Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections Study Guide
c. 1450 - 1750
Topic 4.1 Technological Innovations from 1450 - 1750
Learning Objective Historical Developments
Explain how cross- Knowledge, scientific learning, and
cultural interactions technology from the Classical, Islamic,
resulted in the diffusion and Asian worlds spread, facilitating
of technology and European technological developments
facilitated changes in and innovation.
patterns of trade and
travel from 1450 to The developments included the
1750. production of new tools, innovations in
ship designs, and an improved
understanding of regional wind and
currents patterns—all of which made
transoceanic travel and trade possible.
Innovations in ship design:
● Caravel
● Carrack
● Fluyt
European technological developments
influenced by cross-cultural
interactions with the Classical, Islamic,
and Asian worlds:
● Lateen sail
● Compass
● Astronomical charts
1. Describe technological diffusions that occurred in the 1450-1750 time
period. Name the technology, its origins, and where it diffused.
Technological diffusions that occurred in the 1450-1750 period were lateen sails, the compass, the
cartograph, the astrolabe, the caravel, the fluyt, the carrack, the rudder. The cartography was
created by musliums and used for mapmaking and the knowledge of current and wind patterns (it
improved the navigation) and it spread to Europeans and to the places that used sea. The astrolabe
was created in China and allowed ships to move safer and faster. It continued to spread as ships
continued to trade. The lateen sail was created by the Arab sailors and allowed sailors to
maneuver and catch the wind on either side.
2. Describe new technologies of the 1450 - 1750 time period and specific
examples of how they facilitated patterns of trade and travel from 1450 to
1750.
New technologies of the 1450-1750 time period facilitated patterns of trade and travel from 1450
because the cartograph would allow them to know the wind patterns so they could travel around
Africa to trade with India because the Silk Road trade would be closed. The astrolabe, the
compass, the ruder, and many other inventions to increase sailing which allowed for more people
to trade and to trade in certain areas. For example, the
3. What is a lateen sail and why was it significant in the 1450-1750 time
period?
The lateen sail was a ship sail of a triangle which allowed boats to catch the wind on either side of
thip. This allowed ships to travel in different directions and they could expand their trading routes,
so they could trade more. When they expanded their trading routes, they could profit and grow
their economy. Being able to export more allowed them to grow in wealth.
4. What is a caravel and why was it significant in the 1450 to 1750 time
period?
A caravel is a Portuguese ship
5. Making connections: Give an example of technology in the 1750-1900 time
period that facilitated trade and travel during that later time period.
 Topic 4.2 Exploration: Causes and Events from 1450 to 1750
Learning Objective Historical Developments
Describe the role of New state-supported transoceanic
states in the expansion maritime exploration occurred in this
of maritime exploration period.
from 1450 to 1750.
Learning Objective Historical Developments
Explain the economic Portuguese development of maritime
causes and effects of technology and navigational skills led
maritime exploration by to increased travel to and trade with
the various European Africa and Asia and resulted in the
states. construction of a global trading-post
empire.
Spanish sponsorship of the voyages of
Columbus and subsequent voyages
across the Atlantic and Pacific
dramatically increased European
interest in transoceanic travel and
trade
Northern Atlantic crossings were
undertaken under English, French, and
Dutch sponsorship, often with the goal
of finding alternative sailing routes to
Asia.
6. What specific states supported maritime exploration in this time period?
Give specific examples of states and what they did to support exploration.
The Europeans also had maritime exploration. They decided to have exploration because the
Muslims closed off the Silk Road, so the Europeans needed ways to trade. When the first
European found land, the rest of the European states followed. The Portuguese, Spanish, and
Dutch were the main European states that went on explorations due to gold, glory, and God.
Prince henry the Navigator was a teacher to sponsor seafaring expeditions, Bartholomew Diaz
sailed around the southern tip of Africa, and Vasco Da Gama sailed farther landing into India.
Many of these countries sailed and used joint-stock companies to sponsor their exploration.
7. What were the economic factors that drove maritime exploration by
Europeans?
The economic factor that drove maritime exploration by Europeans was the Silk Road that was
shut down to the European states and the European States needed to trade to gain financial status
and grow economically. And because the European States were located on the sea and some of
them were a peninsula, it caused many of them to try and find different ways to travel (especially
by the sea). This caused exploration with many of the European States and it was a race because
the first state that would find this would be the wealthiest and have the best economic gain.
8. What were some of the economic outcomes of European maritime
exploration (positive and negative).
One of the economic outcomes of the European maritime explorations was how Portugal was able
to create new trading posts but they were vulnerable because they were a small nation and were
lacking workers. The Spanish were able to trade with the Chinese merchants and many of the
natives became Christians. Many of the European states were able to find many natural resources
and raw goods that they could ship to their home country. Many countries were also able to create
colonies. The explorations also lead to negative effects like the spread of diseases to the new
world, and the environmental impacts of how hard they would work people and the land would
cause devastating effects to the land. This would cause many slaves to die meaning they would
have to trade more slaves. They were able to share their culture and beliefs with others.
9. Describe the difference between the trading-post empire established by the
Portuguese in the Indian Ocean and the colonies they established in the
New World.
The difference between the trading post empire established by the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean
and the colonies established in the New world was how they were small and could restrict the
Indian Ocean trade. They were also more vulnerable compared to the colonies because they were
a small nation and had lacked workers. There was also corruption due to the merchants trading
independently against the government.

