Benchmark 1

Columbian Exchange plants animals ideas disease

  1. Key Concept: Columbian Exchange

  2. Definition: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa during the 15th and 16th centuries.

  3. Impact: Introduced new crops, such as potatoes and maize, to Europe, leading to population growth. Also led to the spread of diseases, like smallpox, which devastated indigenous populations.

  4. Economic Effects: Increased global trade and the development of mercantilism. Europe gained wealth through the exploitation of resources in the Americas.

  5. Cultural Exchange: Exchange of languages, religions, and artistic styles between different continents.

Portuguese motives for colonial possession and early exploration

  • Trade and Economic Expansion: Access to valuable resources and new trade routes.

  • Spread of Christianity: Conversion of indigenous populations to Catholicism.

  • Competition with other European powers: Establishing dominance in the race for colonies.

  • Search for Prestige and Power: Enhancing Portugal's status as a global power.

  • Curiosity and Scientific Exploration: Discovering new lands and cultures.

Adam Smith thoughts on economics

Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopher, wrote "The Wealth of Nations" in 1776. He argued for free market capitalism, emphasizing the role of self-interest and competition. Smith believed in the invisible hand guiding the economy, promoting efficiency and growth. He advocated for limited government intervention and the division of labor to increase productivity. Smith's ideas laid the foundation for classical economics and influenced economic thought for centuries.

Martin Luther

Who: Martin Luther What: Protestant Reformation Where: Germany When: 1517-1648 Why: Challenged Catholic Church's practices and beliefs, leading to the establishment of Protestantism.

  1. Martin Luther: German theologian and key figure in the Protestant Reformation

  2. 95 Theses: Luther's list of grievances against the Catholic Church

  3. Indulgences: Church practice criticized by Luther, selling forgiveness for sins

  4. Justification by faith: Luther's belief that faith alone brings salvation

  5. Bible translation: Luther translated the Bible into German, making it accessible

  6. Priesthood of all believers: Luther's idea that all believers are equal before God

  7. Excommunication: Luther was excommunicated by the Catholic Church

  8. Impact: Luther's ideas led to the formation of Protestantism

  9. Lutheranism: The branch of Protestantism that follows Luther's teachings

  10. Legacy: Luther's influence on religious, social, and political reforms

Peace of Westphalia and the wars that followed

  • Treaty signed in 1648

  • Ended the Thirty Years' War

  • Established the principle of state sovereignty

  • Recognized the independence of Switzerland and the Dutch Republic

  • Divided Germany into numerous independent states

  • Marked the decline of the Holy Roman Empire

  • Set the stage for the modern nation-state system

  • Wars that followed: War of Spanish Succession, War of Austrian Succession, Seven Years' War

The Spanish and the Aztecs, Incas, and Taino

  1. The Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, Incas, and Taino had a significant impact on the indigenous civilizations.

  2. Hernan Cortes led the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico, resulting in the fall of the Aztec Empire.

  3. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in Peru, leading to the downfall of the Inca civilization

  4. The Spanish colonization of the Taino people in the Caribbean resulted in their near extinction due to disease, forced labor, and violence

  5. The Spanish introduced new diseases, such as smallpox, which devastated the indigenous populations.

  6. The Spanish imposed their language, religion (Christianity), and culture on the conquered civilizations.

  7. The Spanish exploited the resources and wealth of the conquered lands, leading to economic prosperity for Spain.

  8. The Spanish established a colonial system that oppressed and marginalized the indigenous peoples.

  9. The Spanish brought new crops, animals, and technologies to the Americas, transforming the landscape and way of life.

  10. The Spanish colonization had long-lasting effects on the social, political, and cultural development of the Americas.

Portuguese, sugarcane, and trade dominance

  • Explored by Portuguese in the 15th century

  • Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498

  • Portuguese Empire spanned across Africa, Asia, and South America

  • Established trading posts and colonies

  • Spread Christianity through missions

  • Native to Southeast Asia

  • Introduced to the Americas by Portuguese

  • Thrived in tropical climates

  • Major cash crop in Brazil and the Caribbean

  • Led to the rise of plantation economies

  • Portuguese dominated the spice trade

  • Controlled key trade routes

  • Established monopoly over Asian trade

  • Profited immensely from sugar and slave trade

  • Decline in dominance due to competition and political changes

Brazil as a colony why was Portugal interested.

  • Location: South America

  • Size: Largest country in South America

  • Population: Fifth most populous country in the world

  • Biodiversity: Home to the Amazon Rainforest

  • Economy: Major exporter of commodities like coffee, soybeans, and iron ore

  • Trade: Access to valuable resources like brazilwood and sugar

  • Strategic Location: Control over Atlantic trade routes

  • Colonization: Establishing a foothold in the New World

  • Exploitation: Enslavement of indigenous people for labor

  • Wealth: Potential for economic growth and wealth accumulation

Cortez/Pizarro where do they fit in the Spanish picture of conquest in the western hemisphere.

  • Cortez: Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico.

  • Pizarro: Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire in South America.

