Colonialism, Empire, & the Slave Trade

The Atlantic World 1490s – 1800s:

The Atlantic World (1490s–1800s) was a regional system with complex histories, shaped by the movement of goods, peoples, cultures, and identities. It was founded on trade systems and deeply rooted in exploitation and oppression, tied to the practices and legacies of the slave trade and settler colonialism.

Pre-Columbian Civilizations in Central & South America

Aztec – Mexico

Maya – Central America & Mexico

Inca – South America

Machu Picchu: Incan Citadel

Machu Picchu, located in the Cuzco region of modern Peru, was built around 1450 during the reign of Incan emperor Pachacuti (1438-1471) as an estate. The citadel functioned as a fortress with agricultural, residential, and religious sectors, but was abandoned around the time of Spanish colonization.

Early Modern Europe (ca. 1400-1600)

In Early Modern Europe (ca. 1400-1600), there was a shift from the Medieval Era as rulers began to rebuild and centralize monarchies, focusing more on national lines. Powerful families, or Houses, often held these monarchies. They established permanent royal armies and councils, supported by the growing influence of urban merchants and financiers.

Map of Europe: 1500

In 1500, Europe was shaped by powerful ruling Houses. France was ruled by the House of Valois, and England by the House of Tudor. The Holy Roman Empire was under the House of Habsburg. Spain and Italy remained collections of independent kingdoms and city-states, while the Ottoman Empire had conquered Constantinople in 1453.

European Colonialism (ca. 1450-1650)

Between 1450 and 1650, European colonialism, led by Iberian nations, focused on expanding into the Americas. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) established the first colonies, including on Hispaniola (modern Haiti/Dominican Republic), home to the Taino people. Later colonizers like Hernan Cortés (1485-1547) and Francisco Pizarro (1478-1541) followed, continuing the colonization and conquest of Indigenous civilizations in the Americas.

Impact of the Columbian Exchange:

The Columbian Exchange had significant impacts, including the spread of diseases and microbes, which devastated Indigenous populations in the Americas. It also introduced new crops and animals between the Old and New Worlds, transforming agriculture, diets, and economies on both sides.

The Atlantic Slave Trade:

From the 1500s to the 1700s, millions of Africans were taken and sold into slavery, transported on ships from West Africa, England, and Europe to the Americas. Many were brought to the southern Thirteen Colonies to work on plantations. The Portuguese colony of Brazil began its slave-plantation system in the 16th century, marking the start of widespread forced labor in the Americas.