Learning Objective Historical Developments
Explain the causes of The new connections between the
the Columbian Eastern and Western Hemispheres
Exchange and its resulted in the exchange of new plants,
effects on the Eastern animals, and diseases, known as the
and Western Columbian Exchange.
Hemispheres.
European colonization of the Americas
led to the unintentional transfer of
disease vectors, including mosquitoes
and rats, and the spread of diseases
that were endemic in the Eastern
Hemisphere, including smallpox,
measles, and malaria. Some of these
diseases substantially reduced the
indigenous populations, with
catastrophic effects in many areas.
American foods became staple crops in
various parts of Europe, Asia, and
Africa. Cash crops were grown
primarily on plantations with coerced
labor and were exported mostly to
Europe and the Middle East.
Topic 4.3 Columbian Exchange
10. Describe the Columbian Exchange.
The Columbian Exchange was created because of Christopher Columbus finding the new lands.
The Columbian Exchange had far-reaching effects beyond dramatic changes in population and
biodiversity. It also contributed to a change in the global economy, sometimes with unintended
consequences. For example, Spain successfully minded silver in the Americas. However, this
silver sparked inflation in Spain, which contributed to the downfall of the Spanish Empire.
11. What factors caused the Columbian Exchange?
The factors that caused the Columbian Exchange was because of European exploration and the
start of exploration. Also, the economic factor, that many countries took in consideration, which
was mercantalism. Mercantalism caused many countries to want to have a greater amount of
imports than exports. This meant that they would export more than they would import. To do this,
they would create colonies which would help them to send goods to their home country which
would get their home country rich and then they would export those goods to other countries to
exchange the different goods.
12. Describe the impact of the Columbian Exchange on the Western
Hemisphere (New World). Include both positive and negative outcomes.

Afro-Eurasian fruit trees, grains, sugar,

and domesticated animals were brought
by Europeans to the Americas, while 13. Describe the impact of the Columbian Exchange on the Eastern Hemisphere
other foods were brought by African
slaves (Old World). Include both positive and negative outcomes.

Domesticated animals:
● Horses
● Pigs
● Cattle

Foods brought by African slaves:

● Okra
● Rice

Populations in Afro-Eurasia benefitted

nutritionally from the increased diversity
of American food crops.

