Week 8: Slides and Notes 6

Question 1

Name two crops that dramatically increased European caloric intake.

Answer 1

Maize and potatoes.

Question 2

Fill in the blank: The Agricultural Revolution saw the development of new ___________ techniques that increased productivity.

Answer 2

Farming

Question 3

How did diseases like smallpox affect Indigenous populations?

Answer 3

Devastated populations due to lack of immunity.

Question 4

True or false

Capitalism developed without the influence of European imperialism.

Question 5

True or false

Question 6

True or false

Answer 6

False.

Reason: Capitalism was heavily influenced by European imperialism, which generated wealth and resources through colonial exploitation, fueling capitalist economies in Europe.

Question 7

True or false

After independence, former colonies no longer experienced economic exploitation.

Answer 7

False.

Reason: Many former colonies continued to be economically dependent on cash crop exports and were subject to economic manipulation and resource extraction by former colonial powers and corporations.

Question 8

True or false

Europeans justified colonization as a “divine duty” to civilize other parts of the world.

Answer 8

True.
Reason: European powers often viewed colonization as a religious and moral responsibility, claiming they were “civilizing” Indigenous populations as part of a Christian mission.

Question 9

True or False

The Columbian Exchange had no impact on global ecosystems.

Answer 9

False.

Reason: The Columbian Exchange had a massive impact, introducing new species to different ecosystems, which often disrupted local environments and economies, sometimes catastrophically.

Question 10

True or False

The Agricultural Revolution was marked by the introduction of crops that did not harm soil quality.

Answer 10

True.
Reason: The Agricultural Revolution introduced nitrogen-fixing crops like alfalfa and clover, which enriched the soil, supporting sustainable agriculture and higher productivity.

Question 11

True or False

Life expectancy of enslaved people on Caribbean plantations was very high due to favorable conditions.

Answer 11

False.
Reason: Enslaved people on Caribbean plantations had extremely low life expectancies, around seven years on average, due to brutal working conditions and lack of care.