0003 Modern World History (SMR 1.3) Flashcards
What made the Age of Discovery/Age of Exploration possible?
made possible due to scientific advances, economic motivation and national/religious competition
Ship building was important for the age of exploration/discovery. Who were master ship builders and where were they built?
Genoa, as well as Cadiz and Lisbon became great centers of Ship building
Genoa masters mediterranean navigation, calm waters
Cadiz and Lisbon in Portugal under Henry the Navigator ushered in the Caravel ship and learned how to navigate oceans without being overly tossed and turned
What scientific and technical capabilities launched the age of discovery? (4)
- Ship building knowledge
- Completing the compass
- Achievements in map making
- New understanding of the wind system in the Atlantic Ocean
Who originally invented the compass?
originally from China but came to Europe in Renaissance, Europeans made it practical) made it possible to navigate away from land
What achievements in map making helped launch the age of discovery?
- development of the idea of latitudes, originally from Muslim Spain
- Various map projections aimed to represent a more accurate idea of the relative positions of the bodies of water and land, as well as distances between each point
Who brought a new understanding of the wind system?
has to do with Columbus’ scientific theory based on Basque (Iberian peninsula) fisherman. Columbus used their methodologies to come up with latitudes
What was the economic motivation behind the age of discovery?
Indian Ocean Market access.
China was the greatest manufacturer of silk, china wear, textile, etc.
And India and the islands provided both raw goods (spice) and manufactures (Textile)
Before the age of discovery, who controlled the trade in Indian Ocean Markets?
Persian and Arabia controlled the trade, with trade stations in Ceylon and the Indian Ocean islands, and controlling the straight of Malacca
What was the currency of trade in in Indian Ocean Markets
Silver as the most common currency (Coinage of China, India, and Persia)
Why was the Indian Ocean Market especially important for Europe?
Europe had little manufacturing and almost no surplus silver, they couldn’t compete in the economy so they were motivated to discover – need to gain direct access to goods. Chinese wanted silver and gold.
The fall of what empire changed control of the Silk Road?
Fall of Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Byzantine Empire had held portal to Silk Road but now that it was under Ottomans / Muslim control, the merchants could upcharge the christians, causing Europeans to explore and find new routes to the Indian Ocean Market
Why did Spain and Portugal emerge as the first two empires seeking to control the lucrative Indian Ocean Trade?
mostly because other European empires were in battle over religion (Spain and Portugal are staunchly Catholic)
England, France, and the Netherlands come into competition later
Who was Henry the Navigator?
Henry the Navigator was part of the royal family of Portugal invested much of national money into developing maritime technology.
Who were the explorers of Portugal and where did they explore? (4)
1420: Prince Henry the Navigator explored northern coast of Africa
1470: Bartolomeo Dias rounded the cape of Good Hope and established trade ports along coast of Africa
1500: Vasco de Gama reached India and establishes a port
1519-1522: Magellan circumnavigates the world (he was killed in the Philippines), finds earth is round
What was the advantage for Portugal during the age of discovery?
Advantage for Portugal was that they took a direct route to create ports where they could generate shipping fees
Who were Spanish explorers and what did they explore?
Columbus’ explorations in 1492
Spanish Conquistadors Cortez: discovers and explores Central America
Pizzaro: discovers and explores South America
What was the advantage for Spain during the age of discovery?
Advantage for Spain was that they gained precious metals in North and South America that they used to trade
When did the American Revolution happen and when did the French Revolution happen?
The American Revolution (1776-1789)
The French Revolution (1789 - 1800)
What events sparked the American Revolution?
The American Revolution was sparked not only by the Enlightenment but on the slow democracy occuring in England through things like the Magna Carta (1215) which was the first document to limit the power of the king and the role of the divine right of kings. When english colonists came to America, they brought with them the idea of representation in govt (Magistrates and Constables). After seven years war (French & Indian war), Britain starts to tax colonies without representation which were against enlightenment ideals and leads to Declaration of Independence
What thinkers inspired the American Revolution?
Locke & Roussea’s idea that a government that does not protect the rights of its citizens must be replaced
What happens at the end of America’s Revolution?
At the end of the revolution, Britain is no longer ruling the colonies and ideas like Montesqueiu’s separation of powers (three branches of govt), Voltaire’s freedom of speech and religion (1st amendment) and Beccaria’s Criminal Justice (4-8 amendments) heavily influence administration
Unlike American Revolution, French revolutionaries wanted to ______ the economic/political/social structures of the “old order”
completely replace
What was the Old Order?
The King had absolute power. Below the King were the three estates of Estates-General
First Estate: Clergy (cardinals, bishops, priests, etc.)
Second Estate: Aristocracy (royalty and ancient families of france, primarily landlords)
Third Estate: Everyone else, 98% of population but held almost no land or profits, felt taken advantage of and exploited
Who paid the majority of the taxes in France’s Old Order?
The economics of the regime were that the vast majority of taxes came from Third Estate