Chapter 6 Notes: Economic Transformations

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Chapter 6: Economic Transformations (Trading post empires, silver and global trade, slave networks, and related actors).

Trading post empire

The Portuguese network of forts and ports used to control trade in the Indian Ocean through force, rather than large territorial control.

Silver drain

The outflow of silver from Europe to Asia (especially China) to pay for foreign goods, fueling a global trade network.

Diaspora

The spread of a group of people from their homeland to other places.

Commerce

The buying or selling of goods and services, especially between countries.

Spice trade

A global exchange of spices that motivated European exploration and the rise of maritime empires.

Pepper

A highly valued spice that helped motivate European exploration and the establishment of new trade routes.

Vasco da Gama's voyage to India (1497)

The first European voyage to reach India by sea, directly linking Europe to Indian markets.

Portuguese trading post empire

The Portuguese strategy to control commerce in the Indian Ocean, utilizing forts and armed force.

British East India Company (EIC)

A British trading company that could wage war and govern conquered lands, emblematic of early capitalism in Asia.

Dutch East India Company (VOC)

A well-financed, militarized trading company that dominated the spice trade in Indonesia and had the power to wage war and govern.

Spice Islands

Islands in Southeast Asia (Moluccas) famed for spices, which became major targets of European trade competition.

Manila

The capital of the Philippines in the 1600s, serving as a diverse, flourishing Spanish colonial center and a major Christian outpost.

Philippines

A Spanish-controlled archipelago located close to China and the Spice Islands, characterized by comparatively weak military power in that era.

Mughal India

One of Asia's great empires, where Europeans posed a limited military threat but had a growing commercial presence.

China

A massive silver-using economy central to the silver drain and global trade networks.

Japan

An Asian power that Europeans did not pose a major military threat to during this period.

Piece of Eight

The standard Spanish silver coin that circulated broadly in global commerce.

The World Hunt

The global fur trade, which was highly competitive, used Native peoples as low-cost labor, and had a significant disease impact.

Soft gold

The commodity referred to as 'soft gold' due to its value as a currency and key role in global trade.

Transatlantic Slave System

A system involving the systematic trade of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, shipping millions to the Americas.

African Diaspora

The global spread of African peoples resulting from the slave trade.

Maroon societies

Communities of former slaves who established free settlements in remote areas.

Signares

African women married to European traders who wielded power and wealth within trading networks.

Dahomey

An 18th-century West African kingdom heavily involved in the slave trade, where Africans had agency in their participation.

Benin

A West African kingdom that diversified its exports to avoid or slightly reduce involvement in the slave trade before later participation.

Palmares

A 17th-century Brazilian city that housed a community of former slaves and symbolized resistance.

Potosi

A South American city home to the world’s largest silver mine, significantly transforming demographics and the economy.

Indian Ocean Commercial Network

An extensive network of trade across the Indian Ocean in the 1500s that motivated the establishment of Portuguese bases.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that prioritizes national wealth and achieving a trade surplus for the state.

Capitalism

An economic system emphasizing private wealth and individual profit, as seen in early forms with companies like the EIC.

Fur trade

A competitive exchange of furs for goods that benefited Europeans, but significantly affected Native populations and ecosystems.