The period of 1492 to 1750 offered both the old world and the new world an era of rising independence and connection. During this phase in world history, the Europeans dominated world travel, and by doing so, established colonies in the Americas and also inflamed the African slave trade. As a result of this global domination, the relations focused mainly on Western Europe, the Americas, and Africa. Because of the connection between the three regions of the world, their respective economies developed and drastically changed them from where they were before. The some existing social structures became distorted, others remained constant, and new social structures became apparent as another effect of the new worldwide connection.
There are many motives for which the Europeans pursued imperialism in the 19th century, either for national prestige and glory, social Darwinism or even the White Man’s Burden. However the motive for which is most importantly noted for is profit from trade of materials and slaves from the new colonies of the European Empires. The colonizers traded slaves from Africa to the Americas and gained access to raw materials spread all throughout Africa. Europeans began conquering Africa and Asian in the early 16th century. Portugal was the 1st country to colonize.
The Two Princes of Calabar Randy Spark's The Two Princes of Calabar is an engaging read demonstrating literal and scholastic efficiency. Sparks argues broadly that “Atlantic Creoles” are the result of eighteen-century globalization, and narrowly focuses on two African brothers, Ephraim Robin John and Ancona Robin-Robin John from Calabar. The Robin Johns were unique because at first they were slaves and then they were slave traders, functioning in American and European cultures. The Robin Johns were the princes of the Efik tribe. The Efiks developed a complex culture resembling the beginnings of English consumerism.
These inventions (refer to Document C for examples) caused great economic expansion across Europe. Yet at the same time, these exact inventions caused for a need of more raw materials. This is where Imperialism began to take shape, because before Imperialism in Africa had begun, there were still many examples of Europeans who’d enslaved africans on their own land. Which meant that once raw materials for machines that needed simple labor in a factory rather than the fields were needed to maintain their great economic boost; whichever European country had the most property in Africa, got to conquer the most land in its entirety (Scramble for Africa). Meaning these now obsolete slaves were being subject to have to watch European countries take over their lands and began industrializing on african soil because of how rich in materials the African land is.
Europe quickly became the dominant region over the economic aspects of the Columbian Exchange, however their social influence in the Americas and Africa developed slower during the time period of 1492 to 1750. In the mid-fifteenth century, European interest in Africa expanded from goods to incorporate slaves. Europeans began to take over African civilizations and keep natives as their slaves. This was not a new practice to keep war captives as slaves. However the Europeans began to export these African slaves across the globe to established colonies in both North and South America for the first time.
The slave trade began around the mid-1600s with the European colonies that were built in the Americas. The slave trade had a lot to do with the Treaty of Utrecht which gave Europe a trade route right into the Americas through they could import the slaves. If this treaty had never occurred the slave trade may not have even happened. Though the slave trade was a terrible time in the history of Europe and the Americas, without the economy of Europe and the Americas would not have been the same. Europe basically gained control over most of the world including America with the beginning of the slave
Chapter 14 Id’s Chapter Thesis: From 1450 to 1750, three regions: the Americas, Europe, and Africa impacted the world for the good as the exchanged goods, ideas, culture, but most importantly this mixing resulted in new people of the world with mixed races and new cultures, crops, economy, etc. 1) The Great Dying “The Great Dying” consisted of the Native American societies. The Great Dying was a phenomenon and was quoted “surely the greatest tragedy in the history of the human species.” In essence it was the demographic effect of diseases brought by Europeans on the Americas. It occurred between 1450 and 1750. It occurred on lands from Mesoamerica to the Caribbean islands.
Britain’s strategic motives in Africa centred on thwarting the growth of rival European powers as well as securing its interests in Africa. However there was a clear symbiotic relationship between strategic and economic concerns, during the expansion period. One of the first incidents in Africa where this was made manifest was when Britain invaded Egypt in 1882. The Suez Canal was of major strategic importance as it allowed ships to access the empires ‘Jewel in the crown’ India faster, through the red sea instead on going around Africa, as well as faster transportation of Arab oil. The canal was also of economic significance as historian Simon Smith reminds us that ‘80% of the Suez traffic was British, and13% of Britain’s trade passed through the canal’ , this is due to most of Britain’s trade with India passing through the Suez.
Name Date CHAPTER 4 Summary CHAPTERS IN BRIEF The Atlantic World, 1492–1800 CHAPTER OVERVIEW Starting in 1492, the Spanish built a large empire in the Americas, but the native peoples suffered. In North America, the Dutch, French, and English fought for control. England finally won. The labor of enslaved persons brought from Africa supported the American colonies. The contact between the Old World and the New produced an exchange of new ideas.
Ironically, the _________ were the world’s greatest slave traders and later became the most aggressive suppressers of the slave trade. 18. Africans wanted European manufactured goods, so when the ___________ ended, Africans expanded their ___________ trade by developing new exports. 19. The most successful export from West Africa after abolition was _________________.