The Pre-modern World and Globalization

Study Notes

The Pre-modern World

Globalization has historical roots, evolving over thousands of years, not just in recent decades.
Human societies became increasingly interconnected through trade, migration, and cultural exchange dating back to ancient times.
Coastal trade linked the Indus Valley civilization with West Asia as early as 3000 BCE.
Cowries, seashells used as currency, were traded for over a millennium from the Maldives to China and East Africa.
The spread of disease-carrying germs has been traced back to the seventh century.
By the 13th century, connections among regions were well established, characterized by the movement of goods and ideas.

Conquest, Disease, and Trade

The discovery of a sea route to Asia by European sailors in the 16th century significantly shrank the global world.
The Indian Ocean was already a hub of trade, connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe before European arrival.
The Americas were isolated for millions of years until the 16th century, leading to the transformation of global trade with their resource wealth.
Precious metals, especially silver from Peru and Mexico, augmented Europe's wealth and trade capabilities.
The search for El Dorado spurred expeditions fueled by legends of vast wealth in South America.
European conquests were bolstered not only by weaponry but also by diseases like smallpox, which devastated native populations lacking immunity.

The Irish Potato Famine

The Great Irish Potato Famine (1845-1849) led to around 1 million deaths from starvation while twice that number emigrated.
The Famine illustrated the extreme conditions in which people sought better lives elsewhere.

Guns, Diseases, and Poverty

Guns could be weaponized against invaders, but diseases like smallpox had deadly effects on conquerors and natives alike.
19th-century Europe experienced widespread poverty and disease, exacerbated by overcrowded cities and religious conflicts, prompting many to flee to America.
By the 18th century, slave labor in American plantations cultivated cotton and sugar for the European market.

China and India

China and India were among the wealthiest and most influential economies until the 18th century, central to Asian trade networks.
From the 15th century, China began to limit overseas contacts and retreat into isolation, shifting trade dynamics.
The declining role of China and the rise of the Americas gradually reoriented the center of global trade westward.

Description

Explore the historical roots of globalization, tracing its evolution from ancient trade and cultural exchanges to the interconnectedness of societies by the 13th century. This quiz covers significant events, such as the use of cowries as currency and the impact of European discovery on global trade routes.