All Flashcards
Who was Vasco da Gama?
Portuguese explorer who opened a direct sea route to India.
Who was Christopher Columbus?
Sailed for Spain and initiated European contact and colonization of the Americas.
Who was Ferdinand Magellan?
Led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe (though he died during the voyage).
Who was Prince Henry the Navigator?
Portuguese prince who sponsored exploration along the African coast.
Who was John Cabot?
Explored the coast of North America for England.
Who was James Cook?
Made important discoveries in the Pacific for England.
What is the definition of Mercantilism?
Economic system where the state controls trade to increase wealth and power.
What is a trading-post empire?
An empire that controls trade through strategic locations rather than large-scale territorial control.
Define 'state-sponsored exploration'.
Exploration funded and supported by governments to expand influence and trade.
What is the Columbian Exchange?
The transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.
What is a tariff?
A tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.
What is meant by 'restricting imports' in mercantilism?
Limiting foreign goods to protect local industries.
Define 'subsidizing exports'.
Government support to help domestic industries sell more goods abroad.
What does it mean to 'regulate trade'?
Controlling the flow of goods with tariffs and restrictions.
What is the Northwest Passage?
A sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
What is meant by 'accumulating gold and silver' in mercantilism?
The belief that precious metals equal wealth and power for a nation.
What happened during Vasco da Gama's voyage (1497-98)?
Portugal opened a direct sea route to India, revolutionizing trade.
What was the significance of Columbus's voyages?
Led to Spanish colonization of Central and South America.
What was the result of Magellan's circumnavigation?
Proved the world was round and opened new routes.
What was the impact of the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)?
Divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between Portugal and Spain.
What was the significance of England, France, and the Netherlands looking for alternative routes to Asia?
They were trying to find a shortcut to the riches!
What was the significance of Portugal exploring the African Coast?
They established trading posts and controlled the trade in gold, ivory, and slaves.
What was the significance of England exploring North America?
They established colonies in Canada and the US.
What was the significance of France exploring North America?
They established colonies and trading posts in Canada and the US and were big in the fur trade.
What was the significance of the Dutch exploring the East Indies?
They established colonies and controlled the spice trade.
What was the significance of the Dutch exploring the Arctic?
They searched for a northeast passage and established whaling stations.