The Age of Exploration Flashcards
What two things got people interested in the AGE OF EXPLORATION?
12th Century Renaissance and Prester John
Who was PRESTER JOHN?
An unknown person who claimed to be Christan Priestly King; stood as a beacon of hope to Europe for multiple centuries
Why did the Reconquista ending help expand the Age of Exploration?
unneeded Spanish soldiers were sent to go explore and other countries did the same
What were some of the motives for the Age of Exploration?
the desire for wealth and the renaissance spirit of question
What was Ptolemy’s 2nd-century book Geografia?
It described the map of the world and helped make much better maps
Who helped map much of the African Coast?
Prince Henry the Navigator (explored western Africa coast for Portugal)
Who sailed to India in 1497 end established helped make Portugal a trading empire around the Indian Ocean?
Vasco De Gana
Who funded Christopher Columbus’ voyage west?
Queen Isabela of Spain
Why did Columbus sail west?
He thought he could sail straight to India
Why did Spain fund Columbus?
Reconquista/ crusading spirit, Spain competition with Portugal
What was the LINE OF DEMARCATION?
A line set by the pope splitting the non-European world into two zones; east for Portugal and west for Spain
Who’s crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe?
Ferdinand Magellan
What was the Northwest Passage English, Dutch, and French explorers were looking for?
A passage to Asia cutting through northwest North America (there is no such passage)
Who set up the first outpost in Africa and took over the thriving east Africa trade network?
The Portuguese
What was the Atlantic slave trade?
European and African slave traders shipped loads of enslaved Africans to go work in the Americas; the Americas needed free labor mainly for plantations
How did the Atlantic slave trade triangular trade work?
1st: Slaves from Africa were brought to the Americas
2nd: Raw goods found in the Americas were shipped to Europe
3rd: Manufactured goods (ex. guns) were shipped to Africa from Europe
Why did some African states assist in the slave trade?
They gained power and other things
Who were two important figures that tried to resist the slave trade?
Affonso I of Kongo (1505); Almony of Futu Toro (18th century)- ruler of Futu Toro
What are ENCOMIENDAS?
plantation systems that needed lots of labor- usually slave labor, although run by Spanish
How did Europeans try to modernize Spanish America?
They tried to make Spanish colines like Europe
How did Spanish colines make lots of money?
Mining
What was one of the most important mines to the Spanish?
Potosi- a place with many major silver mines
What was the global exchange during the Age of Exploration?
Europeans brought new foods and animals to Americas and brought new foods and animals back to Europe
How did this global exchange impact the population of Europe?
new food and crops from Americas helped the population grow and it sparked the Columbian Exchange- migration of millions of people
What was the commercial revolution during the time?
the price of many things rose in Europe (inflation)- The Price Revolution; Captialsim grew- grown by expanded trade + overseas colonies
What was MERCANTILISM?
an economic policy aimed at strengthening European countries’ natural economies; urged rulers to adopt policies to increase national wealth and government revenues
Who was Ferdinand Magellan?
His crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe; sailed for Portugal in 1522
