European Expansion and Empires Overview

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following statements accurately describes the Portuguese strategy in the Indian Ocean during the 15th and 16th centuries?

  • They established large colonies with extensive land holdings.
  • They focused on conquering and controlling entire regions, like Spain did in the Americas.
  • They relied primarily on diplomacy and trade alliances rather than military force.
  • They established fortified trading posts to control key trade routes and resources. (correct)

What was the primary reason for ongoing rivalry between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Dynasty?

  • Religious and territorial conflicts, with the Ottomans being Muslim and the Habsburgs being Catholic. (correct)
  • Competition for control over trade routes in the Indian Ocean.
  • Disagreements over the boundaries of their respective colonial empires.
  • Economic rivalry, stemming from their control over different resource-rich regions.

Which of the following was a key factor in the decline of the importance of castles and armored knights in warfare during the 15th and 16th centuries?

  • The decline of feudalism and the rise of centralized monarchies.
  • The introduction of cannons and firearms, which could penetrate castle walls and armor. (correct)
  • The increasing use of mercenaries and professional armies over traditional feudal levies.
  • The development of new naval technologies, such as the caravel and the galleon.

Which of the following best describes how the Spanish monarchs used architecture to demonstrate their power?

<p>They constructed massive palaces, showcasing their strength and wealth. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the use of gunpowder weapons contribute to the centralization of states in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries?

<p>They allowed rulers to suppress local noble revolts and establish a stronger standing army. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was NOT a key factor in the shift from European trade to colonialism?

<p>Religious persecution of indigenous populations. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was an important consequence of Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the Americas in 1492?

<p>The beginning of European colonization and the subsequent exploitation of indigenous resources and populations. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the encomienda system, as practiced by Spain in the Americas?

<p>A system where conquistadors were granted land and forced indigenous people to work on it. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the Spanish Inquisition?

<p>To enforce Catholic orthodoxy and punish heresy. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the Ottoman Sultans use Islam to justify their rule?

<p>By declaring themselves as caliphs, the supreme Islamic leaders. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way did the Ottoman Empire’s conquest of Constantinople in 1453 have a significant impact on European history?

<p>It marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and shifted the balance of power in the Mediterranean region. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main impact of the Scientific Revolution on politics?

<p>It encouraged monarchs to support scientific advancements as they benefited warfare and navigation. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of the Battle of Lepanto (1571)?

<p>To stop the Ottoman Empire's advance into Europe and protect Christian territories. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Martin Luther's criticisms of the Catholic Church lead to?

<p>The establishment of a new form of Christianity: Protestantism. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the Protestant Reformation impact the relationship between European rulers and the Pope?

<p>It led to a decline in the Pope's power as some rulers sought independence in religious matters. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is NOT a characteristic of Louis XIV's rule in France?

<p>He embraced democratic reforms to strengthen his rule. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main reason European powers shifted their focus from trade to colonialism?

<p>The pursuit of greater wealth through conquering land and exploiting its resources. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the Transatlantic Slave Trade impact the relationship between Africa and Europe?

<p>It created a system of dependence as coastal African states supplied slaves for European profit. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Portuguese Expansion in Indian Ocean

Portugal was the first European country to explore the Indian Ocean, establishing trading posts and controlling key routes.

Spanish Colonization of the Americas

Spain colonized large territories in the Americas, using the encomienda system to exploit indigenous labor.

The Habsburg Dynasty

The Habsburgs were a powerful family in Central Europe who expanded their influence through marriage and controlled the Holy Roman Empire.

Battle of Lepanto

A significant naval battle in 1571 where a Christian coalition defeated the Ottoman navy.

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Impact of Cannons

Cannons shifted warfare from knights to centralized states, enabling them to build standing armies.

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Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople

In 1453, the Ottomans used cannons to conquer Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire.

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Encomienda System

A labor system in colonial Spain where conquistadors received land and exploited indigenous people for labor.

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Gunpowder Age

The period when gunpowder weapons transformed military power, helping centralized states to suppress local revolts.

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Spanish Monarchs' Architecture

Massive palaces like El Escorial symbolized wealth and power.

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Süleymaniye Mosque

Grand mosque built by Ottomans to show strength and religious authority.

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Scientific Revolution

A shift to experiments and observations from old ideas in the 1500s-1600s.

