HIS_206_Midterm_1_Notes

Who was Bernardino de Sahagún and what is remarkable about his work?

He was a Franciscan friar who recorded the history of the Aztec peoples and worked on the Florentine Codex.

What year did Bernardino de Sahagún land in Veracruz, Mexico?

1529.

What language did the Aztec Empire primarily speak?

Nahuatl.

What was one major consequence of the Aztec Empire's method of incorporating conquered people?

They faced military instability due to lack of assimilation.

What marked the expansion of the Aztec Empire in the 15th century?

The gradual unification of over 400 independent city-states under a single monarch.

What were two technological advancements of the Inca Empire?

Extraction and processing of metal ore, and an advanced road system.

What role did military power play in the Inca Empire?

The Inca had a large army of up to 100,000 that helped expand their empire.

What was the significance of the Age of Discovery?

It marked the European exploration of the Americas and a new era of global interaction.

What precondition contributed to the Age of Discovery?

The Renaissance, which spurred intellectual curiosity.

What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?

A 1494 treaty that divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal.

What initiated the emergence of the Atlantic Slave Trade?

The Portuguese began purchasing slaves from West Africa in the mid-1400s.

What was the Columbian Exchange?

The transfer of plants, animals, goods, and diseases between the Americas and Europe.

What characterized the Mughal Empire in the 17th century?

It was one of the world's wealthiest and most powerful empires, with a strong agrarian base.

What was a major factor in the decline of the Ming dynasty?

Internal discord and natural disasters leading to revolts and political instability.

Who was Evliya Çelebi?

A traveler who wrote about his experiences across the Ottoman Empire.

What was the significance of Akbar’s rule in the Mughal Empire?

He encouraged cultural debate and religious tolerance, bringing diverse communities together.

What led to the unique situation of the Ottomans as a non-Arab caliphate?

Their conquest of key Islamic cities like Mecca and Medina after taking Mamluk Egypt.

What economic system did the Dutch East India Company utilize?

It used a joint-stock company model, allowing multiple investors to share in profits.

How did the British presence in North America differ from the French?

English colonies focused on plantation agriculture with an emphasis on tobacco and later enslaved Africans.

What was the outcome of the Seven Years’ War?

France lost almost all of its empire in North America, while Britain expanded its territories.