Hon. Mod. world history Grade 9

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, people, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and Europe following Columbus's voyages.

Global Inequality

Europe's geographic advantage that allowed them to dominate the Columbian Exchange.

Domesticated Plants

Animals

Examples include corn, potatoes, horses, and sheep.

Indigenous People and Societies

Native populations in the Americas who possessed valuable items but lacked adequate defenses against European powers.

Christopher Columbus

Led the first major European expedition to the Americas and received 10% of everything found.

Conquistadors

Spanish conquerors like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, known for violence and deceit in their treatment of native populations.

Resistance to Spanish

Native leaders such as Moctezuma and Atahualpa who opposed Spanish rule.

Encomienda

A system where natives worked for Europeans in exchange for Christian teachings.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

A Spanish priest who criticized the encomienda system and advocated for the rights of Native Americans.

Smallpox

A disease that devastated Native American communities, killing approximately 85% of the population.

Extraction of Resources

The process of farming cash crops and mining gold and silver in the Americas, often under dangerous conditions.

European Population Growth

Increased population in Europe, partly due to the collapse of Native American societies.

Motives and Justifications for Colonization

The reasons and excuses used by European powers to justify their colonization efforts.

British

French Empires

European powers that competed with Spain and Portugal for colonies.

Triangle Trade

A trade system where Europeans transported raw materials to Europe, traded finished goods with Africa, and traded slaves for raw materials in the Americas.

Atlantic Slave Trade

The transportation of slaves across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

Slavery

The practice of forced labor that occurred in North America, the Caribbean, and South America.