Leonita Fetaj 6A

Task 1:
1. After the arrival of the Spanish in the Americas, Native Americans experienced significant
changes. These included the introduction of new diseases, such as smallpox, which had
devastating effects on their populations. The Spanish also brought horses, cattle, and other
livestock, altering the Native American way of life. The introduction of European goods and
weapons impacted their traditional economies and social structures. Additionally, the Spanish
colonization led to forced labor, enslavement, and cultural assimilation.
2. a.: The Spanish (conquistador Hernán Cortés) conquered the Aztec Empire. b.: Many natives
had died because they weren’t immune against the new diseases. c.: The Aztecs killed
prisoners of war as a present for their gods.
d.: Cortés destroyed Tenochtitlán in the name of Christianity
Task 2:
In 1492, significant events occurred that had effects on Africans, Native Americans, and Europeans.
Columbus's voyage marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the Americas.
For Native Americans, this meant: new diseases, displacement, and changes in their societies.
Africans experienced the start of the transatlantic slave trade, as Columbus's journey initiated
European interest in overseas expansion and resource exploitation. Europeans, particularly the
Spanish, benefited the most (wealth, territory, and resources).
Task 3:
Because of the transatlantic slave trade. Europeans, seeking cheap labor for their plantations, forcibly
brought Africans to the Americas as slaves. The demand for labor in cultivating cash crops like sugar
led to the brutal practice of slavery, where Africans were exploited for their labor on plantations.
Task 4:
During the Spanish conquest of America:
Old World —> Europe, Asia, Africa (continents already known by Europeans)
New World —> America (recently discovered)

Task 5:
Why explorers went on dangerous voyages Quest for wealth and resources
Sponsored by European monarchs (seeking
economic advantages)
Desire for knowledge
Who supported them and why Who: Monarchs and Governments; wealthy
merchants
Motives: seeking to expand their Empires;
Leonita Fetaj 6A

expected discovering new trade routes and

What technical developments made it possible
Who and what they found
What effects on the people in Europe, Africa and
the Americas were
markets —> increase their profit
 Improved ship design
 Navigation Instruments
 Printing Press (?) (printings of maps, charts
and navigational info)
Indigenous people and America
Europe: Cultural Exchange, Economic Prosperity,
Colonial Empires
Africa: Slavery, Introduction of new Crops, Conflict
and Instability
The Americas: Cultural Exchange, Population
Decline, Colonization und Explotation