Chapter 5 Ways of the World (1450-1750) + Other CW/HW notes

Great Dying

The dramatic reduction in the indigenous population of the Americas due to disease introduced by Europeans, with some areas losing up to 90% of their population.

Little Ice Age

A period from the 13th to the 19th century characterized by cooler temperatures that affected agriculture and led to widespread famine and social unrest.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, human populations, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following Columbus's voyages.

Encomienda

A legal regime established by the Spanish crown that allowed colonists to demand tribute and forced labor from indigenous peoples.

Mercantilism

An economic policy that emphasizes the role of the state in managing the economy for the purpose of augmenting state power at the expense of rival national powers.

Hacienda

Large estates in Spanish America that produced agricultural goods primarily for export.

Creoles

Spanish-descended individuals born in the Americas who held a significant social and political status, distinct from the Spanish-born Peninsulares.

Mestizo

A person of mixed European and indigenous ancestry, often occupying a distinct social class in the colonial societies of Latin America.

Casta system

A hierarchical social structure in colonial Latin America based on race and ethnicity, categorizing individuals based on their ancestry.

Yasak

Tribute paid to the Russian Tsar by the native peoples of Siberia, often in the form of fur.

Akbar

The Mughal emperor (1556-1605) known for his policy of religious tolerance and efforts to accommodate Hindu subjects within his empire.

Sati

A historical Hindu practice in which a widow self-immolates on her husband's funeral pyre.

Devshirme

The Ottoman system of recruiting boys from Christian families to serve as soldiers and bureaucrats, often resulting in their conversion to Islam.

Zunghar Mongols

A group that posed a threat to the Qing dynasty, resulting in military actions to control and integrate modern-day Mongolia into China.

Treaty of Nerchinsk

The treaty established in 1689 that set the borders between Qing China and Russia.

Mulattoes

Individuals of mixed European and African ancestry, common in the context of the slave economies in the Americas.

Caribbean Economy

An economy primarily based on sugar production, which was heavily reliant on slave labor.

Hernan Cortes

Spanish conquistador known for leading the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire.

Peon

A laborer in Spanish America who worked on haciendas and received low wages with few rights.

General Crisis

A period during the Little Ice Age marked by widespread famine, warfare, and social upheaval across various regions.

Ironworking and Gunpowder

Technological advancements that provided Europeans an advantage in military conquests during the age of exploration.

Cossacks

Groups of semi-nomadic warriors and peasants who played a significant role in the Russian expansion into Siberia.

Smallpox

A contagious disease that devastated indigenous populations in the Americas upon European contact.