AP World History UNIT 4 REVIEW [Everything You NEED to Know!]

Summary

This AP World History review covers Maritime Empires from 1450 to 1750, focusing on European expansion's causes, including technological advancements like the magnetic compass and ship innovations. It discusses the growth of state power, mercantilism, and the joint-stock company's role in expansion. Key players like Portugal, Spain, France, England, and the Dutch East India Company are highlighted. The script also addresses the Columbian Exchange's impact, including disease transfers and the spread of food crops. It touches on resistance to European imperialism, the rise of African states, and changes in labor systems, social hierarchies, and belief systems due to global interactions.

Takeaways

• 🚢 **Maritime Technology**: European adoption and innovation of maritime technology, such as the magnetic compass and the caravel, facilitated their global ascendency.
• 🌍 **State Power Growth**: The centralization of power in European monarchs led to significant roles in economic decisions, influencing interregional trade and expansion.
• 💰 **Mercantilism**: A state-driven economic system where the goal was to maintain a favorable balance of trade, leading to overseas colonization to enrich the empire.
• 🏭 **Joint-Stock Companies**: Limited liability businesses funded by private investors, often chartered by the state, played a crucial role in European expansion and trade monopolies.
• 👑 **Portugal's Early Expansion**: Led by Prince Henry the Navigator, Portugal established a trading post empire around Africa and the Indian Ocean.
• 🌟 **Spanish Empire**: Spain's claim to a vast world colonization started with Christopher Columbus's voyages, leading to the transatlantic trade and the establishment of colonies in the Americas.
• 🌾 **Columbian Exchange**: The transfer of diseases, food plants, and animals between the eastern and western hemispheres had significant environmental and demographic impacts.
• 🛡️ **Resistance to European Dominance**: Various forms of resistance, such as Japan's isolation policy, the French Fronde, and Maroon societies in the Caribbean, opposed European imperialism.
• 🔄 **Continuity and Change in Trade Networks**: While European states disrupted the Indian Ocean trade network, there was significant continuity in overland routes and labor practices.
• 🏭 **Labor Systems in the Americas**: New labor systems like chattel slavery, indentured servitude, and the encomienda system were introduced, significantly altering the demographics and social structures of the Americas.

Q & A

What were the three main causes of European expansion during 1450 to 1750?

The three main causes of European expansion were technological advancements in maritime technology, the growth of state power, and economic factors such as mercantilism and the establishment of joint-stock companies.

How did the adoption of maritime technology contribute to European exploration?

Europeans adopted maritime technologies like the magnetic compass, astrolabe, and the lateen sail from other cultures, which significantly improved their navigational capabilities. Additionally, innovations in shipbuilding, such as the Portuguese Caravel, allowed for more efficient and effective sea travel.

What was the significance of the Portuguese Caravel in the context of European expansion?

The Portuguese Caravel was a smaller, faster ship that allowed for better navigation in inland rivers and shallow coastal areas. Its design, along with the addition of cannons, made it an effective tool for exploration and establishing control over trade routes.

How did the growth of state power influence European imperialism during this period?

The growth of state power led to the centralization of authority in the hands of European monarchs, which in turn enabled them to make significant economic decisions, such as sponsoring exploration and trade initiatives, that expanded their empires.

What is mercantilism and how did it drive European exploration?

Mercantilism was an economic system where states sought to maximize their wealth by increasing exports and minimizing imports, often through colonization. This system motivated European states to establish overseas colonies to create closed markets for their goods.

Can you explain the role of joint-stock companies in European expansion?

Joint-stock companies were businesses funded by private investors and chartered by the state. They allowed for the sharing of risks and rewards among investors and were often granted monopolies by states, which facilitated the expansion of European influence through trade and colonization.

Who was Prince Henry the Navigator and why is he significant?

Prince Henry the Navigator was a Portuguese prince who sponsored exploration and navigational advancements. He is significant because his efforts led to Portugal becoming a major maritime power and initiating the Age of Discovery.

What was the Colombian Exchange and what were its effects?

The Colombian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World following Columbus's voyage. It had profound effects on the histories of the involved peoples, most notably in the widespread exchange of diseases, food crops, and the introduction of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

How did the introduction of new diseases impact the indigenous populations of the Americas?

The introduction of new diseases such as smallpox, measles, and malaria by Europeans had a devastating impact on indigenous populations, who had no immunity to these diseases. This often resulted in significant population declines, sometimes reaching up to 90% in affected communities.

What were the main economic motivations behind the establishment of European colonies in the Americas?

The main economic motivations included the desire for direct access to valuable resources like spices, gold, and silver, as well as the establishment of new markets for European goods. Colonies also provided a source of raw materials and a destination for the sale of European manufactured products.