AP World History - Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections

European and Expansion

Portuguese and Spanish controlled major shipping routes in Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Atlantic Ocean
Portugal financed explorations
- Prince Henry the Navigator (King John I’s son)
- Vasco da Gama: explored eastern Africa, India
Spain also did:
- Financed Christopher Columbus: explored Americas
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494): agreement between Spain and Portugal to split colonized land between them
England, Netherlands, France launched own explorations to acquire new colonies - caused rise in nationalism and powerful monarchies
Explorers
1. Amerigo Vespucci (1500): South America
2. Ponce de Leon (1513): Florida
3. Vasco de Balboa (1513): Central America
4. Ferdinand Magellan (1519): South America to Philippines
5. Giovanni da Verrazzano (1524): North America
6. Sir Francis Drake (1578): circumnavigated the globe
7. John Cabot (1497): North America
8. Henry Hudson (1609): Hudson River
Products that aided new explorations:
1. Sternpost Rudder: invented in China - better control of ships
2. Lateen Sails: invented in Roman Empire - allowed directional control of ships
3. Astrolabe: navigation device that measured distance between sun and stars on horizon to determine latitude
4. Magnetic Compass: developed in China - determine direction
5. Three-Masted Caravels: large ships fit for longer journeys

Spanish explorers found great wealth in Aztec and Inca Empires
Hernando Cortés: landed on coast of Mexico in 1519 - sought to exploit the Aztec Empire of their gold and spices
- Neighbouring states were willing to help Spanish conquer Aztecs as they had taken over a lot of the neighbouring communities - or those who didn’t cooperate were forced or killed
- Became very hungry for wealth and quickly seized Montezuma and began a siege of Tenochtitlan

Spanish brought smallpox to the Aztec Empire which reduced their population from 20 million in 1520 to 2 million in 1580 - Spanish were able to take control in 1525
Francisco Pizarro took over Inca Empire in 1531 partially due to spreading disease to them
- Pizarro was in control of the Inca Empire by 1535

Spanish implemented a hierarchical colonial society as they took over the New World
Structure:
1. Peninsulares: Spanish officials governing the colonies
2. Creoles: Spanish born in colonies to Spanish parents - barred from high positions but were educated and wealthy
3. Mestizos: those with European/Native American ancestry
4. Mulattos: those with European/African ancestry
5. Native Americans
Viceroys: governors of each of 5 regions of New Spain - established the encomienda system (system of forced labour of the natives and African slaves)

Slaves brought to New World to work on the plantations and mines
Europe exploited a system of slavery already existing in Africa - prisoners were supposed to serve their captors before being released
Europeans traded for their surplus of enslaved people, but didn’t understand that they were supposed to be released
As demand for slaves in Europe increased, Europe became even more ruthless - kidnapping Africans, causing wars, forcing rulers to give up their citizens
Slaves were forced onto ships, chained below deck, and endured brutal Middle Passage
Around 13 million Africans were taken - 60% to South America, 35% to Caribbean, 5% to North America, around 20% of people on each trip perished

Transatlantic transfer of animals, plants, diseases, people, technology, ideas among Europe, Americas, and Africa
Never before had so much moved across the ocean
Transfer of food products caused population increase in Europe, Asia, and Africa
Two key products: sugar (plantations appeared all over Spanish colonies), silver (mining also in Spanish colonies) - both used significant forced labour
Spanish control of silver opened doors in Ming China

Age of Exploration: trading, empire building, conquest - due to financing schemes
Banking became a respectable practice - lead to joint-stock company (pool resources of merchants to distribute costs and reducing dangers of individual investors)
Led to huge profits and modern-day concept of stock markets
Muscovy Company, Dutch East India Company took over trade routes
Mercantilism: theory that creating a favourable balance of import and export was best - of course, this led to Europe’s intense colonialism to match their import demand
- Caused resentment in colonies
Europe established limited trade with China from 16-18th century
- Portugal gained control of Spice Islands to gain access to China
- China and Japan still highly limited their trade with them
Developments in Specific Countries - 1450-1750
- Major movements of the times affected parts of Europe differently
- People with power guarded it
- Peasant class weren’t able to participate in any developments
- Powerful states were also developed in Middle East, India, China, and Japan
- Monarchies contributed to development of strong loyalties and led to many conflicts/wars