Topic 4.4 Maritime Empires Established

Learning Objective Historical Developments
Explain the process of Europeans established new trading posts
state building and in Africa and Asia, which proved
expansion among profitable for the rulers and merchants
various empires and involved in new global trade networks.
states in the period Some Asian states sought to limit the
from 1450 to 1750. disruptive economic and cultural effects
of European-dominated long-distance
trade by adopting restrictive or
isolationist trade policies.
Asian states that adopted restrictive or
isolationist trade policies:
● Ming China
● Tokugawa Japan
Driven largely by political, religious, and
economic rivalries, European states
established new maritime empires,
including the Portuguese, Spanish,
Dutch, French, and British.
The expansion of maritime trading
networks fostered the growth of states in
Africa, including the Asante and the
Kingdom of the Kongo, whose
participation in trading networks led to an
increase in their influence
14. Describe European trading posts in Africa.
The European trading posts in Africa and Asia proved profitable for the rulers and merchants in
new global trading routes. The European states were driven by the political, religious, and
economic rivalries. European states established new maritime empires such as Portuguese,
Spanish, Dutch, French, and British. There was disruption and restriction because of the
European states, but the existing trade routes in the Indian Ocean continued to flourish.
15. Describe the isolationist policies of China and Japan. Why did they enact
these policies? What were the long-term outcomes?
China and Japan were at first opened to trade and allowed trade. Soon, as the European states
would trade their culture would also be traded. The Chinese and Japanese did not like the trading
of their culture and still wanted their culture so they stopped trading which would stop the spread
of the religion. Even after the European states left, there were many who converted to
Christianity so Japan decided to persecute many of the Christians. For more than two centuries,
Japan was partially isolated from the rest of the world.
16. Describe European maritime empires:
a. Portuguese: The Portuguese had the first explorations that were able to travel along
Africa (around Africa) which resulted in them creating trading ports around Africa.
Their trading posts did not stay for long because of their vulnerability. The Portuguese
had such a small empire and did not have a military system so they were able to be taken
over. They did create colonies in South America which were where they had a lot of
natural resources (raw resources like agriculture and cash crops) which they would be
able to trade. This caused them to trade with Africa for slaves to help them work the
fields.
b. Spanish: (Aztecs and Inca) The Spanish developed colonies in the Americas
which would help them export more than imports (mercantilism). When the Spanish
traveled to the Americas, they were already immune to many of the diseases, but the
Indigenous were not. This limited the population and weakened empires. The Spanish
melted down the Aztecs’ treasures and sent the gold back home. Spanish conquered and
demolished the Inca Empire. The Spanish were also able to intergrade their religion into
the indigenous people which caused them to rebel against the Spanish.
c. Dutch: The dutch,
d. French:
e. British: The British needed sponsors for the exploration for them to create new
colonies and find new raw resources to trade with (mercantilism) the “old world” so
they would use the private companies to help sponsor them. One private company that
would sponsor the British would be the East India Company. The British settlers began
to form ties with the powerful Iroquois could frustrate the French over trade issues. The
British hope that the Iroqouois could frustrate the French trade intrest. The French
signed a peace treaty, but then the British drove the
 17. How did the Asante benefit from participation in trading networks in this
time period?

Learning Objective Historical Developments 18. What continuities in economic and labor systems existed in the 1450 to
Explain the continuities Despite some disruption and 1750 time period?
and changes in restructuring due to the arrival of The continuities in the economic and labor systems that existed in the 1450 to 1750 time period
economic systems and Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch include the Inca Mit’a system, the chattel slavery, indentured servitude, ecomedia and hacienda
labor systems from merchants, existing trade networks in the system.
1450 to 1750. Indian Ocean continued to flourish and
included intra-Asian trade and Asian
merchants. 19. What changes in economic and labor systems existed in the 1450 to 1750
time period?
Indian Ocean Asian merchants:
● Swahili Arabs
● Omanis
● Gujaratis 20. Describe colonial economies in this time period.
● Javanese

Newly developed colonial economies in

the Americas largely depended on 21. What is the mit’a system and how was it exploited by the Spanish empire?
agriculture, utilized existing labor
systems, including the Incan mit’a, and
introduced new labor systems including
chattel slavery, indentured servitude, 22. What factors drove the demand for chattel slavery?
and encomienda and hacienda
systems.

23. Describe indentured servitude. Who were typically indentured servants in

this time period and how would that change in the 1750-1900 time period?

24. What is the encomienda?

25. What is a hacienda?

Learning Objective Historical Developments 26. What were the impacts the trans-Atlantic slave trade on West Africa?
Explain changes and Slavery in Africa continued in its
continuities in systems traditional forms, including incorporation
of slavery in the period of slaves into households and the export 27. What were the impacts of the trans-Atlantic slave trade on the Americas?
from 1450 to 1750. of slaves to the Mediterranean and the
Indian Ocean regions.
 The growth of the plantation economy 28. How was the use of slavery in this time period different from slavery in
increased the demand for slaves in the
Americas, leading to significant previous periods of history?
demographic, social, and cultural
changes.

