Caribbean.

Encomienda system

A labor system where Spanish settlers were granted rights to extract labor from native people.

Indigenous Peoples

The original inhabitants of a region, often with distinct cultures, languages, and traditions.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal dividing newly discovered lands outside Europe.

Triangular Trade

A system of trade involving three regions, typically Europe, Africa, and the Americas, exchanging goods, enslaved people, and resources.

Middle Passage

The sea journey undertaken by slave ships from West Africa to the Americas.

Impact of Disease

The significant reduction of Indigenous populations in the Americas due to European diseases such as smallpox.

Spanish Armada

A fleet sent by Spain in 1588 to invade England, ultimately defeated, marking a shift in naval power.

Colonialism

The practice of acquiring full or partial control over another country and exploiting it economically.

Plantation System

An agricultural system based on large-scale estates that produce cash crops, heavily reliant on slave labor.

New World

The name used for the Americas following the European exploration and colonization.

Old World

Refers to Europe, Asia, and Africa as known before the discovery of the Americas.

African slave trade

The historical trade of enslaved Africans who were forcibly transported to the Americas and other regions.

Sugar plantations

Large farms in the Americas focused on the production of sugar, reliant on slave labor for agriculture.

Cultural Exchange

The sharing and blending of cultural traits and practices between different groups, particularly between Europeans and Indigenous peoples.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century doctrine that the expansion of the US across the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Colonial economies

Economic systems in colonies that often relied on the extraction of resources and agricultural products for export.

Spices Trade

The trade of valuable spices that motivated European exploration and colonization in Asia and the Americas.

Age of Exploration

A period from the late 15th century to the early 17th century when European powers explored the world for new trade routes and territories.

Indigenous resistance

The efforts by Native peoples to resist European encroachment, leading to conflicts and negotiations.

Crops introduced to the New World

Plants brought from Europe to the Americas, including wheat, rice, and sugarcane, transforming agricultural practices.

Crops introduced to the Old World

New plants taken from the Americas to Europe, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco, revolutionizing diets.

Astrolabe

An ancient instrument used by sailors to measure the altitude of celestial bodies, aiding navigation.

Vasco da Gama

A Portuguese explorer who was the first to reach India by sea, linking Europe and Asia via the ocean.

Ferdinand Magellan

The explorer who led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, proving the earth's roundness.

Exploratory expeditions

Missions undertaken to explore unknown territories, often for trade, conquest, or scientific research.

Colonial governance

The system of political control implemented by colonial powers over their colonies.

Silver trade

The trade network primarily based on silver mined in the Americas that fueled international commerce.

Treaty of Paris 1763

The agreement that ended the Seven Years' War and marked significant territorial changes in favor of Britain.

Piracy

Illegal acts of robbery at sea that became common during the age of exploration, particularly in the Caribbean.

Seafaring technology

Innovations in shipbuilding and navigation that advanced exploration, such as the magnetic compass and caravel design.

Cultural imperialism

The practice of promoting the culture of one nation over another, often seen in colonial contexts.

Renaissance

A cultural movement in Europe during the 14th to 17th centuries, emphasizing art, science, and humanism.

Geocentric Model

An astronomical model where the Earth is at the center of the universe, supported by Ptolemy.

Heliocentric Model

The astronomical model proposed by Copernicus, placing the Sun at the center of the solar system.

Age of Enlightenment

An intellectual and philosophical movement of the 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason and individualism.

Scientific Revolution

A period of significant advancements in scientific thought and practice, transforming views about nature.

Mongol Empire

A vast empire in the 13th and 14th centuries that united much of Eurasia under Mongol rule.

Silk Road

An ancient trade route connecting the East and West, facilitating cultural, commercial, and technological exchange.

Crusades

A series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages, aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land.

Feudalism

A social and economic system in medieval Europe where landowners granted land to vassals in exchange for loyalty.

The Black Death

A devastating pandemic in the 14th century, which resulted in the death of millions in Europe and Asia.

Mercantile empires

Colonial empires focused on the accumulation of wealth and trade control, notably by European powers.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

The large-scale forced transportation of Africans to the Americas for labor, primarily in plantations.

Exploration technology

Technological advancements, including better ships and navigational tools, that enabled long-distance sea voyages.