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Heliocentrism

The idea that Earth orbits the Sun, challenged by Copernicus and Galileo.

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Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther's movement that criticized the Catholic Church in 1517.

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Absolutism in France

King Louis XIV ruled as an absolute monarch with control over nobles.

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Colonialism Transition

Shift from trade to land conquest for more profit and power.

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Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

Trade route that linked Europe, Africa, and the Americas through slavery.

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Plantation Economy

Economies based on cash crops produced by enslaved people.

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Study Notes

Portuguese and Spanish Expansion

  • Portugal pioneered exploration of the Indian Ocean, establishing trading posts along African coasts, and reaching India by 1498 (Vasco da Gama).
  • Portuguese used superior technology (ships and cannons) to control key trade routes and cities in the Indian Ocean.
  • Portugal's goal was controlling trade (spice trade), not large-scale colonization.
  • After Columbus's voyages, Spain and Portugal colonized the Americas.
  • Spain focused on conquering large empires (Aztecs, Incas) using the encomienda system.
  • Portugal focused on Brazil, using plantation slavery for sugar production.

Ottoman Empire and Habsburgs

  • Ottoman Empire, founded by Osman Gazi in the 1300s, rapidly expanded, conquering Constantinople (1453).
  • Habsburgs controlled much of Central Europe and Spain, gaining power through marriages. Included the Holy Roman Empire.
  • Religious rivalry existed between Muslims (Ottomans) and Catholics (Habsburgs), leading to conflicts like the Battle of Lepanto.
  • Habsburg-Ottoman conflict involved territorial expansion and religious differences

Impact of Gunpowder Weapons on State Centralization

  • Before gunpowder, warfare relied on knights and castles.
  • Cannons and firearms made castles less effective, and armored knights less useful.
  • Centralized states benefited from gunpowder technology, as they could afford larger standing armies to crush local rebellions.
  • Examples include the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and strengthening of European monarchies.

Architectural and Religious Displays of Power

  • Spanish monarchs built magnificent palaces (like El Escorial) to showcase wealth and power.
  • Ottoman rulers constructed grand mosques (like the Süleymaniye Mosque) to demonstrate religious authority and strength.
  • Both empires employed public spectacles (ceremonies, parades) to project power and control.
  • Religious authority was demonstrated through punishment of heretics (Spain) and Islamic rule justification (Ottomans).

The Scientific Revolution

  • The Scientific Revolution (1500s-1600s) challenged traditional knowledge emphasized experimentation and observation.
  • Heliocentrism (Earth orbits the Sun) was promoted by Copernicus and Galileo, challenging the Church.
  • Newton's laws revolutionized understanding of the universe's physical principles.

Protestant Reformation and State Power

  • Martin Luther's criticisms (1517) of the Catholic Church (indulgences, corruption) started the Reformation.
  • Some rulers supported Protestantism to reduce the Pope's authority and increase their own power.
  • Examples include German princes resisting Habsburg control and King Henry VIII establishing the Anglican Church in England.

Absolutism in Europe

  • French King Louis XIV (Sun King) solidified his absolute rule, controlling nobles and asserting "I am the state."
  • Russian Tsars like Peter the Great copied French centralization.
  • While absolute, Russian rulers had to negotiate with nobles (boyars) but still held ultimate power.

Transition from Trade to Colonialism

  • European trade initially involved establishing posts in Africa, India, and the Americas.
  • Desire for wealth and increased military power through gunpowder technology spurred the shift to conquest.
  • Competition between European powers (Spain, Portugal, France, England) fueled colonial expansion and control.

American Colonial Institutions

  • Spain and Portugal's American colonies developed institutions for control:
  • Encomienda system for using native labor,
  • Viceroys represented the monarch,
  • African slave labor replaced indigenous labor.

African States and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

  • Coastal African states participated in trading enslaved people for European goods, like guns and textiles.
  • Some African rulers benefited economically and politically by controlling the slave trade.

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Plantation Economy

  • The North Atlantic System linked Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a triangular trade system.
  • The slave trade's brutal "Middle Passage" transported enslaved people to the Americas.
  • Enslaved labor powered the plantation economy producing cash crops (sugar, tobacco, cotton) for European markets.
  • Demand for cash crops and labor shortages fueled the slave trade.

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