Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections (1450-1750)

Magnetic Compass

Navigation tool that originated from China, helping sailors to determine direction.

Astrolabe

An instrument used to determine latitude, originating from Ancient Greece and the Arab world.

Lateen Sail

A triangular sail developed by Arab merchants, allowing boats to navigate against the wind.

Mercantilism

A state-driven economic system characterized by the belief that a nation's wealth is limited and defined by gold and silver.

Joint-Stock Company

A business model allowing investors to share risks and profits, with limited liability, often chartered by the state.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and resources between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Chattel Slavery

A system of slavery where the enslaved person is seen as property and is based on race.

Encomienda System

A labor system established by Spanish colonizers, where indigenous people were forced to work for settlers in exchange for protection and resources.

Casta System

A social hierarchy imposed by the Spanish in their American colonies, ranking individuals based on race and ancestry.

Favorable Balance of Trade

An economic strategy where exports exceed imports, aimed at increasing a country's wealth.

Portuguese Caravel

A small, agile ship developed by the Portuguese, allowing for fast navigation in shallow waters.

National Seclusion Policy

A policy employed by Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate to isolate the country from foreign influences.

Maroon Societies

Communities formed by escaped enslaved individuals in the Americas, often resisting colonial forces.

Atlantic System

A new trade network created as a result of European exploration, characterized by the exchange of goods and resources across the Atlantic.

Cash Cropping

Agricultural practice focused on growing crops primarily for export, such as sugar cane.

Tribute Collecting

A method of resource extraction where a colonial power demands goods or labor from local populations.

Silk Roads

An ancient trade route connecting the East and West, primarily dominated by Asian land-based powers during this period.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

A historical trade network that connected South Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa, utilized by various maritime powers.

Absolutism

a political system in which a single ruler holds complete authority and control over the state, often justified by divine right