# AP World History: Modern - Maritime Exploration (1450-1750) 🚢 Hey there, future historian! Let's dive into the Age of Exploration, a period of massive change and global connection. This guide will help you nail those AP questions!
## 🧭 Thematic Focus: Governance & Economic Systems ### 🏛️ Governance * **State Formation & Expansion:** European states were all about expanding their influence and power. They used exploration and colonization to do this. * **Maintaining Order:** Governments used various policies and institutions to control their territories and trade. Think of them as the rule-makers of the game of exploration. * **Power Dynamics:** States competed for power and resources, leading to rivalries and conflicts. It was a race to see who could grab the most land and wealth. ### 💰 Economic Systems * **Production, Exchange, Consumption:** Exploration drastically changed how goods were made, traded, and used. New trade routes and colonies meant new economic systems. * **Mercantilism:** This was the economic policy of the time. It's all about the state controlling trade to increase wealth and power. More on that below! 👇
## 🎯 College Board Learning Objectives * **Role of States in Maritime Exploration:** Understand how governments supported and drove exploration. They weren't just bystanders; they were key players. * **Economic Causes & Effects:** Analyze why Europeans explored and what the economic consequences were. It's all about the money, honey! 💸
## 📜 Historical Developments * **KC-4.1.III:** New state-sponsored exploration is the name of the game. Think of it as a government-funded treasure hunt. 🗺️ * **KC-4.1.III.A:** Portugal led the way with maritime tech and skills, creating a global trading-post empire. They were the early birds of exploration. 🇵🇹 * **KC-4.1.III.B:** Spain's support of Columbus and others led to massive interest in transoceanic travel and trade. They jumped into the game with both feet! 🇪🇸 * **KC-4.1.III.C:** England, France, and the Netherlands looked for alternative routes to Asia, especially through the North Atlantic. They were trying to find a shortcut to the riches! 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇳🇱
## 🤔 Motives for Exploration Why did Europeans risk it all to sail into the unknown? Here’s the breakdown: 1. **💰 Wealth:** Gold, silver, and new trade routes were the big prizes. They wanted to get rich quick! 2. **💪🏽 Power:** Empires wanted to expand and dominate. It was all about who could control the most territory. 3. **🧠 Knowledge:** Some explorers were driven by curiosity and the desire to learn about the world. They were the OG scientists. 4. **✝️ Religion:** Spreading Christianity was a major goal for some. They wanted to convert the world, one person at a time. 5. **🗺️ Adventure:** The thrill of discovery was a powerful motivator. They were the daredevils of their time!
### 💡 Mercantilism: The Economic Engine **Mercantilism** was the economic system driving exploration. It's all about the state controlling trade to increase wealth and power. * **Key Policies:** 1. **Restricting Imports:** Protect local industries by limiting foreign goods. 2. **Subsidizing Exports:** Help domestic industries sell more goods abroad. 3. **Establishing Colonies:** Exploit resources and labor in other regions. 4. **Regulating Trade:** Control the flow of goods with tariffs and restrictions. 5. **Accumulating Gold & Silver:** Precious metals = wealth and power.
**Remember the 5 Ws of Exploration:** * **Wealth:** To get rich. * **World Power:** To gain influence. * **Wisdom:** To learn about the world. * **Worship:** To spread religion. * **Wanderlust:** To seek adventure.
![European Explorers](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_68b63f_1264.png?alt=media&token=af23b752-19e5-4c0f-a2c7-59e5963c6f53) ###### *This infographic shows some must-know European explorers who populated the new world as well as their empires of origin.*
## 🌍 Achievements in Exploration ### 🇵🇹 Portugal * **Sea Route to India:** Vasco da Gama's voyage in 1497-98 opened a direct trade route. This was a game-changer! * **Exploration of the African Coast:** They established trading posts and controlled the trade in gold, ivory, and slaves. They were the kings of the African coast. * **Mapping the World:** They made significant contributions to cartography, including the Cape of Good Hope. They were the mapmakers of the era. ### 🇪🇸 Spanish * **Conquest of the Americas:** Columbus's voyages led to the colonization of Central and South America. They claimed a huge chunk of the New World. * **Circumnavigation of the Globe:** Magellan (and Elcano) proved the world was round. They went all the way around! ### 🇬🇧 British * **Exploration of North America:** John Cabot and others established colonies in Canada and the US. They staked their claim in North America. * **Exploration of the Pacific:** James Cook made important discoveries in the Pacific. He was the explorer of the Pacific. ### 🇫🇷 French * **Exploration of North America:** They established colonies and trading posts in Canada and the US. They were big in the fur trade. * **Exploration of the Arctic:** They explored the Arctic regions and developed new technologies for Arctic travel. They braved the cold! ### 🇳🇱 Dutch * **Exploration of the East Indies:** They established colonies and controlled the spice trade. They were the spice kings. * **Exploration of the Arctic:** They searched for a northeast passage and established whaling stations. They were the Arctic whalers.
**Focus on:** * **Motivations for exploration** (Gold, God, Glory). * **Mercantilism** and its impact on trade and colonization. * **Key explorers** and their achievements (Vasco da Gama, Columbus, Magellan). * **The impact of exploration** on global trade and power dynamics.
## 📝 Final Exam Focus * **Highest-Priority Topics:** * **Mercantilism** and its effects on global trade. * **The impact of exploration** on indigenous populations. * **The role of technology** in enabling exploration. * **The establishment of global empires** and their consequences. * **Common Question Types:** * **Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):** Focus on cause-and-effect relationships, key events, and the impact of exploration. * **Short Answer Questions (SAQs):** Be able to explain specific events, policies, and their effects. * **Free Response Questions (FRQs):** Analyze the long-term consequences of exploration, the motivations behind it, and the impact on different regions. * **Last-Minute Tips:** * **Time Management:** Don't spend too long on any one question. Keep moving and come back if you have time. * **Common Pitfalls:** Don't confuse explorers or their achievements. Pay attention to the specific details. * **Strategies:** Use evidence from the documents to support your answers. Think like a historian!
**Rubric Requirements:** * **Thesis:** Make sure your thesis is clear, specific, and addresses all parts of the question. * **Evidence:** Use specific examples to support your claims. * **Analysis:** Explain *why* things happened, not just *what* happened. * **Context:** Connect the topic to broader historical trends and developments.
## ❓ Practice Questions ### Multiple Choice Questions 1. Which of the following was a primary motivation for European maritime exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries? (A) The desire to spread democratic ideals (B) The need to find new sources of labor for European factories (C) The desire to establish new trade routes to Asia (D) The attempt to escape religious persecution in Europe 2. Mercantilism, as practiced in the 17th and 18th centuries, was primarily characterized by: (A) Free trade and open markets (B) Government intervention to promote national wealth and power (C) Emphasis on agricultural production over manufacturing (D) The promotion of international cooperation and peace 3. Which European power established the first global trading-post empire? (A) Spain (B) England (C) Portugal (D) France ### Short Answer Question 1. Explain ONE way in which technological innovations facilitated European maritime exploration between 1450 and 1750. Then, explain ONE specific economic impact of this exploration on either Europe or the Americas. ### Free Response Question **Prompt:** Analyze the economic and political effects of European maritime exploration on both Europe and the Americas between 1450 and 1750. **Point-by-Point Scoring Breakdown:** * **Thesis (1 point):** Presents a historically defensible thesis that responds to all parts of the prompt. * **Evidence (2 points):** Provides specific examples of economic and political effects on both Europe and the Americas. * **Analysis (2 points):** Explains how these effects impacted both regions, including cause-and-effect relationships. * **Complexity (1 point):** Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic, considering multiple perspectives and complexities.
You've got this! You're well-prepared to tackle the AP World History exam. Keep up the great work, and remember to stay calm and confident! 💪

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Exploration: Causes and Events from 1450 to 1750

Emily Wilson

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