Notes

Flashcard 1

Q: How did the compass and caravels improve European voyages?

A: They shortened voyages, made navigation easier, and reduced the danger of getting lost at sea.

Flashcard 2

Q: What motivated countries to explore during the Age of Exploration?

A: To spread religion, conquer land, expand trade, and show power.

Flashcard 3

Q: What was the significance of Columbus discovering the Americas?

A: It began the Columbian Exchange, where goods, ideas, cultures, and diseases were traded between the Old and New Worlds.

Flashcard 4

Q: What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?

A: An agreement dividing exploration zones—Spain got mostly west, Portugal got mostly east.

Flashcard 5

Q: Why was Spain able to conquer the Americas despite smaller numbers?

A: They had advanced weapons and technology compared to indigenous peoples.

Flashcard 6

Q: How was Catholicism spread in the Americas?

A: Missionaries converted indigenous populations, influencing local cultures.

Flashcard 7

Q: What new labor systems emerged in the Americas?

A: Encomienda, mita, plantation labor, and African slavery.

Flashcard 8

Q: How were Amerindian societies impacted by European exploration?

A: They suffered population decline from disease, land loss, and cultural changes, but some traditions survived.

Flashcard 9

Q: How did European exploration affect global trade?

A: It expanded global trade networks, connecting the Old and New Worlds.