mocks Flashcards
‘Spanish exploration in America was only possible because of the domination and oppression of the native population.’ How far do you agree?
Intro.
- not solely due to the exploitation and domination of the native population.
‘Spanish exploration in America was only possible because of the domination and oppression of the native population.’ How far do you agree?
Point 1.
-Characterized by oppression of natives – exploitation of native population.
-Spanish – guise of evangelization – forced conversion to Christianity – abandon traditional beliefs and practices.
-Ovando (Spanish) took 17 Franciscans and four priests to help convert the native in Haiti to Christianity (1502).
-1503 Isabella and Ferdinand set up rules to ‘educate’ Natives into ‘civilized Christianity’:
-Baptized, give up others’ beliefs.
-Force, violence, intimidation.
-native labor – extract valuable resources from land.
-Forced labor (Encomienda) - control indigenous labor and resources.
-Europeans diseases – no immunity.
‘Spanish exploration in America was only possible because of the domination and oppression of the native population.’ How far do you agree?
Point 2.
-E.g. Spanish oppression: Conquest of Aztec empire.
-Hernan Cortes – arrived – capital – Tenochtitlan 1519.
-2 years – native allies – defeated empire
-brutal violence – destruction of temples/sacred sites.
-Enslavement of natives.
-Smallpox – decimated natives – conquest easier.
‘Spanish exploration in America was only possible because of the domination and oppression of the native population.’ How far do you agree?
Point 3.
-Despite brutal tactics – not solely due to domination and oppression.
-Technological advancements, political developments, economic motivations.
-developed advance maritime technology - Astrolabe, used for measuring the current latitude of the ship, the time of day or night, and the position of stars or planets in the sky. Used by Columbus and Magellna.
- explore and conquer the Americas.
- political development - centralized monarchy and the establishment of a professional army. Wealth and aims all behind one central control. coordinate their efforts – more effective expansion. (such as Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand - christipher columbus 2 million Spanish maravedes.)
‘Spanish exploration in America was only possible because of the domination and oppression of the native population.’ How far do you agree?
Point 4.
-Furthermore…
-economic factors – desire for gold a silver.
-Discovery – vast amounts of gold and silver.
-Powerful incentive.
-New markets for European goods – potential for colonization and settlement.
-economic motives – significant role in conquest.
‘Spanish exploration in America was only possible because of the domination and oppression of the native population.’ How far do you agree?
-true – characterized by domination/oppression - not solely due.
-Range of economic, political and technological factors.
-Acknowledge complex nature of Spanish exploration and conquest.
-Various factors contributed – reductionist to say it was just 1.
My argument:
-whilst technology enabled the long distance travels they made, it was the the ottoman expansion that inhibited the spice trade with the east,
-forcing the age of exploration into motion.
-The technological change was more of a a vessel for change than a reason for it.
Which of the following was more important as a reason for the exploration in the period 1445-1570?
(i)Ottoman expansion
(ii)Technological change
Point 1: Ottomans.
Ottoman expansion:
-1453, two years prior to the period, ottoman take over costantinople, blocked European access to area, severly limiting trade, Also blocked access to North Africa and the Red Sea, two important trade routes to the far east.
-Ottomans had a monopoly over trade between Europe and Asia, it gained many of the land routes to East Asia.
-Ottoman taxes and restrictions on trade in it’s territory encouraged Europeans to seek new trade routes to Asia.
Which of the following was more important as a reason for the exploration in the period 1445-1570?
(i)Ottoman expansion
(ii)Technological change
Point 2: Technological change.
-Quadrant, used to meaussure height north star, or any star (the sun), this height would tell you the latitude, could then stay in a straight line.
-Astrolabe, used for measuring the current latitude of the ship, the time of day or night, and the position of stars or planets in the sky. Used by Columbus and Magellna.
-caravel was developed specifically for long-distance trade by Prince Henry the Navigator from Portugal. It had two or three masts that used square sails on open water, but switched to triangular lateen sails when closer to shore. Due to a rounded bottom, caravels were also very fast and because of this many pirates liked to use them.
-carrack had a rounded stern and two large structures on top. The one at the front was the forecastle, and the back was the aftcastle. They also used lateen and square sails and could have two to four masts depending on the size of the ship—which could reach 2,000 tons.
