Week 7: Study Guide 2 Flashcards
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
The widespread transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World is known as the __________ Exchange.
Columbian
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
The mistaken belief that the Americas were largely untouched before European arrival is called the __________ Myth.
Pristine
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
The introduction of diseases by Europeans led to a massive population __________ among indigenous peoples in the Americas.
Decline
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
The economic policy that encouraged European nations to acquire colonies and extract resources is known as __________.
Mercantilism
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
Jared Diamond’s theory of continental __________ explains how the orientation of continents affected the spread of agriculture.
Axis
Match each item to its correct description:
A-3
B-4
C-1
D-2
E-5
Drag the terms to match with their relevant phase of European Empires.
Empires of Conquest:
Mercantile Empires:
Industrial Empires:
[Sugar, Plantation]
[Gold, Silver]
[Rubber, Cotton]
Empires of Conquest: Gold, Silver
Mercantile Empires: Sugar, Plantation
Industrial Empires: Rubber, Cotton
Explain the significance of the Columbian Exchange on global diets.
The Columbian Exchange introduced high-calorie crops like potatoes and maize to Europe and Asia, which increased agricultural productivity and supported population growth by improving diets worldwide.
Why was the Pristine Myth incorrect?
The Pristine Myth was incorrect because indigenous peoples actively managed and altered their environments in the Americas through agriculture, controlled burns, and soil enrichment, as seen with terra preta in the Amazon.
What is “Farmer Power” according to Jared Diamond?
“Farmer Power” refers to the advantage European societies had due to access to domesticable plants and animals, which allowed a fraction of the population to produce food, enabling societal specialization and technological development.
Describe one way the Mercantile Empire phase impacted the environment.
The Mercantile Empire phase led to extensive ecological damage through the development of plantation economies, where monocultures like sugar depleted soil nutrients and contributed to deforestation.
How did domesticated animals give Europeans an advantage?
Domesticated animals like horses provided labor, transportation, and military advantages, while livestock increased food supplies, which supported larger populations and allowed for technological and societal advancements.
