Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections

1. Prince Henry the Navigator

2. Vasco da Gama: explored eastern Africa, India

Christopher Columbus: explored Americas

agreement between Spain and Portugal to split colonized land between them

South America

Explored Florida

Explored Central America

Explored South America to Philippines

Explored North America

circumnavigated the globe

Explored North America

Explored the Hudson River

1. Sternpost Rudder

2. Lateen Sails

3. Astrolabe

4. Magnetic Compass

5. Three-Masted Caravels

invented in China - better control of ships

invented in Roman Empire - allowed directional control of ships

navigation device that measured distance between sun and stars on horizon to determine latitude

developed in China - determine direction

large ships fit for longer journeys

landed on coast of Mexico in 1519 - sought to exploit the Aztec Empire of their gold and spices

• Became very hungry for wealth and quickly seized Montezuma and began a siege of Tenochtitlan

Spanish brought smallpox which reduced their population from 20 million in 1520 to 2 million in 1580

• Spanish were able to take control in 1525

• took over Inca Empire in 1531 partially due to spreading disease to them

  • Pizarro was in control of the Inca Empire by 1535

Spanish implemented a hierarchical colonial society as they took over the New World:

1. Peninsulares: Spanish officials governing the colonies

2. Creoles: Spanish born in colonies to Spanish parents - barred from high positions but were educated and wealthy

3. Mestizos: those with European/Native American ancestry

4. Mulattos: those with European/African ancestry

5. Native Americans

governors of each of 5 regions of New Spain - established the encomienda system

• Europe exploited a system of slavery already existing in Africa - prisoners were supposed to serve their captors before being released

• Europeans traded for their surplus of enslaved people, but didn’t understand that they were supposed to be released

Ocean passage from Africa to Americas that was brutal with treacherous waters

Around 13 million Africans were taken - 60% to South America, 35% to Caribbean, 5% to North America, around 20% of people on each trip perished

• Transatlantic transfer of animals, plants, diseases, people, technology, ideas among Europe, Americas, and Africa

• Never before had so much moved across the ocean

1. sugar (plantations appeared all over Spanish colonies),

2. silver (mining also in Spanish colonies)

• both used significant forced labour

trading, empire building, conquest - due to financing schemes

pool resources of merchants to distribute costs and reducing dangers of individual investors

• Led to huge profits and modern-day concept of stock markets

theory that creating a favourable balance of import and export was best - of course, this led to Europe’s intense colonialism to match their import demand