Age of Exploration and Colonization

• Circumnavigate means to sail completely around the world.
• A colony is a territory controlled by a foreign power.
• Pre-Columbian refers to the period in the Americas before Columbus' arrival.
• Codex is a type of book made by the Aztecs for recording information.
• Conquistadors were Spanish conquerors of the Americas.
• Mestizo refers to a person of mixed European and Indigenous descent.
• Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership and investment.
• The Encomienda System was a Spanish labor system that forced Indigenous people to work.
• Quipu was a system of knotted cords used by the Inca for record-keeping.
• Pilgrims and Puritans were English settlers seeking religious freedom in the Americas.
• Entrepreneur is a person who starts a business.
• Joint Stock Company is a business model where investors share profits and risks.
• Favorable Balance of Trade means exporting more than importing.
• Mercantilism is an economic policy focused on accumulating wealth through colonies.
• Quechua is the language of the Inca Empire.

Important People

• Christopher Columbus reached the Americas in 1492
• Ferdinand Magellan's was the first voyage to circumnavigate the globe.
• Hernando Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire.
• Montezuma was the Aztec ruler who confronted the Spanish.
• Malintzin worked as an interpreter and advisor to Cortes.
• Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire.
• Pachacuti expanded the Inca Empire.
• Atahualpa was the last Incan emperor.
• Olaudah Equiano was a formerly enslaved person who wrote about slavery.
• Bartolomé de las Casas was a Spanish priest who opposed the mistreatment of Indigenous people.

Significant Places

• The Americas were the lands explored and colonized by Europeans.
• The Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean were key waterways for exploration.
• The Strait of Magellan is a navigable route around South America.
• The Caribbean Islands were the first area colonized by Spain.
• Tenochtitlan was the Aztec capital.
• Tikal was a major Maya city.
• Cusco & Machu Picchu were important Incan cities.
• Potosí was a major silver mine in South America.
• Hudson Bay was explored by Europeans for trade.
• Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Jamestown were early English colonies.
• Africa & India were key areas in global trade and colonization.

Main Ideas

• Columbus' voyage in 1492 led to European awareness of the Americas and the beginning of colonization.
• Magellan's expedition (1519-1522) was the first to circumnavigate the world and prove that the Earth was round.
• Nations like Spain, Portugal, England, and France wanted to expand their influence.
• The Indigenous labor force was resupplied with Africans due to disease and overwork.
• Africans had farming experience and were more resistant to European diseases.
• The slave trade was profitable, and African leaders participated in it.

Triangular Trade

• Europe to Africa: Manufactured goods (guns, textiles, alcohol) were traded for enslaved people.
• Africa to the Americas (Middle Passage): Enslaved Africans were transported under brutal conditions.
• Americas to Europe: Raw materials (sugar, cotton, tobacco) were sent to Europe for processing and sale.
• The Middle Passage was the journey of enslaved Africans to the Americas.
• Horrific conditions on the Middle Passage (overcrowding, disease, mistreatment) led to high death rates.
• The Middle Passage fueled the growth of plantation economies in the Americas.

Impact of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

• Europe became wealthier due to profits from plantations and trade.
• Africa lost millions of people, leading to social and economic decline.
• Slavery became the foundation of economies in the Caribbean, Brazil, and the U.S.

Colonial Empires

• Colonial empires caused a massive wealth increase in Europe from American resources (gold, silver, sugar).
• The Aztecs settled in Tenochtitlán (on an island in Lake Texcoco) due to a prophecy.
• The Aztecs built an advanced society with irrigation, causeways, and chinampas (floating gardens) for agriculture.
• Aztecs expanded their wealth and empire through military conquest and tribute collection.
• The pyramids of the Maya and Aztecs were centers for religion, politics, and astronomy.
• The pyramids' construction demonstrates advanced engineering and mathematics.
• The carvings and temples at the top of the pyramids highlight the importance of human sacrifice and gods.
• The Spanish had guns, steel weapons, and horses, which the Aztecs lacked.
• The Spanish allied with groups like the Tlaxcalans, who resented Aztec rule.
• Smallpox weakened and killed many Aztecs.
• The Aztecs were dealing with political instability when the Spanish arrived.

Incan Government

• The Incan had a strong central government which controlled taxes, labor, and laws.
• Incan road networks connected the empire, allowing for easy communication and trade.
• The Incan used the Quechua language and Quipu for record-keeping and maintained unity.
• The mit'a system required people to work for the state in exchange for food and protection.
• European nations wanted wealth from gold and silver in the Americas.
• European nations sought faster trade routes to Asia.
• Sugar, tobacco, and other valuable crops grew well in the Americas.
• Missionaries wanted to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity.
• Increased trade networks connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
• Inflation occurred in Spain due to large amounts of gold and silver.

Mercantilism

• Mercantilism is the belief that a nation's power depends on its wealth.
• Colonies provided raw materials and bought manufactured goods from Europe.
• Mercantilism led to exploitation of colonies and limited economic freedom and Favorable balance of trade involves exporting more than importing to gain wealth.
• They also used colonies for cheap resources and labor.
• Tariffs and monopolies were used to protect domestic industries.

Columbian Exchange

• New foods (potatoes, maize) boosted European and Asian populations.
• Horses transformed Native American societies.
• Global trade networks expanded.
• Diseases (smallpox, measles) devastated Indigenous populations.
• Slavery increased as demand for labor grew.
• Environmental destruction occurred due to European farming methods.
• The the Columbian Exchange caused increased population in Europe and Asia due New foods
• There was a decline in Indigenous populations due to disease
• There was increased migration of Africans due to slavery.

Explore key terms related to the Age of Exploration, including circumnavigation, colonies, and Pre-Columbian history. Learn about the economic systems like capitalism and mercantilism of the era. The lesson also includes the Spanish influence with conquistadors and labor systems.