  • Cortez defeated the Aztecs in 1521, capturing their capital, Tenochtitlan.

  • Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in 1533, capturing their emperor, Atahualpa.

  • Both Cortez and Pizarro used superior weaponry, alliances with local tribes, and political maneuvering to achieve victory.

  • The conquests led to the downfall of two major indigenous civilizations and the establishment of Spanish colonial rule in the Americas.

Atlantic triangular trade what went where and back

  • Africa: Slaves were traded to the Americas.

  • Americas: Raw materials (sugar, tobacco, cotton) were traded to Europe.

  • Europe: Manufactured goods (textiles, weapons) were traded to Africa.

  • Africa: Provided slaves to the Americas

  • Americas: Received slaves and produced raw materials

  • Europe: Traded manufactured goods for slaves and raw materials

  • Middle Passage: Brutal journey of slaves from Africa to the Americas

  • Economic impact: Boosted European economies and fueled industrial revolution

  • Social impact: Led to the enslavement and suffering of millions of Africans

  • Cultural impact: Influenced music, cuisine, and language in the Americas

Queen Nzinga where she is from

  • Location: Angola

  • Origin: Kingdom of Ndongo

Queen Nzinga, also known as Queen Nzinga Mbande or Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande, was a 17th-century ruler of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms in present-day Angola. She is known for her resistance against Portuguese colonization and her efforts to protect the interests of her people. Queen Nzinga is celebrated for her political and military strategies, as well as her diplomatic skills in negotiating with European powers. She played a significant role in the history of Angola and is considered a symbol of resistance and empowerment.

African forms of slavery conceptional differences of slavery in pre-European slavery

  1. Transatlantic Slave Trade: Millions of Africans forcibly transported to the Americas.

  2. Triangular Trade: Europe, Africa, and the Americas involved in the trade network.

  3. Plantation Slavery: Africans enslaved on large-scale agricultural estates.

  4. Domestic Slavery: Africans enslaved in households as servants.

  5. Slave Codes: Laws that regulated the treatment and control of slaves.

  6. Middle Passage: Brutal journey across the Atlantic for enslaved Africans.

  7. Resistance: Various forms of resistance against slavery, including rebellions and escape attempts.

  8. Abolition Movement: Efforts to end slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries.

  9. Impact: Profound and lasting effects on African societies and the African diaspora.

Bartolome de Las Casas

  1. Bartolome de Las Casas: Spanish historian and Dominican friar

  2. Advocate for indigenous rights and critic of Spanish colonization

  3. Wrote "A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies"

  4. Documented atrocities committed against Native Americans

  5. Proposed the idea of African slave labor to replace indigenous labor

  6. Played a significant role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas

Reconquista

  1. Reconquista: A period of Christian reconquest in the Iberian Peninsula

  2. Lasted from the 8th to the 15th century

  3. Started with the Muslim conquest of Hispania in 711

  4. Key battles: Battle of Covadonga, Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa

  5. Important kingdoms: Kingdom of Asturias, Kingdom of Castile, Kingdom of Aragon

  6. Ended with the fall of Granada in 1492

  7. Significance: Unification of Spain, spread of Christianity

Volta do mar

  1. Volta do mar: A navigational technique used by Portuguese sailors during the Age of Discovery.

  2. It involved sailing out into the Atlantic Ocean, away from the coast, before turning back towards the desired destination.

  3. Volta do mar allowed sailors to take advantage of prevailing winds and ocean currents, making long-distance voyages more efficient.

  4. This technique was crucial for Portuguese exploration and trade routes, particularly in reaching Africa, India, and the Americas.

  5. Volta do mar helped establish Portugal as a dominant maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries.

General information about the Ming Dynasty treatment of their men society very gendered

  • Confucianism influenced social hierarchy

  • Men held higher status than women

  • Emphasis on filial piety and respect for elders

  • Civil service exams for government positions

  • Strict moral code and ethical conduct

  • Men expected to provide for their families

  • Military service for men in times of war

  • Men's clothing reflected their social status

  • Education highly valued for men

  • Men had more freedom and opportunities than women

  • Emperor: Zhu Yuanzhang

  • Capital: Nanjing, later moved to Beijing

  • Golden Age of Chinese porcelain

  • Great Wall of China expanded and fortified

  • Forbidden City constructed

  • Maritime expeditions led by Zheng He

  • Neo-Confucianism as official ideology

  • Population growth and urbanization

  • Introduction of printing press

  • Decline due to corruption and external threat

Bakufu Japan definition

  1. Bakufu: Military government in feudal Japan

  2. Established in 1192 by Minamoto no Yoritomo

  3. Power centralized in the shogun

  4. Samurai warriors served the shogunate

  5. Feudal system with daimyo and vassals

  6. Ended with the Meiji Restoration in 1868

Tokugawa Ieyasu shogunate government shogun leader

  • Founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan

  • Unified Japan after a long period of civil war

  • Implemented strict social hierarchy and isolationist policies

  • Established the capital in Edo (present-day Tokyo)

