European Colonial Expansion Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the two waves of European colonial expansion, key navigators, economic theories, and the political impacts on global regions.

Old Imperialism

The wave of European colonial expansion from the early $16\text{th}$ to the late $18\text{th}$ centuries, mainly focused in the Americas.

New Imperialism

The wave of colonial expansion from the late $19\text{th}$ to early $20\text{th}$ centuries when most of Africa and Southeast Asia became European colonies.

Bartholomew Diaz

Portuguese navigator who sailed from Western Europe to the Cape of Good Hope, Africa, in $1488$.

Vasco da Gama

Portuguese navigator who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and reached Calicut, India, between $1497$ and $1498$, opening a direct sea route.

Christopher Columbus

Italian navigator who led a Spanish fleet westwards in $1492$ and discovered the Americas (specifically the West Indies) unknown to Europeans.

Ferdinand Magellan

Portuguese navigator who led a Spanish fleet between $1519$ and $1522$ to complete the first global circumnavigation.

Amerigo Vespucci

Italian navigator who proved the Americas were a new continent, which was subsequently named after him.

Mercantilism

An economic theory rising in the $16\text{th}$ century stressing the accumulation of wealth, reaching its climax in the $17\text{th}$ and $18\text{th}$ centuries.

Puritans

British religious group who became early colonists in North America in pursuit of religious freedom.

Spanish Armada

The Spanish fleet that lost its naval supremacy to England after being defeated in $1588$.

Anglo-Dutch Wars

Conflicts in the second half of the $17\text{th}$ century that severely defeated the Netherlands and led to the decline of its colonial influence.

Monroe Doctrine

A policy announced by the United States in $1823$ demanding that the Americas should no longer be regarded as targets of colonization.

Industrial Revolution

A period in the $18\text{th}$ and $19\text{th}$ centuries that drove European countries to find raw materials, markets, and investment opportunities overseas through increased technology and military strength.

Nationalism

A $19\text{th}$-century idea that initially advocated national independence and later urged gaining national wealth and glory by overpowering other peoples.

White man's burden

A $19\text{th}$-century popular belief that Europeans had a duty to educate Asians and Africans, whom they considered inferior.

Gunboat policy

A practice during the later expansion period where European powers sent troops and naval vessels to attack and exploit Asian and African countries.

Berlin Conference

A meeting of $14$ countries held between $1884$ and $1885$ to reach a consensus on the rules of colonizing Africa.

Chartered companies

Entities like the British and Dutch East India Companies that enjoyed trade monopolies and administered occupied areas on behalf of their governments.

Spheres of influence

Zones where European colonial powers held exclusive rights to trade and build infrastructure, often established when they could not gain sole control over a region.

Protectorates

Countries or regions where European powers ruled through local rulers under the pretext of protection, such as British Somaliland or the Maldives.

Colonies

Overseas territories that lost their sovereignty to suzerains, who appointed colonial officials like governors to rule directly.

Cash crops

Single crops like spices, tobacco, rubber, and cocoa beans grown on plantations for export to international markets rather than for local food production.

Atlantic slave trade

The trade occurring between the $16\text{th}$ and $19\text{th}$ centuries during which more than $15\text{ million}$ Africans were sold to the Americas.

Triangular slave trade

A trade system where Europeans exchanged goods for African slaves, shipped slaves to American colonies, and then shipped American raw materials back to Europe.

John Bull

A famous character in a novel used as a national personification to represent Britain in historical cartoons.

Marianne

The symbol of reason and liberty used to represent France in historical cartoons.

Seven Years' War

A conflict from $1756$ to $1763$ where Britain and France fought for control of colonies in North America.

Cullinan I and II

Two large diamonds from South Africa weighing approximately $530$ and $318$ carats respectively, set in the British scepter and crown.