Mercantilism and Colonization Quiz

Mercantilism

• Economic theory where a country's wealth is measured by its gold and silver reserves
• Countries aimed to export more goods than they imported to increase their gold and silver reserves
• Trade was heavily regulated to ensure the country's economic success

Colonization

• Francisco Pizarro: Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire, founding the city of Lima, Peru
• Vasco de Gama: Portuguese explorer who was the first to sail from Europe to India by rounding the Cape of Good Hope, opening trade routes to Asia
• Christopher Columbus: Italian explorer who sailed for Spain, landing in the Americas in 1492
• "Gold, God, Glory": Motives for European exploration and colonization
  • Gold: Wealth and resources
  • God: Spread of Christianity and conversion of indigenous people
  • Glory: Power, prestige, and expansion of empires

Society and Culture

• Mestizos: People of mixed Spanish and Indigenous ancestry
• Peninsulares: Spaniards born in Spain who resided in the New World, holding the highest positions in colonial society

The Columbian Exchange

• A significant exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and ideas between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
• Introduced many new crops and animals to the Americas, including horses, cattle, wheat, and sugar cane
• Also introduced diseases like smallpox to the Americas, which had devastating effects on indigenous populations

Key Terms

• Viceroys: Representatives of the Spanish king in the colonies
• Tariffs: Taxes levied on imported goods
• Cash Crops: Crops cultivated for commercial sale
• Reconquista: The centuries-long effort by Christian forces to drive out Muslim rule from Spain
• Treaty of Tordesillas: Agreement between Portugal and Spain in 1494 that divided the newly discovered lands in the Americas between the two nations
• Jamestown (Colonies): The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607
• Indentured Servants: People who agreed to work for a set period of time in exchange for passage to the Americas and the promise of land after their service

Test your knowledge on mercantilism and its influence on colonization during the Age of Exploration. This quiz covers key figures like Pizarro and Columbus, and the economic principles that guided their actions. Understand the socio-cultural impacts and motivations behind European expansion.