Global Expansion

Definition

Global Expansion refers to the period during the Age of Exploration when European nations extended their reach across the globe through exploration, colonization, and trade. This era saw significant advancements in navigation and shipbuilding technology, leading to the establishment of overseas empires and increased contact between different cultures. The motivations behind this expansion included the search for new trade routes, the spread of Christianity, and the pursuit of wealth and resources.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Age of Exploration was marked by significant voyages by explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan, who sought new routes to Asia and discovered new territories.
2. European powers established colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, leading to the rise of powerful empires that controlled vast territories and resources.
3. The introduction of new goods from the Americas, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco, transformed diets in Europe and led to economic changes.
4. The competition among European nations for global dominance spurred technological innovations in navigation, including advancements in cartography and ship design.
5. This period also led to devastating consequences for indigenous populations through colonization, enslavement, and the spread of diseases brought by Europeans.

Review Questions

• How did technological advancements contribute to Global Expansion during the Age of Exploration?
  • Technological advancements played a crucial role in Global Expansion by enabling longer sea voyages and more accurate navigation. Innovations such as the magnetic compass and astrolabe allowed explorers to determine their position at sea. Improved ship designs, like caravels, made it possible for European nations to travel further across oceans. These advancements facilitated significant discoveries and paved the way for extensive maritime empires.
• Evaluate the impact of Global Expansion on indigenous populations around the world during this era.
  • Global Expansion had devastating effects on indigenous populations due to colonization, enslavement, and exposure to foreign diseases. Many native communities faced violence and displacement as European powers established control over their lands. Additionally, diseases such as smallpox decimated populations that had no immunity. This led to significant demographic changes and cultural disruptions that shaped the history of many regions for centuries.
• Analyze how Global Expansion influenced economic systems in Europe and its colonies during this period.
  • Global Expansion fundamentally transformed economic systems both in Europe and its colonies through mercantilism and the establishment of trade networks. European nations sought to accumulate wealth by controlling resources in their colonies, leading to an increase in global trade. The influx of precious metals from the Americas contributed to Europe's economic growth but also fueled competition among rival powers. Colonies became essential for supplying raw materials and serving as markets for manufactured goods, ultimately creating a global economy that interconnected different parts of the world.

Related terms

Columbian Exchange: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following Christopher Columbus's voyages.

Mercantilism: An economic theory that emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth, especially gold and silver, through a favorable balance of trade and the establishment of colonies.

Treaty of Tordesillas: A 1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal that divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between the two powers along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands.