Prester John
Imaginary king of a magical Christian kingdom in Africa
The Travels of John Mandeville
book that was an early example of fantasy travel lit. Described land of giants, treasure, and witches
Marco Polo
trader from Venice who visited court of Kublai Khan, wrote the "Travels" about Asia
God, gold, glory
God-Explorers, especially those from Spain and Portugal, had a crusading mindset. Major goal of many (Henry the Navigator) was to convert heathens to Catholicism. Gold- Mongol empire allowed more European traders to travel to Eastern Asia� Ottoman Turks b
portolani
charts made by medieval navigators and mathematicians that were more useful than medieval maps. However, they didn't account for round world and were inaccurate on longer voyages.
Ptolemy's "Geography
He was an Arab astronomer in the 2nd century. His map reached Europe in the 15th century, where its small spherical model of Earth convinced adventurers they could sail west to reach Asia.
lateen sails and square rigs
2 technological advances that allowed ships to now be nimble enough to sail against the wind, engage in combat, but still be large enough to carry lots of cargo and cannons, which increased their capacity for trade
compass and astrolabe
New navigational aids that helped sailors determine their position, especially below the equator, and allowed them to explore with confidence
Prince Henry the Navigator
He sponsored Portuguese exploration of African coast, founded school for navigators, sought a Christian kingdom in Africa as an ally against Muslims, wanted to acquire trade opportunities, and spread Christianity.
the Gold Coast
Area along southern part of West Africa where Portuguese traders discovered gold. They leased land from local traders and built forts on the coast to promote trade in gold, ivory, and slaves.
Bartholomeu Dias
Portuguese explorer who first rounded the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, but returned to Europe, fearing a mutiny
Vasco de Gama and Calicut
10 years after Dias, he rounded the Cape, stopped at East African Muslim ports, sailed to Calicut, India. Gained spices, which he sold in Europe for huge profit.
Alfonso de Albuquerque
set up Goa, Portuguese base in India. Sailed to Malacca on Malay Peninsula, a Muslim port. Portuguese seized city, which helped destroy Arab Spice Trade and give Portuguese a base to the Moluccas (Spice Islands) and China.
Malacca
A Muslim port on the Malay Peninsula captured by Portuguese explorer Alfonso de Albuquerque. It was an important point because it controlled the strait which led into the Spice Islands. Gave Portuguese a base from which to launch ships to China and the Sp
Spice Islands
Also known as the Moluccas, Europeans purchased many spices here, and fought for control of trading ports
Christopher Columbus
Italian, but sailed for Spanish under Queen Isabella. With 90 men, and the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, he explored islands in the Caribbean. He believed he had found Asia, and he would find gold and convert natives (Indians) to Christianity. He
John Cabot
Explored New England coastline for England under Henry VII.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Spanish explorer who led an expedition across the Isthmus of Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean
Ferdinand Magellan
Spanish explorer, First circumnavigation- sailed under South America, across Pacific Ocean to Philippines (Magellan killed by natives), one ship returned to Spain
Treaty of Tordesillas
1494, split New World into Spanish and Portuguese areas (with line of demarcation), giving Spain South America and Portugal route around Cape of Good Hope. Reflected Portuguese goals for trade and increased wealth, and Spanish goals for colonization and s
Hernan Cortes and Moctezuma
Spanish conquistador who sailed to Mexico and marched on Tenochtitlan, gaining allies on the way. He received a friendly welcome and offerings of gold from Aztec leader ______ who believed him to be a god. The Spanish took _________ hostage and pillaged t
the Aztecs and Tenochtitlan
These people were outstanding warriors, built many public buildings and roads, and consolidated their large territory surrounding their capital. Their capital city was called _____, and it was built in present-day Mexico in the middle of a lake.
the Inca and Pachakuti
These people were a civilization of great builders living in the Andes Mountains of Peru. _____ was a ruler in the 1440s who conquered the entire region, created a centralized state divided into quarters and provinces, and upgraded the capital, Cuzco
Francisco Pizarro
Spanish conquistador who landed on the Pacific coast of South America with steel weapons, gunpowder, horses, and 180 men. He took advantage of smallpox outbreak, bad weapons, and civil war to capture Atahualpa, recent winner of the civil war. They execute
encomienda
system instituted by Queen Isabella that allowed Spaniards to collect tribute and force natives to work. In return, they were supposed to provide safety, wages, and religious needs. However, Spaniards didn't listen to the gov., and used Indian labor bruta
the viceroy and audiencias
Spanish administrative system for the New World. 2 main viceroys: New Spain in Mexico City (Mexico, Central America, Caribbean) and Peru in Lima (Western South America). Viceroy is king's chief military and civil officer. They were aided by advisory group
Boers and Capetown
Dutch farmers who settled in areas outside the city of ______ (a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope meant to serve as a base to provide provisions to Dutch ships en route to the Spice Islands); these settlers were attracted by the area's moderate climate
slave trade and the Middle Passage
(Sorry this is so long) 1.Traffic in slaves was not new; in the 15th century, African slaves were sent to Middle East and many European countries where they served as household help or agricultural workers. Discovery of the Americas in 1490s and the plant
the triangular trade
Connected Europe, Africa and the American continents to form new Atlantic Economy. European merchant ships (England, France, Spain, Portugal, Dutch) carried European manufactured goods (guns, gin, cloth) to Africa; goods traded for a cargo of slaves; slav
sugar factories
or sugar plantations - played a prominent role; by the last two decades of the 18th century, British colony Jamaica was producing 50,000 tons of sugar annually with slave labor of 200,000 blacks; French colony of St. Domingue (now Haiti) had 500,000 slave
Dutch East India Company
a trading company established in 1602 under govt. sponsorship; set up a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town, , Joint stock company that obtained government monopoly over trade in Asia; acted as virtually independent government in regions it cla
Batavia
(modern day Jakarta) Dutch began to consolidate their political and military control over the entire area; on the island of Java they established a fort here, found it necessary to bring the inland regions under their control to protect their position. Du
Mughal Empire
Mughals came from the mountains north of the Ganges River Valley; Babur, the founder, was a descendent of Asian conqueror Tamerlane and Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan; Babur's grandson, Akbar (1556-1605), brought Mughal rule to most of India, creating the
Effects of the Slave Trade
E- Economic effect as importation of cheap manufactured goods from Europe undermined local cottage industries, forcing families into poverty;
S-Society of Friends (Quakers) began to criticize slavery in the 1770s and excluded from their church any member