Age of Exploration & Colonization Study Guide

1. Why Explore?

• Spice Trade: Europeans wanted spices (pepper, cinnamon) from Asia.

• Spice Islands (Moluccas): Major source of spices in Southeast Asia.

• 3 G’s of Exploration:

  • Gold – Wealth (money, resources)

  • God – Spread Christianity

  • Glory – Fame for explorers & nations

2. Key Explorers & Discoveries

• 
  Treaty of Tordesillas (1494): Split New World between Spain & Portugal. Gave Brazil to Portugal

• Northwest Passage: Mythical shortcut to Asia through North America (never found).

3. European Colonies

• New England Colonies

1. Massachusetts

2. New Hampshire

3. Connecticut

4. Rhode Island

Middle Colonies

5. New York

6. New Jersey

7. Pennsylvania

8. Delaware

Southern Colonies

9. Virginia

10. Maryland

11. North Carolina

12. South Carolina

13. Georgia

• | New France | France | Fur trade, Quebec, good relations with Natives |
  | Dutch New Netherland | Netherlands | Later became New York |

4. Conquest of Native Peoples

• Spanish Conquest Methods:

  1. Superior Weapons (guns, steel)

  2. Diseases (smallpox killed many natives)

  3. Horses 

  4. (Aztecs: Conquered by Hernan Cortes (capital: Tenochtitlan).

• Incas: Conquered by Francisco Pizarro.

• Taino People: First natives Columbus met (many died from disease/slavery).

5. Slavery & Trade

• Atlantic Slave Trade:

  • Triangular Trade: Europe → Africa (guns) → Americas (slaves) → Europe (sugar, tobacco).

  • Middle Passage: Brutal slave ship journey across Atlantic.

• Afonso I: African king who opposed slave trade.

• Futa Toro: African kingdom involved in resisting slavery.

6. Columbian Exchange

• Transfer of goods, animals, & diseases between Old World (Europe) & New World (Americas).

  • From Americas: Potatoes, tomatoes, corn, tobacco.

  • From Europe: Horses, wheat, smallpox.

7. Mercantilism

• Economic system where colonies exist to make the mother country rich.

• Colonies sent raw materials (gold, sugar), Europe made finished goods.