History Quiz: Exploration and Colonization

Portuguese trade routes connected Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They navigated around Africa to reach India, Southeast Asia, and China, and later the Americas. The routes facilitated trade in spices, gold, and enslaved people.

Ferdinand Magellan was the first to successfully sail around the globe, proving that the Earth was round and interconnected.

Portuguese explorers were financially supported by King John II, King Manuel I, and later King João III of Portugal. They funded voyages to expand trade and spread Christianity.

Vasco da Gama was the first to successfully sail around the Cape of Good Hope to reach India in 1498. This opened a sea route to Asia for European trade and established Portugal as a leading Asian trade power.

Goa, a state on India's west coast, became a key Portuguese colony and trading post. Its strategic location on trade routes allowed Portugal to control trade between Europe and Asia, especially for spices.

The Ming Dynasty ruled China in the late 16th century. China was largely isolated, yet it was a period of cultural and economic growth, with the Ming Dynasty facing internal and external challenges from European traders and missionaries.

The Japanese invasion of Korea in the late 16th century, led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, aimed to conquer China but was unsuccessful, with Korea receiving aid from the Ming Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) was founded by the Manchu, a non-Chinese group from the north, and expanded Chinese territory. While imposing Chinese culture and governance, they preserved some of their traditions.

The Columbian Exchange refers to the transfer of plants, animals, diseases, culture, and technology between the Old and New Worlds after Columbus' voyages, significantly impacting both the Americas and Europe.

The British established colonies in North America with a policy of mercantilism, focused on trade and economic gain. Their policies became more restrictive, including taxes and trade regulations, leading to tensions with the American colonies.

The Mughal Empire, founded by Babur in the 16th century, was a Muslim-majority empire controlling much of India. Known for their cultural contributions, including architecture, they generally tolerated non-Muslim populations.

The colony of New France, founded by the French in North America, grew slowly due to factors like harsh winters, distance from France, limited population, and a focus on fur trading rather than large-scale settlement.

A company funded by investors who own shares. The Dutch East India Company had a powerful army and controlled trade routes. It was a vital force in global commerce.

Hernán Cortés led an expedition that conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521. He skillfully exploited Aztec internal conflicts and formed alliances with other indigenous groups.

New France faced many challenges, including harsh weather, a small population, and fierce competition from British colonies. It struggled to attract immigrants.

The Seven Years' War (1756-1763) was a global conflict between Britain and France, mainly for control of colonies in North America and India. Britain emerged victorious.

The transatlantic slave trade ripped millions of Africans from their homes, devastating societies and economies. It created a lasting impact on African culture and politics.

The Middle Passage, the journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, was brutal. Millions died of disease, mistreatment, and the harsh conditions on ships.

Mercantilism was an economic policy focused on national wealth. Countries sought to maximize exports, minimize imports, establish colonies, and maintain a favorable balance of trade.

The Columbian Exchange was the exchange of goods, plants, animals, and diseases between Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It reshaped ecosystems, cultures, and economies on both sides of the Atlantic.

The forced capture and transport of Africans to the Americas by European nations for slave labor.

A brutal sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean that carried enslaved Africans to the Americas, marked by overcrowding, disease, malnutrition, and high mortality rates.

Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, who rejected George Macartney's 1793 diplomatic mission to China, highlighting China's self-sufficiency and limited need for foreign trade.

The Dutch East India Company established a colony in 1652 as a port for ships traveling to and from Asia.

Magellan's circumnavigation proved the Earth's round shape and the possibility of sailing around it, opening new trade routes and contributing to global geography.

The Mughal Empire faced internal instability, succession disputes, heavy taxation, military defeats, and a weakening of central authority, leading to the rise of regional powers and European colonial influence.

Olaudah Equiano's autobiography details his capture, the harsh conditions of the Middle Passage, and his experiences as a slave in the Americas, providing a firsthand glimpse into the realities of the Atlantic slave trade.