Chapter 12: The European Empires

  • 16th century was an age of exploration   * Knowledge from the past caused curiosity about the present
  • Technological advancements allowed for long sea voyages
  • Demands of commerce provided incentives
  • The expansion of the Ottoman threatened to cut the access Europe had to Eastern goods   * At all levels of society eastern goods and spices were in high demand
  • Financial crisis in Western Europe emerged
  • Initial Portuguese expansion into Africa brought forth conflict and Muslim enemies
  • Portuguese were in control of trade along both coasts of India, Africa, and the Spice Islands by the 16th century
  • Portuguese began to struggle when it came to funding and supporting their outposts
  • Spain gained the power to rival the Portuguese in terms of exploration   * Marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand gave them the power to unify Spain and expel the Muslims   * Isabella was responsible for sponsoring Christopher Columbus to find a short route for trade   * Columbus’ travels caused the Spanish and Portuguese to be in direct competition with each other
  • Spain explored for three primary reasons   * God   * Glory   * Gold
  • The Conquistadores were characterized by their greed and ruthlessness
  • The Americas were discovered due to Columbus’s expedition
  • Native populations were destroyed   * There were wars over conquest of land   * Diseases such as smallpox, typhoid, and measles spread   * Native population diminished in numbers (25 million to 2 million)   * A need for African slaves became prominent
  • Spanish immigration rates rose
  • The new world and Europe were intermixed together in one singular marketplace   * Focus of European finance moved from the Italians to the Dutch
  • Africa supplied slaves and gold
  • South America supplied silver
  • Europe had over 500 independent principalities in 1500
  • Eastern Europe   * Mongols conquered central and southern Russia     * Created political unites (Khanates)   * Ottoman Empire was in control of all of Byzantine, Greece and the Balkan Peninsula
  • Northern Europe   * Scandinavian countries ruled by a single king in the 15th century   * Denmark was the wealth center of trade   * Land was less fertile than the west, climate was more severe   * Low population
  • Central Europe   * Holy Roman Empire (largest population in all of Europe)   * Independent principalities (church lands & free towns)   * Church held the Holy Roman Empire together
  • Italy   * Good mineral deposits   * Large forests   * Good land for agriculture   * Largest market in Europe   * Important to early European industrial production
  • Western Europe   * Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain)   * France (second largest population in Europe)   * Richest agricultural lands in Europe   * Good climate
  • The unification of the independent principalities faced many challenges   * Transportation   * Slow communication   * Various languages   * Popular Assemblies resisting monarchical power
  • Ivan IV “The Terrible” allowed Crimean Tatars to sack and burn Moscow   * All effective local government systems were destroyed   * Serfdom was implemented
  • There weren’t any threats of foreign invasion in the 16th century
  • House of Tudor won control of the crown at the Battle of Bosworth Field
  • Henry VII   * First Tudor King   * Wanted to control the nobility   * Needed enough money to rule   * Centralized the management of royal lands and custom taxes to increase the revenues   * Seized church lands and sold them
  • Many challenges occurring in France concerned the overly strong nobility with the reign of Louis XIV being culminated
  • Louis XI   * “Spider King”   * Gained control of New Orleans through the marriage of his son   * Began the process of centralization of government administration
  • Broad foundation of taxes on the common people removed King’s reliance on nobility
  • Spain   * Conquered by the Moors   * Had a large Moorish presence   * Ferdinand and Isabella got married in 16th century     * Created political unity     * Cultural divide remained   * Reconquista (expulsion of Moors from Iberian Peninsula)     * Created sense of national unity   * Spanish Inquisition (drove Jews and non-Christians out of Spain)     * Terror was used to coerce confessions, public humiliations, and burning at the stake     * Crippled Spanish economy     * Led to Golden Age of Spain     * Failed to tie nation together completely
  • 16th century was a time of constant warfare   * War made bloodier by technology   * War was connected to dynastic policies   * Monarchs wanted war and had the capability and money to make war
  • Italian Wars   * Holy Roman Empire allied with Henry VIII and crushed France   * Treaty of Madrid   * France established new allies   * France was unable to push Germans out of Italy
  • Some considered the dynastic wars at the beginning of the 16th century as the start of a balance of power international security concept
  • Resources of the New World were used by European monarchies to go to war against each other   * Became good at warfare
  • Battlefield technology developed   * Further helped in the conquest of the New World   * Increased the emphasis on national identity

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