Age of Exploration

Expeditions to S.E. Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa-Zheng He

Goals-Impress world with the power and splendor of Ming China and to expand the tribute system

Tribute-Envoys from other countries would travel to China with tribute

Voyages end after the scholar officials complain it is a waste of money and China withdraws into isolation

Renaissance ideas

Desire for trade routes, spices, and profits

Desire to spread Christianity

New technologies in ships and sailing

Increase country’s power

Absolute monarchs used their power to support the Age of Exploration

Gold, Glory, and God!

Exchange of new foods, livestock, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds-New foods become staples in people’s diets in both regions

Beginnings of colonization of the Americas

Commercial Revolution-New business and trade practices brought about in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries

Wealth from the Americas Maritime innovations for overseas exploration

and trade Capitalism-private ownership and investment

for profit-growth of merchant class Joint-Stock companies-investors pool their

money to establish colonies and minimize personal loss of $$$

Mercantilism-colonies provide gold/silver (bullionism) and a favorable balance of trade (suppliers of raw materials and markets for the finished goods of the mother country)

New institutions such as banks, stock exchanges, insurance companies, and futures markets

One the Americas…◦ Horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs

◦ Foods from Africa including bananas, black-eyed peas, and yams

◦ Grains such as rice, barley, wheat, and oats

◦ Diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza that led to the deaths of millions of Native Americans

◦ Slaves from Africa

On Europe and Asia◦ New foods and plants including corn, tomatoes,

chocolate, tobacco, quinine, and potatoes

◦ Population boom…especially in China

On West Africa◦ Political-promoted warfare between African states.

Africans had access to European weapons (guns) and these became a source of power

◦ Economic-slave trade increased demand for slaves and European manufactured goods

◦ Cultural-Christianity in W. Africa; African artists create products for European market

On the Americas…◦ Increase in African population-directly related to

slavery

◦ Dependence on slave labor for the production of cash crops

◦ Knowledge of agriculture including rice spread into southern colonies

◦ Aspects of African food, music, and art leave a lasting influence on American culture

Aztecs conquered by Cortes-1519 Inca conquered by Pizarro-1532 Superior weapons-gunpowder Horses Disease Intermarriage-mestizos Enslavement and harsh treatment Forced labor (farms, ranches, and mines)

Encomienda system Conversion to Christianity

Astronomy-calendars

Elaborate pyramids and temples

Aztecs-city on a lake

Inca-Machu Picchu, road system, counting and record-keeping (quipu)

Capture of Constantinople>Istanbul

Cultural and political achievements under Suleiman

Capture of Mecca, Medina, and Cairo

Empire in place until the end of WWI

Eastern Europe◦ Constantinople conquered and renamed Istanbul-

1453

◦ Suleiman advanced into Hungary and Austria but was stopped at the Siege of Vienna in 1529

Global trade Safety for merchants

Naval trade in spices, wheat, and lumber throughout the Mediterranean, Aegean, Black, and Red Seas and the Persian Gulf