Indigenous cultures of the Americas

Diverse societies with unique languages, customs, and traditions existing prior to European contact.

Colonial rivalry

Competitive relationships among European powers, leading to conflicts and wars over territorial claims.

Atlantic Slave Trade

The transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, part of the Triangular Trade.

Colonial mercantilism

Economic doctrine that emphasized the role of colonies in providing resources to the mother country.

Native American tribes in the 15th century

Diverse groups with distinct languages, cultures, and societies existing in North America before European settlement.

Maritime navigation advancements

Innovations such as improved maps, navigational tools, and ship designs that facilitated ocean exploration.

Cultural syncretism

The blending of indigenous and European cultures, particularly seen in language, religion, and customs.

Responsible colonization

The idea that colonial powers should have obligations toward the people they colonized, including welfare.

Treaty of Utrecht

A series of agreements in 1713 that ended the War of the Spanish Succession, redistributing territories among European powers.

Gold, God, and Glory

The motivations for exploration, emphasizing wealth, religious conversion, and national prestige.

Racial hierarchy in colonies

Social structures established by colonizers that ranked individuals based on race, impacting rights and privileges.

Impact of the printing press

The spread of knowledge and ideas in Europe, facilitating exploration and the sharing of information about new territories.

Astrology

The study of celestial bodies' movements and positions in relation to human affairs.

Age of Discovery

A period from the 15th to the 17th century characterized by European global exploration.

Barter System

An economic system where goods and services are exchanged directly for other goods and services without money.

Circumnavigation

To sail completely around the world, first accomplished by Ferdinand Magellan's expedition.

Colonial administration

The system and processes involved in controlling and managing colonies.

Cartography

The science and art of map-making, crucial for navigation during the Age of Exploration.

Voyages of Discovery

Journeys undertaken to explore new lands and trade routes, often led by explorers like Columbus and da Gama.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 treaty that divided the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal along a meridian.

Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness of the world, particularly through trade and cultural exchange.

Cultural assimilation

The process whereby a minority group adopts the customs and attitudes of the dominant culture.

Exploration motives

Economic, religious, and political factors driving European exploration, often summarized as Gold, God, and Glory.

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

A peace treaty that officially ended World War I but not directly related to earlier exploration.

Trade routes

Pathways established for commerce, significant for the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture during the Age of Exploration.

Cultural impact of colonization

The profound effects of colonization on indigenous cultures, including language loss and cultural assimilation.

European rivalries

Conflicts among European states that spurred exploration and colonization efforts globally.

Caribbean colonies

Islands in the Caribbean that became key sites for sugar plantations and slave labor in the colonial era.

Natural resources

Raw materials like sugar, tobacco, and cotton that were exploited in the colonies for European markets.

Colonial trade network

The system of trade established between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, instrumental in colonial economies.

Fur trade

An economic activity primarily centered on North America, driven by European demand for animal pelts.

Transpacific exchanges

Trade and cultural interactions between the Americas and Asia following European exploration.

Aboriginal land rights

The recognition and assertion of rights by indigenous peoples regarding traditional lands taken during colonization.

Colonial agriculture

Farming practices in colonies focused on cash crops for export, often using slave labor.

European exploration motivations

Driven by the pursuit of new trade routes, wealth, and territorial expansion.

Colonial resistance movements

Efforts by colonized peoples to oppose and resist colonial rule and exploitation.

Impact of European colonization

Significant changes to indigenous societies, economies, and environments due to colonization.

Cultural diffusion

The spread of cultural traits and ideas from one society to another, often enhanced by trade.

Colonial trade goods

Items produced in colonies for export, including sugar, tobacco, and cotton.

Exploration map-making

The creation of detailed maps that aided navigation and territorial claims.

Voyages of conquest

Expeditions aimed at conquering lands and establishing control over native populations.

Colonial social structure

Hierarchy established in colonies based on race, class, and land ownership.

Indigenous agricultural practices

Traditional farming methods used by Native American tribes before European contact.

Economic imperialism

A form of imperialism where control over foreign resources and markets is prioritized.

New World resources

Valuable materials, such as gold and silver, extracted from the Americas by Europeans.

Historical impact of colonization

The long-lasting effects on indigenous societies, including demographic, cultural, and social changes.