unit 4 AP world

1. The Rise of Global Trade Networks

During this period, European exploration expanded trade routes around the world. The Atlantic Ocean, in particular, became central to global trade.

• Key Motivations for Exploration:

  • Gold (economic gain)

  • Glory (national pride)

  • God (religious conversion, especially to Christianity)

  • Technological Advancements: New navigational tools like the compass, astrolabe, and improved maps allowed Europeans to explore new routes.

• Important Voyages:

  • Christopher Columbus (1492) sails west to find Asia, but ends up in the Americas.

  • Vasco da Gama (1498) rounds the Cape of Good Hope to reach India.

  • Ferdinand Magellan (1519-1522) leads the first circumnavigation of the globe.

• Impact of Exploration:

  • European powers, particularly Spain, Portugal, and later the Dutch, French, and English, established colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

  • Columbian Exchange: The exchange of goods, crops, animals, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Africa, Asia) and the New World (Americas).

2. The Atlantic Slave Trade

One of the darkest aspects of this era was the increase in the transatlantic slave trade, which became crucial to the functioning of the global economy.

• The Middle Passage:

  • Enslaved Africans were forcibly taken from Africa to the Americas via the brutal Middle Passage.

  • The slave trade was driven by the demand for labor on plantations (especially sugar, tobacco, and cotton) in the Americas.

• Effects:

  • Africa lost millions of people to the slave trade, weakening societies and creating economic instability.

  • Racial slavery became institutionalized, particularly in the Americas.

  • The slave trade enriched European economies and led to the triangle trade, which connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

3. Mercantilism and Early Capitalism

During this period, economic theory shifted, leading to new systems of trade and commerce.

• Mercantilism:

  • This was the dominant economic theory, where nations sought to increase their wealth by acquiring gold and silver and establishing a favorable balance of trade (exporting more than importing).

  • European countries established colonies that provided raw materials and markets for their goods.

• Early Capitalism:

  • The growth of joint-stock companies (e.g., Dutch East India Company, British East India Company) allowed private investors to fund exploration and trade ventures, reducing risks for individual investors.

4. Empires and Global Trade

• Portuguese and Spanish Empires:

  • The Spanish Empire was heavily involved in the Americas, exploiting the resources and labor of indigenous populations and enslaved Africans.

  • The Portuguese established a sea-based empire in Asia and Africa, controlling major trade routes.

• Dutch, French, and English Empires:

  • By the 1600s, the Dutch and English gained dominance in the Indian Ocean trade network, setting up colonies in places like South Africa, India, and the Americas.

  • The French began to establish colonies in North America and the Caribbean, focusing on the fur trade and sugar.

5. Cultural and Religious Exchange

• Christianity:

  • Europeans actively sought to convert indigenous peoples, particularly in the Americas and parts of Asia.

  • Catholic missionaries, such as Jesuits, were particularly influential in China and Japan, despite resistance in some regions.

• Asian and African Influences:

  • Islam and African religions influenced cultural and social practices in the Americas due to the African diaspora.

  • Asian goods (silks, porcelain, spices) were highly coveted by Europeans.

6. The Impact of European Expansion

• Globalization:

  • The expansion of European influence led to the first truly global economy, connecting the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia in an unprecedented way.

  • Trade and cultural exchanges led to new social structures, particularly in the Americas with the creation of mestizo (mixed-race) and mulatto (African-European mixed) populations.

• Environmental Impact:

  • New crops like maize, potatoes, and tomatoes were introduced to Europe, transforming diets and agriculture.

  • However, the Columbian Exchange also led to the spread of diseases, which devastated indigenous populations in the Americas (e.g., smallpox).

Key Takeaways:

• This unit is about global expansion, exploration, and the early stages of global trade networks.

• European powers established colonies and global trade routes, which were heavily influenced by the Atlantic Slave Trade.

• Mercantilism and early capitalism drove the rise of European empires, while the Columbian Exchange reshaped the world culturally and economically.