Old Imperialism + Transatlantic Slave Trade Flashcards
Imperialism is…
The policy of extending a country’s power and influence beyond its own borders by acquiring partial or total control over another region
When was old imperialism?
late 1400s to early 1800s
Objectives of old imperialism?
To find trade routes, set up trading posts and establish colonies as a source of wealth
Why did the situation in 1400s Europe lead to Europeans leaving Europe? (2 main reasons)
1) Black Death destroyed cities, economies so they want to get out and explore
2) Mass death leads to higher wages and more festive lives for survivors - they want spices, wealth, resources
Where and when did imperialism begin, and who started it?
Canary Islands (off African coast), 1402, the French
Timeline of conquest of the Canary Islands
1402, French arrive. 1415, Portuguese join the assault. 1475, Spanish take over from the French. 1496, Europeans finally capture the Canaries
Name three early conquests of Old Imperialism
Canaries, Madeiras, Azores
What happened after the Canaries were taken over? (3 things)
1) lots of deforestation
2) lots of money from sugar plantations
3) no pure-blooded Guanches (natives) left by 1541
What happened in the Madeiras?
Europeans sent a rabbit family who reproduced and ate stuff, killing the native plants and animals, then they came back, killed the rabbits and burnt the island for 7 years to grow sugar crops.
First europeans on the west african coast
portuguese
what happened after portugal landed on the west african coast
they established forts, traded, other europeans joined, they integrated into coastal villages and eventually developed their own permanent european settlements, and atlantic creole populations emerged (mixed race, born in africa)
Why did Columbus want to get to Asia?
Europe sought gold, which was becoming the new mark of wealth because it could buy anything, and they knew there was gold in Asia because Marco Polo and others had brought some back (silk and spices too)
Describe Columbus’ first expedition
He encountered the Arawaks, sailed to Hispaniola and Cuba, built a fort and took prisoners back to Spain (they died on the way)
Describe Columbus’ second expedition
He was funded again because of his exaggerated reports, looked for gold but couldn’t find any and took slaves back to Spain
Describe Columbus’ third expedition
Desperate to pay back investors, he went back to the Caribbean and forced Arawaks to bring him a gold quota or have their hands cut off; there was hardly any, so they ran away and were hunted down with dogs, then committed mass suicides with cassava poison to save themselves from the Spanish
