Export Economies and DBQ Analysis

Export Economies

• Extraction from Colonies: European powers extracted resources from their colonies. This included knowledge from the local population, referred to as "extracting it from their colleagues."

• Palm Oil: Palm oil was extracted from West Africa by the French and British for use in products like soap and candles.

• Guano from Peru: Bird excrement (guano) was extracted in large quantities from Peru. It was used as fertilizer and in the production of gunpowder, impacting military capabilities.

• Diamonds in South Africa: Diamond mining in South Africa became a significant industry.

• Balance of Trade & Silver: The British traded silver with China, who desired it. They then introduced opium to reverse the balance of trade in their favor. This led to wars where the British were victorious, forcing China to comply.

• Extraterritoriality:

  • Definition: Extraterritoriality refers to the immunity of individuals from local laws, like an embassy block.

DBQ Prompts Analysis

• DBQ Prompt Review: Reviewing DBQ prompts from the last five years.

• Potential DBQ Topics:

  • Revolutions: There hasn't been a DBQ on revolutions in recent years, making it a potential topic.
  • Climate Change: The impact of climate change on people, the creation of new cultures, or the mixture of cultures in the New World could be a DBQ topic.

• Unit 4: Unit 4 might be a likely focus for free response questions.