Topic 4.5 Maritime Empires Maintained and Developed

Learning Objective Historical Developments 29. Describe mercantilism.
Explain how rulers Mercantilist policies and practices were
employed economic used by European rulers to expand and
strategies to control their economies and claim 30. How did joint-stock companies allow European states to consolidate and
consolidate and overseas territories. Joint-stock
maintain power companies, influenced by these maintain power in their colonies?
throughout the period mercantilist principles, were used by
from 1450 to 1750. rulers and merchants to finance
exploration and were used by rulers to
compete against one another in global 31. Describe the Moroccan conflict with the Songhai Empire.
trade.

Economic disputes led to rivalries and

conflict between states.

Competition over trade routes:

● Muslim–European rivalry in the
Indian Ocean
● Moroccan conflict with the
Songhai Empire

Learning Objective Historical Developments 32. Explain the first global economy embodied by the trade in silver.
Explain the continuities The Atlantic trading system involved the
and changes in movement of goods, wealth, and labor,
networks of exchange including slaves. 33. Explain the role that chartered European monopoly companies (such as
from 1450 to 1750.
The new global circulation of goods was the British East India Company) in facilitating the global circulation of
facilitated by chartered European goods.
monopoly companies and the global
flow of silver, especially from Spanish
colonies in the Americas, which was used
to purchase Asian goods for the Atlantic 34. What continuities in networks of exchange existed in relation to the 1200
markets and satisfy Chinese demand for to 14 50 time period?
silver. Regional markets continued to
flourish in Afro-Eurasia by using
established commercial practices and new
transoceanic and regional shipping 35. What changes in networks of exchange existed in relation to the 1200 to
services developed by European
merchants. 1450 time period?

Peasant and artisan labor continued and

intensified in many regions as the demand
for food and consumer goods increased.
 Increased peasant and artisan labor:
● Western Europe— wool and
linen
● India—cotton
● China—silk

Historical Developments
Learning Objective
Some notable gender and family
Explain how political, restructuring occurred, including 36. Describe the casta system that was a result of the Atlantic trading system.
economic, and cultural demographic changes in Africa that
factors affected society resulted from the slave trades.
from 1450 to 1750.
The Atlantic trading system involved the
movement of labor—including slaves—
and the mixing of African, American, and
European cultures and peoples, with all
parties contributing to this cultural
synthesis.

Learning Objective Historical Developments 37. Describe cultural syncretism that occurred as a result of the Atlantic
Explain the similarities In some cases, the increase and trading system.
and differences in how intensification of interactions between
various belief systems newly connected hemispheres expanded
affected societies from the reach and furthered development of
1450 to 1750. existing religions, and contributed to
religious conflicts and the development of
syncretic belief systems and practices.

Topic 4.6 International and External Challenges to State Power from 1450 to 1750
Learning Objective Historical Developments 38. Give examples of how state expansion and centralization led to resistance
Explain the effects of State expansion and centralization led to from groups on a local level.
the development of resistance from an array of social, political,
state power from 1450 and economic groups on a local level.
to 1750
Local resistance:
● Pueblo Revolts
● Fronde
● Cossack revolts
● Maratha conflict with Mughals
● Ana Nzinga’s resistance (as ruler
of Ndongo and Matamba)
● Metacom’s War (King Philip’s
War)

Slave resistance challenged existing

 authorities in the Americas.

Slave resistance:
● The establishment of Maroon
societies in the Caribbean and
Brazil
● North American slave resistance

Topic 4.7 Changing Social Hierarchies from 1450 to 1750

Learning Objective Historical Developments 39. How did the Ottoman and Mughal Empires attempt to accommodate the
Explain how social Many states, such as the Mughal and ethnic and religious diversity of their empires?
categories, roles, and Ottoman empires, adopted practices to
practices have been accommodate the ethnic and religious
maintained or have diversity of their subjects or to utilize the
changed over time. economic, political, and military 40. Give an example of a society that gave differential treatment to a group or
contributions of different ethnic or religious groups within their empire.
groups. In other cases, states suppressed
diversity or limited certain groups’ roles in
society, politics, or the economy.

