4.4 Maritime Empires

Maritime Empires

Introduction

• Anonymous West African griot (storyteller) song:

  • "You grow your peanuts
    And plenty millet
    The king sets a hand on everything
    And says it is not yours anymore!
    In the deepest of your sleep
    The king beats his drum
    And says wake up!
    You are not free anymore!"

• Essential Question: How were the empires of European states established between 1450 to 1750, and what economic and labor systems fueled them?

Overview of European Colonial Expansion

• European nations motivated by political, religious, and economic rivalries.

• Established new maritime empires and trading posts in Asia, Africa, and colonies in the Americas.

• Trade in Asia primarily involved exchanging silver and gold for luxury goods (silk, spices).

• Colonial economies in the Americas relied heavily on agriculture.

Labor Systems in American Plantations

• Existing and new labor systems employed in the Americas:

  • Indentured Servitude: Workers contracted to work for a specific period in exchange for passage.

  • Chattel Slavery: Individuals treated as property, bought and sold.

• Impact of Slavery: Captured in the griot song, reflects horror of free people being enslaved.

• Growth of plantation economies increased demand for slaves, leading to major demographic and cultural transitions.

State-Building and Empire Expansion

• European explorations laid the foundation for maritime empires.

• States claimed lands based on explorations, establishing the basis for empire.

Trading Posts in Africa and Asia

• Late 15th century European conquest targets in East and West Africa.

  • Prince Henry the Navigator: Significant in facilitating explorations along the Atlantic coast.

  • Established trading posts through partnerships with local rulers.

  • Some rulers traded slaves in exchange for European firearms, enhancing military power.

  • Kingdom of Dahomey: Gained wealth through slave trading completed by raiding neighboring villages.

Cultural Exchange and Influence

• Portuguese interactions with the Kongo and Benin kingdoms highlighted European and African cultural influences.

• Artwork of the Benin incorporated aspects of European intrusion by the 16th century.

• Maritime trading networks bolstered the influence and power of certain African states (Asante Empire, Kingdom of Kongo).

Portuguese Takeover of Swahili City-States

• In 1498, Vasco da Gama captured Swahili city-states, disrupting East African trade.

• Established Portuguese dominance in Kilwa and Mombasa, contributing to regional decline.

Japan's Response to European Expansion

• Japan's Isolationism: Receptiveness turned into restrictive policies by the late 16th century.

• Initially allowed Portuguese/Dutch traders, many Japanese converted to Christianity.

• 1587: Japan banned Christian services; subsequently expelled most foreigners.

• Continued limited trade with the Chinese, secluding themselves for over two centuries.

China's Trade Restrictions During the Ming Dynasty

• Post-Zheng He voyages, the Ming Dynasty limited foreign influence with stricter trade policies.

  • Trade Provisions: Prohibitions on private foreign trade, ship size limitations, and rebuilding the Great Wall reflect conservatism.

  • Eventually, these limits were lifted as global trade resumed, reaffirming China’s central global trade role.

European Rivalries During Empire Expansion

• European Powers in India: Key players included:

  • British East India Company: Commercial relations with the Mughal Empire.

  • Portuguese: Controlled coastal trade post in Goa.

  • French: Controlled Pondicherry.

  • Seven Years' War: British victory drove France out of India.

British Control in India

• Initial British trading posts typical, focused on trade profit but limited influence due to the Mughal Empire.

• Increased influence through local treaties and armed forces (sepoys).

• Escalation into significant British political intervention throughout India by manipulating local conflicts.

British Global Trade Network

• Development of trading posts across continents facilitated globalization, connecting Africa, India, and the Americas.

European Colonization of the Americas

Pre-Columbian Civilizations

• Aztec Empire (10-15 million) and Inca Empire (10-15 million) before European contact faced demographic disasters.

• Indigenous populations dramatically declined due to European diseases and conquest.

The Spanish Conquest of the Americas

• Hernán Cortés aided by local groups to overthrow the Aztec Empire by 1521.

• Established New Spain and sent wealth back to Spain.

• Francisco Pizarro's assault on the Inca, capturing ruler Atahualpa, led to the fall of the Inca by 1572.

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)

• Division between Spain (west) and Portugal (east), shaping colonial claims in the Americas (Brazil under Portugal).

Spanish Features in North America

• Pedro Menéndez de Avilés established St. Augustine (1565), North America's oldest settlement.

French and British Rivalry in North America

• British settlers' encroachment on Dutch territories, forging ties with the Iroquois against French competition.

• The eventual shift in alliances left Britain dominant in both North American and Indian territories following the French and Indian War.

Economic Systems and Labor Dynamics

The Indian Ocean Trade

• Despite European intrusion, traditional Indian Ocean trade methods largely persisted.

• Europeans like the Portuguese, using naval power to establish dominance, disrupted local trade customs but still engaged within existing networks.

Spanish Economic Ventures in the Americas

• Encomienda System: Used for labor and resources, with landowners (encomenderos) compelling indigenous work under harsh conditions.

Discovery of Silver and Economic Impact

• Silver mining in Mexico (Zacatecas) and Peru (Potosí) became critical.

• The adaptation of the Incan mit'a system into coerced labor led to systemic exploitation.

Mercantilism and Its Role

• Spanish colonial economy driven by mercantilist principles aimed at maximizing wealth via resource extraction.

• Direct wealth flow from colonies to the crown funded military and trade endeavors.

Labor Systems in Different Regions

Types of Labor

Slavery in Africa and European Demand

• African slave systems existed pre-European interest; expansion coincided with European labor needs mostly due to declining Indigenous populations and the scarcity of labor.

• Portuguese sought African slaves to work in domestic roles initially, later for plantation agriculture in the Americas.

Capture and Shipment of Slaves

• Slave capture often violent. African leaders facilitated raids for economic gain, undermining traditional social structures.

• King Afonso of Kongo's stance against depopulation reflects resistance to European exploitation.

The Middle Passage and Its Horrors

• Captive Africans held in barracoons before being shipped across the Atlantic (Middle Passage) under appalling conditions.

• Mortality estimates during transport around 10-15% due to conditions.

Demographics, Social Structures, and Cultural Changes

• Slave trade not only changed demographics in Africa but also led to cultural mixing in the Americas, fostering new social classes.

The Indian Ocean Slave Trade

• Long-standing slave networks existed prior to the Atlantic slave trade.

• Slavery fate differed in the Indian Ocean, where greater rights and community development were possible due to urban settings.

Conclusion

• The transition into the economic systems and labor forms established by European colonial powers shaped global history significantly in terms of demographic shifts, cultural exchanges, and the socio-political landscape of both the colonized and colonizers.