Chapter 9 Flashcards
What period is known as the Age of Exploration?
15th-17th centuries, driven by trade, technology, and European ambition
Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?
A Portuguese prince who sponsored early exploration along the African coast
What significant achievement is Bartolomeu Dias known for?
Rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, opening the route to Asia
Who was the first European to sail directly to India via the Cape of Good Hope?
Vasco da Gama in 1498
What was Christopher Columbus seeking when he reached the Americas in 1492?
A westward route to Asia
What does the Columbian Exchange refer to?
A widespread transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and cultures between the Old and New Worlds
Who was Hernán Cortés?
A Spanish conquistador who overthrew the Aztec Empire in 1521
What was Tenochtitlán?
The Aztec capital, built on an island in Lake Texcoco, later destroyed by the Spanish
Who was Montezuma II?
The last Aztec emperor, captured and killed during the Spanish conquest
What did Francisco Pizarro accomplish?
Conquered the Inca Empire in 1533
Who was Atahualpa?
The last Inca emperor, executed by Spanish forces under Pizarro
What was the Encomienda System?
A Spanish colonial labor system that exploited indigenous peoples for economic gain
Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?
A Spanish priest who spoke out against the mistreatment of Native Americans
What does the Atlantic Slave Trade refer to?
The forced migration of Africans to the Americas for labor on plantations
What was the Middle Passage?
The brutal voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas
Who was Olaudah Equiano?
A former enslaved African who wrote a famous autobiography detailing his experiences
What was the Kingdom of Kongo?
A powerful African state engaged in trade with Portugal, affected by the slave trade
Who was Mansa Musa?
A ruler of the Mali Empire known for his immense wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324
What is Timbuktu known for?
A major center of learning and trade in West Africa, flourishing under the Mali and Songhai Empires
What was the Ming Dynasty?
A Chinese dynasty (1368-1644) known for restoring Chinese rule, expanding trade, and building the Great Wall
Who was Zheng He?
A Ming admiral who led massive naval expeditions across the Indian Ocean
What is the Forbidden City?
A vast imperial palace complex in Beijing, built during the Ming Dynasty
What was the Qing Dynasty?
The last imperial dynasty of China (1644-1912), established by the Manchu people
What was the Tokugawa Shogunate?
A military government in Japan (1603-1868) that enforced strict isolationist policies
Who were the Samurai?
The warrior class of Japan, serving daimyo lords under the feudal system
What is Bushido?
The code of honor and conduct followed by samurai in Japan
What was the Edo Period?
A time of peace and isolation in Japan under Tokugawa rule, fostering cultural development
What was the Dutch East India Company?
A powerful trading corporation that dominated Asian trade in the 17th century
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
A 1494 agreement dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal
What were the Jesuit Missions in Asia?
Efforts by Catholic missionaries to convert people in China and Japan to Christianity
What is the Protestant Work Ethic?
A belief emphasizing hard work, thrift, and prosperity as a sign of divine favor
What is Mercantilism?
An economic policy that promoted government regulation of trade to benefit the state
What was the British East India Company?
A trading corporation that established British control in India
What were the Sugar Plantations?
Large-scale agricultural enterprises in the Caribbean and Brazil that relied on enslaved labor
What were the Spanish Galleons?
Large ships that transported gold, silver, and goods between the Americas and Spain
What were the Silver Mines of Potosí?
A major source of Spanish wealth in the Americas, worked by forced indigenous labor
What was the Pueblo Revolt (1680)?
A successful Native American uprising against Spanish rule in present-day New Mexico
What were the Salem Witch Trials (1692)?
A series of witchcraft accusations and executions in colonial Massachusetts
What was the Scientific Revolution?
A period of major advancements in science that challenged traditional beliefs
Who was Isaac Newton?
A scientist who formulated the laws of motion and gravity
What device did Galileo use to observe celestial bodies?
Galileo’s Telescope
What was the Enlightenment?
An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual rights
Who was John Locke?
A philosopher who argued for natural rights and government by consent of the governed
Who was Montesquieu?
A political thinker who advocated for separation of powers in government
What was the French and Indian War (1754-1763)?
A conflict between Britain and France in North America, leading to British dominance
What was the American Revolution (1775-1783)?
A war for independence fought by the American colonies against British rule
What was the global impact of the Age of Encounter?
Reshaped global trade, cultures, and power structures, leading to new empires and conflicts
