Changes in Technology
Navigational Changes
Sternpost rudder – improved steering - Invented in China – Han Dynasty
Lateen sails – sail in any direction regardless of wind
Astrolabe – measured distance of sun/stars above horizon – latitude
Magnetic Compass – Chinese – direction without sight of land
Three-Masted Caravels – larger sails, large cargo rooms w/ more provisions
Global Interactions
European colonization of Americas
Why successful?
Disease
Indigenous people had no resistance – developed independently
Neighboring states hated Aztecs, more than happy to help
Fear of unknown – metal, horseback – seen as God
Motivation – acquire gold and spices
Superior weapons
Individual assistance
Malince (Dona Marina) acted as interpreter – Spanish>Aztec
Early colonization
Cortes – 1519 – Aztecs
Tenochititlan – Mexico City – New Spain
Conquistadors controlled Western USA – California, Arizona, etc…
Pizarro – 1531 – Incas
Goals
Boost home countries’ power and wealth
Exploitation and exploration of raw materials
Spread of Roman Catholicism
Labor system
Attempted to use natives, but failed
Resorted to importing labor from Africa
Differences in empire expansion from earlier empires
Existing populations wiped out not allowed to remain intact
Huge numbers of people moved in
Even Mongols didn’t totally replace population
Previous empires merged with, converted, or were converted by existing population
Americas – Europeans created new continent in own image – two Europes essenentially
Labor/Economic System
Hierarchical system
Peninsulares – Spanish officials
Creoles – born in colonies to Spanish parents
Educated, wealthy
Looked down upon by Spanish aristocracy
Became leaders of resistance movements later
Mestizos – European and Native American ancestry
Mulattos – European and African ancestry
Native Americans – little to no freedom
Worked on estates, in mines
Encomienda System – American Feudalism
Peninsulares get land and # of slaves/native laborers
In exchange, must protect them and convert them
Attempts at reform
Treatment horrific – Christian missionaries appealed for reform
Reduced strain on natives by bringing in Africans
Replaced one oppressed group with another
Both Africans and Natives ended up at bottom of social hierarchy
Difference methods of Colonization
Spanish/Portuguese
Resource extraction #1 priority
Treatment of Native Americans harsh
Until recently known as cruelest of colonizers
Indians first as slaves, then exploited for cheap labor
Kept near bottom of Latin American social scale
Importation of African slaves massive
More brought to Latin America/Caribbean than United States
Primarily brought over males
#s only kept up through importation, not reproduction
Missionaries/priests – conversion to Catholicism a priority
Settled presence of Spanish/Portuguese (large cities) created permanent colonies
French
Focused on economic exploitation
Focused on fur trade
Made little effort to create long-term settlements
servitude
