Ch2 AP WORLD

Hernán Cortés

His victory helped establish Spanish colonial rule in Mexico and gave Spain access to Indigenous labor and wealth.

Great Dying

This population loss weakened Indigenous societies and created labor shortages that contributed to increased use of enslaved African workers.

Little Ice Age

Colder conditions shortened growing seasons and contributed to crop failures, hunger, and social unrest.

General Crisis

These disruptions weakened governments and contributed to major political changes, including the collapse of China’s Ming dynasty.

Columbian Exchange

It transformed diets, populations, and environments worldwide, spreading American crops abroad while introducing diseases that devastated Indigenous Americans.

Mercantilism

It encouraged European states to acquire colonies that supplied raw materials and purchased goods from the mother country.

Mestizo

This category reflected the growth of mixed-ancestry populations and their unequal position within a social hierarchy that privileged European ancestry.

Mulattoes

The category shows how colonial societies used ancestry to organize social status and unequal access to opportunities.

Settler Colonies

They displaced Indigenous populations and created societies dominated by settlers, as occurred in British North America.