Unit 4 Key Terms

Atlantic Slave Trade

Buying, transporting and selling of Africans for work in the Americas and other parts of the world.
Lasted from the 16th century until the 19th century. Consisted of the trade of African peoples from Western Africa to the Americas.

United Fruit Company

American corporation that traded tropical fruit. They grew their produce on Central and South American plantations, and sold in Europe and the United States.

Cash Crop

a crop that is produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower.

Joint-Stock Companies

an association of a business enterprise with transferable shares of stock, much like a corporation except that stockholders are liable for the debts of the business

East India Company

British joint-stock company that grew to be a state within a state in India; possessed its own armed forces. A company that set up large, profitable trading post colonies in India.

Technological innovations

Innovations in Science:
Newton's Laws of Gravitation
Astronomical Charts
Better mapmaking

Innovations in Navigation:
Astrolabe
Lateen sail
Compass
New ships (caravel, carrack, fluyt)

Caravel

A type of ship which is rather small and easily steerable. Used by the Portuguese and Spanish in their explorations.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.

Maritime Empires

empires based on sea travel. examples of maritime empires in unit 4 include portugal, spain, france and england

Encomienda

A grant of land made by Spain to a settler in the Americas, including the right to use Native Americans as laborers on it