Differential treatment of groups in society,

politics, and the economy:
● Expulsion of Jews from Spain and
Portugal; the acceptance of Jews
in the Ottoman Empire
● Restrictive policies against Han
Chinese in Qing China
● Varying status of different classes
of women within the Ottoman
Empire

Imperial conquests and widening global

economic opportunities contributed to the
formation of new political and economic
elites, including in China with the transition
to the Qing Dynasty and in the Americas
with the rise of the Casta system.

The power of existing political and

economic elites fluctuated as the elites
confronted new challenges to their ability to
affect the policies of the increasingly
powerful monarchs and leaders.

Existing elites:
● Ottoman timars
● Russian boyars
● European nobility
 Topic 4.8 Continuity and Change from 1450 to 1750
Learning Objective Review: Unit 4 Key Concepts
● The interconnection of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, made possible by transoceanic voyaging, transformed trade and had a significant social
Explain how economic impact on the world.
developments from ○ Knowledge, scientific learning, and technology from the Classical, Islamic, and Asian worlds spread, facilitating European technological
1450 to 1750 affected developments and innovation.
social structures over ○ The developments included the production of new tools, innovations in ship designs, and an improved understanding of regional wind and
time. currents patterns—all of which made transoceanic travel and trade possible.
● Although the world’s productive systems continued to be heavily centered on agriculture, major changes occurred in agricultural labor, the systems and
locations of manufacturing, gender and social structures, and environmental processes.
○ The demand for labor intensified as a result of the growing global demand for raw materials and finished products. Traditional peasant
agriculture increased and changed in nature, plantations expanded, and the Atlantic slave trade developed and intensified
● Empires achieved increased scope and influence around the world, shaping and being shaped by the diverse populations they incorporated.
○ Economic disputes led to rivalries and conflict between states.

Maritime Empires & Influences, 1450 - 1750

Image via Freemanpedia Unit 4

 Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections (1450-1750) Context Practice

Instructions: Write a contextual statement for each of the prompts below. This will not only help you review content from Unit 4
(1450-1750), but also help you practice writing context statements which, if done successfully, can earn you one point on both the
DBQ and LEQ essays.

To earn this point, the response must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or processes that
occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. This point is not awarded for merely a phrase or reference.

The final sentence of your context should narrow down to the topic of the prompt, tying your contextual statement to your thesis
statement.

Prompt 1: Evaluate the extent to which technology-facilitated changes in patterns of trade and travel in the 1450 to 1750 time period.

“The sailors, moreover, as they sail over the sea, when in cloudy weather they can no longer profit by the light of the sun, or when the world is wrapped up in the
darkness of the shades of night, and they are ignorant to what point of the compass their ship’s course is directed, they touch the magnet with a needle, which (the
needle) is whirled around in a circle unit when its motion ceases, its point looks direct to the north” -Alexander Nechham (1157-1217)
Although land-based empires were important during this period, various inventions allowed Europeans to venture long distances on the ocean. The magnetic compass,
originally created in China for fortune-telling, helped steer a ship in the right direction, as described by Alexander Beckham. The astrolabe, improved by Muslim
navigators in the 12th century, let sailors find out how far north or south they were from the equator. The caravel, a small three-masted sailing ship developed by the
Portuguese in the 15th century allowed sailors to survive storms at sea better than earlier-designed ships. Cartography, or mapmaking, and knowledge of current and
wind patterns also improved navigation.
Demographic pressures pushed Europeans into exploration and trade. As the population grew, not all workers in Europe could find work or even food. Not all sons of
the wealthy could own a lad because primogeniture laws gave all of each estate to the eldest son. In the early 17th century, religious minorities searched for a place to
settle where people were tolerant of their dissent. All of these groups, as well as those just longing for adventure and glory, were eager to settle in new areas. Those
who left their homelands in search of work, food, land, tolerance, and adventure were part of a global shift in demographics.

Prompt 2: Evaluate the extent to which state expansion supported maritime exploration in the 1450 to 1750 time period.
Prompt 4: Evaluate the extent to which the Columbian Exchange impacted societies of the Western Hemisphere during the 1450 to 1750 time period.

Prompt 5: Evaluate the extent to which labor systems changed in the 1450 to 1750 time period.

Prompt 6: Evaluate the extent to which economic developments from 1450 to 1750 affected social structures over time.