History final

Prince Henry the Navigator

Portuguese prince who sponsored early voyages of exploration.

Bartholomew Dias

First European to sail around the southern tip of Africa.

Vasco da Gama

First to reach India by sea, linking Europe and Asia via the ocean.

Columbus

Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.

Magellan

Led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

Hernan Cortes

Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire.

Francisco Pizarro

Conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire.

Treaty of Tordesillas

Agreement between Spain and Portugal dividing newly discovered lands.

Guns, Germs and Steel

Book by Jared Diamond explaining the factors that led to European dominance.

Domesticated animals

Animals that have been bred and controlled by humans for various uses.

Smallpox

A deadly disease that significantly impacted Indigenous populations in the Americas.

Virginia Company

A joint-stock company that established the first permanent English colony in America.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World.

Potosí

A massive silver-mining city in present-day Bolivia, known for its wealth.

Mita

A forced labor system adapted from the Inca Empire for mining.

Encomienda

System granting Spanish settlers control over Indigenous labor in exchange for protection.

Sugar

A major cash crop grown on plantations in the Americas, driving demand and enslaved labor.

Mercury

Used to refine silver ore by separating silver from rock.

Assimilation of Amerindians to Spanish/Catholic Society

Spain's efforts to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity and integrate them into colonial society.

Effects of American Silver on Europe and Asia

Increased wealth in Europe but also caused inflation; became a main currency in Asia.

Growth of Cities in the New World

Mining and plantation economies caused rapid urban development near ports and mines.

What were the causes of the Age of Exploration?

The Age of Exploration was driven by the desire for new trade routes, the spread of Christianity, advancements in navigation technology, and competition among European powers.

What were the effects of disease on the New World?

Diseases brought by Europeans, such as smallpox, devastated Indigenous populations in the New World, leading to significant demographic and social changes.

What was the role of the Dutch East India Company?

The Dutch East India Company was a powerful trading company established in the 17th century that played a crucial role in the spice trade and the establishment of Dutch colonial dominance in Asia.

What is meant by the term 'Old World'?

The term 'Old World' refers to the regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa that were known to Europeans before the discovery of the Americas.

What were some economic systems of Colonial Empires?

Economic systems of Colonial Empires included mercantilism, plantation economies based on cash crops like sugar, and the exploitation of resources such as silver from mines like Potosi.