The Making of a Global World and Political Parties

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering Chapter 3 (The Making of a Global World) and Chapter 4 (Political Parties) based strictly on the provided lecture transcript.

How far back does coastal trade between the Indus valley civilisations and West Asia date?

An active coastal trade linked the Indus valley civilisations with present-day West Asia as early as 3000 BCE.

What were cowries, and where were they traded from and to in pre-modern history?

Cowries (seashells used as currency, known in Hindi as cowdi) originated from the Maldives and found their way to China and East Africa for more than a millennium.

How early can the long-distance spread of disease-carrying germs be traced?

It can be traced as far back as the seventh century, becoming an unmistakable global link by the thirteenth century.

Why were the ancient land and sea trade routes linking Asia with Europe and Northern Africa named 'silk routes'?

The name points to the crucial importance of West-bound Chinese silk cargoes along these routes.

What were the historical dates for the existence and thriving of the Silk Routes?

They are known to have existed since before the Christian Era and thrived almost until the fifteenth century.

What goods and precious materials were exchanged along the silk routes between Asia and Europe?

Chinese silk and pottery, along with textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia, travelled to Europe. In return, precious metals (gold and silver) flowed from Europe to Asia.

Which major world religions spread along the intersecting points of the silk routes?

Buddhism (emerging from eastern India), early Christian missionaries, and early Muslim preachers all travelled along these routes.

What are two historical hypotheses regarding the long-distance travel and origin of spaghetti and pasta?

One belief is that noodles travelled west from China to become spaghetti; another is that Arab traders brought pasta to fifth-century Sicily in Italy.

Which common foods were only introduced to Europe and Asia after Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas?

Potatoes, soya, groundnuts, maize, tomatoes, chillies, and sweet potatoes.

What caused the Irish Potato Famine between 1845 and 1849, and what were its consequences?

Ireland's poorest peasants became dependent on potatoes to survive. When disease destroyed the potato crop in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands died of starvation.

Why is it said that the pre-modern world 'shrank greatly' in the 16th century?

European sailors found a sea route to Asia and crossed the western ocean to America, expanding global flows of trade, people, customs, and knowledge.

How did silver from the Americas impact European wealth and trade?

Silver from mines in present-day Peru and Mexico enhanced Europe's wealth and financed its trade with Asia, inspiring legends of El Dorado, the fabled city of gold.

What factors drove large-scale European migration to America in the nineteenth century?

Widespread poverty and hunger, deadly diseases in crowded cities, and religious persecution of dissenters led thousands to flee Europe for America.

What was the most effective weapon used by Spanish conquerors in colonising the Americas?

Biological germs, specifically smallpox, to which the isolated original inhabitants of America had no natural immunity.

How did China's foreign policy change from the 15th century impact the centre of world trade?

China restricted overseas contacts and retreated into isolation, causing the centre of world trade to shift westwards, making Europe the centre of global trade.

What is the definition of a political party?

A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in government, agreeing on policies and programmes to promote the collective good.

How does candidate selection for elections differ between top party leaders in India and countries like the USA?

In India, top party leaders choose election candidates, whereas in countries like the USA, members and supporters choose the candidates.