  • Instituted a system of alternate attendance to control the daimyo

  • Encouraged economic growth and stability

  • Promoted the development of arts and culture

  • Maintained peace and stability for over 250 years

  • Influenced modern Japan's political and social structure

Daimyo large land holders in Japan social hierarchy of Japan

  1. Daimyo were powerful feudal lords in feudal Japan.

  2. They controlled and ruled over their own territories.

  3. Daimyo were vassals of the Shogun, the military ruler of Japan.

  4. They had their own samurai warriors and were responsible for their protection.

  5. Daimyo played a significant role in the political and military affairs of Japan.

Columbus

  1. Birthdate: 1451

  2. Nationality: Italian

  3. Voyages: 4

  4. Discovery: Americas

  5. Sponsor: Spain

  6. Impact: Columbian Exchange

  7. Controversy: Treatment of Indigenous People

  8. Legacy: European Colonization

Olaudah Equiano

  1. Birth: 1745 in Nigeria

  2. Kidnapped: Age 11, sold into slavery

  3. Middle Passage: Brutal journey to America

  4. Slave Trade: Worked in Virginia, West Indies

  5. Education: Learned to read, write, and trade

  6. Freedom: Bought his own freedom in 1766

  7. Abolitionist: Fought against slavery

  8. Autobiography: Wrote "The Interesting Narrative"

  9. Influence: Helped end British slave trade

  10. Legacy: Remembered as a prominent abolitionist

Treatment of Ottoman and Mughal religions and their differences

  • Ottoman Empire: Officially Islamic state, but allowed religious diversity

  • Mughal Empire: Islamic rulers, but practiced religious tolerance

  • Ottoman Empire: Sunni Islam was dominant, but other religions were protected

  • Mughal Empire: Promoted syncretism, blending of Hindu and Muslim beliefs

  • Ottoman Empire: Non-Muslims paid extra taxes, but had legal rights

  • Mughal Empire: Non-Muslims had freedom to practice their own religion

Boundaries of the Ottoman empire covered portions of 3 continents

  1. Eastern boundary: Extended to the borders of Persia and the Arabian Peninsula.

  2. Western boundary: Reached the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, including parts of North Africa.

  3. Southern boundary: Stretched into the Red Sea and controlled key ports along the Arabian Peninsula.

  4. Northern boundary: Covered parts of Eastern Europe, including the Balkans and Hungary.

  5. Expanded to include territories in the Caucasus region, such as Georgia and Armenia.

Akbar and religious tolerance

  • Akbar was the third Mughal emperor of India.

  • He implemented a policy of religious tolerance known as "Sulh-i-Kul".

  • Akbar abolished the jizya tax on non-Muslims and allowed them to practice their faith freely.

  • He established the "Din-i-Ilahi" religion, which aimed to blend elements of different religions.

  • Akbar promoted cultural exchange and dialogue among different religious communities.

  • He appointed Hindus and other non-Muslims to high-ranking positions in his administration.

  • Akbar's religious tolerance contributed to social harmony and stability in the Mughal Empire.

Battle of Chaldiran

  • Date: 23 August 1514

  • Location: Chaldiran, present-day Iran

  • Opponents: Ottoman Empire vs. Safavid Empire

  • Result: Ottoman victory

  • Significance: Ended the Safavid expansion into Anatolia, established Ottoman dominance in the region

Guns, Germs, and Steel

  • Geographic determinism: Geography shapes the development of societies.

  • Domestication of plants and animals: Enabled settled agriculture and surplus production.

  • Advantages of Eurasia: Access to diverse resources, large population, and east-west axis.

  • Impact of germs: Eurasian diseases devastated indigenous populations.

  • Technological advancements: Eurasians developed guns, steel, and writing systems.

  • Colonialism and imperialism: European powers dominated other regions.

  • Cultural diffusion: Exchange of ideas, technologies, and goods between societies.

  • Social inequality: Unequal distribution of resources and power.

  • Environmental impact: Human activities affect ecosystems and sustainability.

Result of Haitian revolution

  • Date: 1791-1804

  • Causes: Slavery, inequality, French Revolution

  • Leaders: Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines

  • Key Events: Bois Caïman ceremony, Battle of Vertières

  • Result: First successful slave revolt, independent Haiti

Ptolemaic view of the universe

  1. Geocentric model: Earth is the center of the universe

  2. Planetary motion: Planets move in epicycles around Earth

  3. Epicycles: Small circles within larger orbits to explain retrograde motion

  4. Fixed stars: Positioned on a celestial sphere beyond planets

  5. Astronomy: Based on observations and mathematical calculations

Foot-binding

  1. Foot-binding was a practice in ancient China.

  2. It involved tightly binding girls' feet to prevent growth.

  3. Foot-binding was considered a symbol of beauty and status.

  4. It caused severe pain, deformity, and lifelong disabilities.

  5. Foot-binding was prevalent from the 10th to the 20th century.

  6. It was finally banned in China in the early 20th century.