Colonization, Interactions, and Trade: 1450-1600

• Chapter 12 discusses the interactions, trade, and colonization between 1450 and 1600.

Encomienda System

• Supposedly, it would benefit the settlers and Indigenous people.
• Spanish settlers would protect, care for, and Christianize Indigenous populations in exchange for portion of labour
• But instead, Spanish settlers forced long labor, did not pay indigenous workers, failed to protect the natives, and seized their lands.
• Indigenous people died from disease and harsh living and working conditions.
• It was ended after clergy protests and indigenous people revolted.
• The system's abuses continued under the replacement repartimiento.

Transformation of Europe

• Despite 1500s wealth gained from American silver, European rulers focused on war
• Conflict led to deep religious divisions among European states and rivalries.

Protestant Reformation

• Religious movement with focus on returning to ancient sources

• The religious movement devoted to returning to ancient sources (biblical scriptures) for spiritual guidance, like the Renaissance was devoted to ancient Greek & Roman arts, literature, scientific exploration

• Technological advancements, printing press, and translation to vernacular of the Bible meant that people (not clergy) read and interpreted scriptures in a new way

• This reading and interpretation of the Bible led to Protestant Reformation and split Christendom

• Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on Oct. 31, 1517, on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

• The theses criticized Church practices like selling indulgences to raise money.

• Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German Monk and theology professor

• Germany at the time was split into many small areas run by a “German prince” and influenced by Holy Roman Empire

• He questioned Church ideas and practices using his knowledge of the Bible

• He argued forgiveness should come from faith through reading the Bible and not through sacraments or good deeds.

• He felt believers should appeal directly to God themselves

• Luther's reforming efforts: Faith alone saves and the Scriptures hold key to Christian truth and belief in the priesthood of all believers.

• He reacted against Church corruption that included monks, priests and popeskeeping mistresses and and selling indulgences to raise money for fancy St. Peter's basilica in Rome

• Luther posted 95 statements to doors of Wittenberg cathedral in 1517.

• Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms in 1521 by Pope Leo X (Medici Pope) and Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

• Demanded Luther recant, but Luther refused to respond to charges of heresy

• The Diet of Worms was a Holy Roman Empire meeting where politics and religion intertwined.

• Luther was declared a heretic for denying Catholic doctrine and narrowly avoided being burned at the stake.

• He attacking the Church & Pope in pamphlets that led to The bible being translated from Latin into German so laypersons could read the Bible/.

• He encouraged Protestant clergy to teach children to read local languages

• Jean Calvin (1509-1564) emphasized moral regeneration/religious renewal and laid out teachings of predestination (notion that each person is predestined to damnation or salvation even before birth)

• Followers of Luther and Calvin called themselves "Protestants"

• Its form of Christianity promised to meet individual spiritual needs and create foundation for community life.

• The teachings especially appealed to commoners and elites ruled by Catholic "outsiders"

• German princes welcomed rebellion for more control and Dutch people protested as they resented being ruled by Philips II

• Protestantism spread to German states, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Scotland

Catholic/Counter Reformation.

• The Church embarked on a plan to counter exodus of members, reform the Church

• The goal of Council of Trent (1545-1563) was to educate people and stop members from joining Protestants:

• There were a series of 25 meetings

• Catholic leaders reaffirmed the teachings and discussed outreach

• They enacted reforms against abuses

• Catholics carried the message to colonies via Jesuits dedicated to revival

• Catholics and Protestants promoted their beliefs:

• Religious wars weakened the Holy Roman Empire and strengthened English, French and Dutch

• By 1520s, books presenting Luther's sparked peasant revolts across central Europe

• People believed Luther's help liberate them from remaining & repressive feudal lords/landlords

• The Netherlands declared independence from Spain in 1581

• Spain gave Netherlands independence in 1648.

• The wars greatly affected Spanish Empire as by late 1500s declared bankrupt 3 times

• English & Dutch seized economic advantage and extended trading networks into Americas & Asia

• Religious conflicts sparked civil conflicts

• The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in France (1572) symbolizes violence in France

• King Henry IV, once a Huguenot prince, converted to Catholicism in 1598

• To ensure peace with the protestants, he issued the Edict of Nantes, a proclamation that France was a Catholic country

• However, worship Protestants was tolerated by the King, who allowed them to defend themselves.

• This behaviour from king Henry the 4th attempted to unite France

Conclusion regarding Europe after the Reformation:

• Prince sought to answer religion questions only in their domain.
• States/nations became identified with a Christian religion
• There was more state / nation building that created national identities
• Religious conflicts made European countries' rivalries for wealth or territory
• Exploration lead to violence and conflicts between explorers.

Prosperity in Asia

• Trade flourished while Europe's experienced religious warfare:
• European traders helped increase the power of Asia's imperial regimes:
• Akbar, ruler of Mughal India and Suleiman ruled Ottoman Empire
• Chinese Ming Dynasty's manufacturers were respected:
• The Ming Dynasty governed group of people and was considered the ideal state

Mughal India and Commerce

• Mughal Empire:
• This was one of Islam's greatest regimes from 1526
• Centred around the Mughal empire was modern India:
• It relied on strong military power
• The Mughal emperor made alliances with Hindu chieftains
• Akbar was flexible to diverse populations and religions that gave the empire validity
• He studied comparative religions and hosted debates
• Trade with Europe increased wealth European incursions were limited While there were inequalities, India remained united with European

Prosperity in Ming China

• China prospered from Commerce in the late 1500s
• Europeans were confined to port cities
• The silver allowed for payment in wages and growth in handicraft
• There was literary growth and cultural richness across the Empire
• City elegance dazzled the Europeans.

Asian Relations with Europe

• European expansion looked Asian as there was a spice trade

• With demand comes high profit, and European Countries sought that profit

• Portuguese sponsored voyages that went around the Horn to avoid conflict with other groups that used land routes

• Portugal soon controlled trading cities in Africa and India

• The Spanish, English, and Dutch soon followed as they sought to gain profits from trade.

• Spain traded silver from Americas to Philippines to trade

• Goods were traded and went across the world for wealthy Europe

• The Chinese were uninterested in European products, they sought the silver itself coming from south America

• China benefited from Spain's ability to link the world together

• 1600-English investors pooled funds together to create the English East India Company and were granted a government.

• By 1600s, Portugal began to lose control

Conclusion

• In the 15th century, the world held diverse power
• Scientific advances brought adventure and exploration
• Europeans got re-introduced to goods despite conflict in Eurasia
• Trade sailing led to new maps and technologies
• The conquest and colonization in the Americas brought Europe, wealth at home
• The Reformation increased focus and religious conflict
• Ottoman Islamic and Spanish conquests drove interconnection
• Atlantic System/Triangular Trade brought financials success as it drove need for slavery:
• The Encomienda System began colonial subjugation.