AP World Unit 4

What were the key technologies adopted by Europeans for maritime exploration?

Magnetic Compass, Astrolabe, Lateen Sail, Astronomical Charts.

What was the significance of the Caravel ship?

It was smaller, more mobile on water, navigable, and equipped with cannons, making it effective in battles.

What motivated European monarchs to sponsor exploration in the 15th century?

The desire for Asian spices, consolidation of power, and the need for alternative trade routes to Asia.

Who was Vasco de Gama and what was his contribution to maritime trade?

He set up trading posts around Africa and discovered riches in the Indian Ocean Network.

What triggered the Columbian Exchange?

The contact between Christopher Columbus and the previously unknown continents caused the transfer of diseases, food, plants, and animals between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

What were the effects of European diseases on indigenous populations in the Americas?

These diseases devastated the indigenous population, with smallpox killing 50% to 90% in some areas.

How did sugar plantations influence the economy of the Americas?

Sugar plantations relied on coerced labor, such as enslaved Africans, contributing to a significant production of cash crops for export.

What was mercantilism?

A state-driven economic system emphasizing the buildup of wealth through a favorable balance of trade.

What role did joint-stock companies play in empire building?

They allowed for limited liability and funding from groups of investors, facilitating trade monopolies and imperial expansion.

How did the Ottoman Empire respond to the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal?

They welcomed the displaced Jews, offering them relative tolerance and allowing some to rise to prominence.

What was the casta system in the Spanish colonies?

A social hierarchy organized by race, placing Peninsulares at the top, followed by Creoles, castas, Mestizos, Mulattoes, and then enslaved Africans and indigenous people.

Who was Queen Ana Nzinga and what was her resistance strategy?

She ruled the kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba, allying with the Dutch and Kingdom of Kongo to resist Portuguese encroachment.

What economic change occurred due to the rise of the Atlantic system?

Enhanced global movement of goods, wealth, and labor, especially through sugar and silver trade.

What was the difference between the Encomienda and Hacienda systems?

Encomienda focused on controlling the indigenous population while the Hacienda focused on the economics of food export.

What effect did the introduction of African slaves have on the demographics of African states?

It led to a gender imbalance and the practice of polygeny due to the depletion of the male population.