Study Guide Unit 8 - Hemispheres Collide PDF

Study Guide: Unit 8 - Hemispheres Collide Key Vocabulary ​ ​ Prosperity: Wealth and success in trade and economics. ​ ​ Favorable Trade Balance: When a country exports more goods than it imports. ​ ​ Immunity: Resistance to diseases. ​ ​ Flourish: To grow and develop s...

Study Guide: Unit 8 - Hemispheres Collide Key Vocabulary ​ ​ Prosperity: Wealth and success in trade and economics. ​ ​ Favorable Trade Balance: When a country exports more goods than it imports. ​ ​ Immunity: Resistance to diseases. ​ ​ Flourish: To grow and develop successfully. ​ ​ Mesoamerica: A region that includes parts of modern-day Mexico and Central America. ​ ​ Monotheistic Religion: Belief in one god (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Judaism). ​ ​ Polytheistic Religion: Belief in multiple gods (e.g., Mayan, Aztec religions). The Ming Dynasty ​ ​ Zheng He was a Chinese explorer and admiral during the Ming dynasty who expanded China’s influence by dominating trade routes in Asia, Arabia, and the east coast of Africa. His expeditions brought valuable goods and established diplomatic ties. ​ ​ The Ming dynasty traded silk, porcelain, and spices with Europe, connecting the two regions through the Silk Road. ​ ​ The dynasty eventually adopted a policy of isolationism to preserve Chinese culture, reduce the cost of expeditions, and maintain self-sufficiency. Ancient American Empires ​ ​ The Maya were located in the Yucatan Peninsula. They practiced polytheistic religion, created an advanced calendar, and developed a writing system. Their government operated as city-states, and their mysterious decline remains a subject of study. ​ ​ The Inca lived in the Andes Mountains in modern-day Peru. They practiced polytheism and made technological advancements such as terrace farming and an extensive road network. Their centralized monarchy collapsed due to the Spanish conquest. ​ ​ The Aztecs were based in central Mexico and worshipped a polytheistic religion centered on the Sun God. They built chinampas (floating gardens) and monumental architecture like pyramids. Their empire fell to Spanish conquest and disease. Geography and Technology ​ ​ Geographic Impact: Mountains, such as the Andes, encouraged innovations like terrace farming. Rivers supported agriculture and trade, while other land features influenced settlement patterns. ​ ​ Technological Achievements: ​ ​ Hieroglyphics: A symbolic writing system. ​ ​ Terrace Farming: Agricultural practice on mountain slopes. ​ ​ Chinampas: Floating gardens used by the Aztecs. ​ ​ Incan Roads: Advanced road systems for communication and trade. ​ ​ Quipu: Knotted strings for record-keeping used by the Incas. European Explorers ​ ​ Christopher Columbus, an explorer for Spain, is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492 and initiating the Columbian Exchange. ​ ​ Mercantilism was an economic policy where colonies provided raw materials to the mother country and bought finished goods in return. This system ensured a favorable trade balance for the mother country. ​ ​ Major explorers and their contributions: ​ ​ Marco Polo: Traveled to China, inspiring future explorers. ​ ​ Vasco da Gama: Found a sea route to India for Portugal. ​ ​ Ferdinand Magellan: Led the first circumnavigation of the globe. ​ ​ John Cabot: Explored parts of North America for England. ​ ​ Henry Hudson: Mapped Canada and the Hudson Bay for England and the Netherlands. Conquistadors and Impacts ​ ​ Conquistadors were Spanish explorers and conquerors. ​ ​ Hernán Cortés defeated the Aztec Empire, while Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire. ​ ​ The 3 G’s of Exploration: ​ ​ Gold: The search for wealth through resources like gold and silver. ​ ​ Glory: Achieving fame for explorers and their countries.  ​ ​ God: The desire to spread Christianity. ​ ​ European diseases, like smallpox, devastated native populations, making it easier for the Spanish to conquer these civilizations. The Columbian Exchange ​ ​ The Columbian Exchange was the exchange of goods, crops, animals, people, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Africa, and Asia) and the New World (the Americas). ​ ​ Impact on Europe: Crops like corn and potatoes improved diets and fueled population growth. ​ ​ Impact on the Americas: Diseases such as smallpox decimated native populations. ​ ​ Examples of Items Traded: ​ ​ To the Americas: Wheat, horses, cattle. ​ ​ To Europe: Maize, potatoes, tomatoes. The Transatlantic Slave Trade ​ ​ Causes: The demand for labor on plantations in the Americas led to the transatlantic slave trade. Native populations had declined due to disease and overwork, so European colonists turned to African labor. ​ ​ The Triangular Trade: A trade route connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Goods were sent from Europe to Africa, slaves were transported to the Americas, and raw materials were shipped back to Europe. ​ ​ The Middle Passage: The brutal journey enslaved Africans endured across the Atlantic, often under inhumane conditions. ​ ​ Impacts: ​ ​ In West Africa, the slave trade caused population loss and disrupted societies. ​ ​ In the Americas, enslaved Africans became the backbone of plantation labor, contributing to economic growth and cultural diversity. Mercantilism and Joint-Stock Companies ​ ​ Mercantilism: ​ ​ Colonies existed to supply raw materials and buy finished goods from the mother country. ​ ​ The system aimed to ensure a favorable trade balance (exporting more than importing). ​ ​ Joint-Stock Companies:  ​ ​ These were organizations where multiple investors pooled money to fund exploration and trade, reducing individual risk. An example is the Dutch East India Company. Key Takeaways ​ ​ The Age of Exploration reshaped global trade, politics, and cultures by connecting regions that had previously been isolated. ​ ​ The Columbian Exchange introduced new goods and ideas but also caused significant population loss in the Americas due to disease. ​ ​ Mercantilism and the transatlantic slave trade created systems of economic exploitation that enriched European powers while deeply impacting other regions.