Exploration And Conquest (ch15) Flashcards
What kind of economy and trading system was in place before 1492?
Europe, Asia, and Africa each had interdependent economies because each traded for specific materials (i.e. The west sought spices and silks from Asia).
What Chinese person was famous for his naval expeditions before 1492?
Admiral Zheng He; however, these voyages were stopped.
Did the Silk Road always connect the west with the far east?
No, the Silk Road was destroyed in the 14th century. After its destruction, merchants started a new overland route, which led from the Baltic Sea to Russia, Central Asia, and China.
What were the two Middle Eastern rivals? What happened between them?
The Turkish Ottomans and the Persian Safavids. Under Sultan Mohammed II, the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, made it their capital, and renamed it Istanbul.
How did the Ottomans invade Europe? What was their limit?
Emperor Suleiman I pressed northwest into the Balkans which led to his control of sea trade on the eastern Mediterranean. In 1516 the sultan’s forces took Syria and Palestine, followed by Egypt and the rest of northern Africa in 1517. In 1526, he defeated the Hungarian king and brought portions of Hungary into his empire. In 1529 the Turks attacked the Habsburg capital of Vienna, but after several weeks they were forced to retreat; this left Vienna as the westward limit of Ottoman expansion into Europe.
What second major event happened due to the Ottoman Persian rivalry?
Religious and economic conflicts led to the Ottoman-Safavid war of 1615-1618.
What European state/city-state participated the most in trade, especially in spices?
One historian has estimated that 70% of the Western trade in spices belonged to the Venetians.
What European state/city-state ended Venice’s prosperity due to the spice trade?
By the 17th century, the Dutch had monopolized the spice trade.
What European state/city-state was rivals with Venice?
Genoa, located on the northwestern coast of Italy.
What prompted European expansion?
By the mid 15th century, population throughout Europe was rising after the lows of the Black Death; this caused a higher demand for luxury goods and spices in particular. However, the Ottomans controlled these trade routes. Many Europeans believed they needed to find new sources of precious metals to trade with the Ottomans or sources of supply for themselves to thereby eliminate Ottoman interference. Religious fervor was another reason for European expansion as the Portuguese and Spanish continued the Christian crusade. Since Muslim polities such as the Ottoman Empire were too strong to defeat, Iberians turned their attention to non-Christians elsewhere. A third reason for expansion was the desire for glory; exploration and conquest was a manifestation of the Renaissance curiosity to know more about the physical universe. A fourth reason for exploration and expansion was a lack of opportunity in Europe.
What was the driving force of exploration and expansion?
The growth of governmental power. Reassertion of monarchical authority and state centralization in the 15th century provided rulers with the necessary resources for exploration and conquest.
What book was a detailed eyewitness account of plants, animals, and peoples?
Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo’s “General History of the Indies” (1547)
What types of advances helped propel European expansion?
Technological advances in shipbuilding, weaponry, and navigation helped propel European expansion and exploration.
What are some examples of tools developed to aid in naval exploration?
The magnetic compass, the astrolabe, and improved cartography.
Who financially supported many Portuguese voyages?
Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal supported the study of geography and navigation and also sponsored voyages down the western coast of Africa.
