Fiveable
Fiveable

or

Log in

Find what you need to study


Light

Find what you need to study

4.4 Maritime Empires Established

8 min readjanuary 8, 2023

Amanda DoAmaral

Amanda DoAmaral

Dalia Savy

Dalia Savy

Amanda DoAmaral

Amanda DoAmaral

Dalia Savy

Dalia Savy

4.4 Required Content

Thematic Foci:

  • - A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes.

  • - As societies develop, they affect and are affected by the ways that they produce, exchange, and consume goods and services.

  • - The process by which societies group their members and the norms that govern the interactions between these groups and between individuals influence political, economic, and cultural institutions and organization.

College Board Learning Objectives:

  • Explain the process of and expansion among various empires and states in the period from 1450 to 1750.

  • Explain the continuities and changes in and from 1450 to 1750.

  • Explain changes and continuities in systems of slavery in the period from 1450 to 1750.

Historical Developments:

  • KC-4.3.II.A.i - Europeans established new in Africa and Asia, which proved profitable for the rulers and merchants involved in new global trade networks. Some Asian states sought to limit the disruptive economic and cultural effects of European-dominated long-distance trade by adopting restrictive or isolationist trade policies.

  • KC-4.3.II.C - Driven largely by political, religious, and economic rivalries, European states established new maritime empires, including the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French, and British.

  • KC-4.3.II.A.ii - 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.

  • KC-4.3.II.A.iii - Despite some disruption and restructuring due to the arrival of Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch merchants, existing trade networks in the Indian Ocean continued to flourish and included intra-Asian trade and Asian merchants.

  • KC-4.2.II.D - Newly developed colonial economies in the Americas largely depended on agriculture, utilized existing , including the Incan mit’a, and introduced new including , , and encomienda and hacienda systems.

  • KC-4.2.II.B - Enslavement in Africa continued in its traditional forms, including the incorporation of enslaved persons into households and the export of enslaved persons to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean regions.

  • KC-4.2.II.C - The growth of the plantation economy increased the demand for enslaved labor in the Americas, leading to significant demographic, social, and cultural changes.

Europeans in the World

As Europeans explored and colonized Africa and Asia, they set up trading post cities to establish a base. These cities became centers of later on.

Africa

In West Africa, European merchants and missionaries reached inland to Kongo and Benin. They established relationships with local leaders who facilitated the trade of enslaved people. Some West African states, such as the and the Kingdom of the Kongo, became major players in the slave trade and gained significant wealth and power as a result. However, the slave trade also had negative consequences for West Africa, as it resulted in the loss of millions of people from the region and contributed to social and economic disruption.

Japan

Japan initially welcomed Portuguese and Dutch traders and missionaries, then pulled back by banning Christianity and contact with the outside. As they welcomed Europeans, the country experienced a period of cultural exchange and innovation. This was during their , but in 1639, the government banned Christianity and restricted contact with the outside world. They remained isolated for most of the 17th and 18th centuries in an effort to protect traditional culture.

This period of isolation allowed Japan to develop a unique and distinctive culture, but it also had negative consequences, as the country lost out on many of the advances and technological developments that were taking place in other parts of the world.

China

China was also set on isolating itself from foreign affairs. After Zheng He’s explorations, the retreated into isolationist policies. Europeans would have to wait a few centuries for access to China.

It wasn't until the 19th century, during the , that China began to open up to the outside world again. The Qing government was forced to sign a series of treaties with foreign powers that granted them access to Chinese ports and concessions in China, as foreign powers were afraid China would retreat to their isolationist policies again.

India

The Mughal Empire in India was open to trading with Europeans and the British East India Company (EIC) was established to take advantage of these trade opportunities. The EIC initially operated as a trading company, but it gradually expanded its influence in India over the course of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

It took advantage of tensions between Muslims and Hindus in India to further its own interests, and it often allied with one group against the other. The company also entered into military conflicts with local rulers and regional powers in India, and it gradually expanded its control over large parts of the country. By the 19th century, the British had direct colonial control over all of India, and the country became a major part of the British Empire. The British rule of India had a significant impact on the country's political, economic, and social development, and it continues to be a controversial and contentious issue in modern India.

The Americas

The Spanish and Portuguese divided up the lands of the Americas before they even explored or conquered any of them. In 1494, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain and Portugal signed the , which gave Brazil to the Portuguese and everywhere else to the Spanish. If you think about it, languages are still divided across these lines.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-eslBfv0oQPkg.jpg?alt=media&token=2dd3eb4e-e1bd-41db-8763-82bad03a7423

Image Courtesy of the National Geographic Society

The Spanish conquistadors brought down the thriving Aztec and Inca empires within a few decades. The Aztecs fell first when and his troops brought disease to the region. Cortés also combined the forces of Aztec rivals to topple them faster. He then established the Spanish capital of Mexico City.

The Incas fell quickly because of disease and betrayal. and his troops captured the Inca leader Atahualpa and convinced the Incas to trade gold for his return. They complied, but Pizarro still had Atahualpa killed, effectively toppling the empire.

The Spanish also established a fort at St. Augustine in present-day Florida. In North America, the Spanish had control of the southwest regions, Central America, and Florida.

North of the Spanish territory, the French and British were fueling their rivalry as they competed for land and control of resources. The French aligned with the Iroquois for protection and trading rights. The rivalry eventually popped off as the exploded tensions around the world. The British drove the French out of Canada and India after that.

Changes in Labor Systems

were disrupted as trade intensified. The Portuguese controlled some areas of the as they were strong-armed locals, but merchants continued to trade and migrate.

The encomienda and hacienda systems were two that were used in the Spanish Empire in the Americas to extract wealth and labor from the indigenous peoples and African slaves who lived in these territories.

  • Under the , Spanish colonists were granted the right to demand labor and tribute from a specific group of indigenous people in exchange for the colonists' protection and Christian instruction. They basically forced Natives to harvest cash crops in exchange for food and shelter, similar to the feudal system. The Natives were tied to the land and not free to leave.

  • The was a system of large agricultural estates that were developed in the Spanish Empire in the Americas. Haciendas were typically owned by wealthy landowners, and they were worked by indentured laborers, including indigenous people and African slaves. The was used to produce agricultural goods, such as sugar, tobacco, and livestock, for export to Europe.

Meanwhile, the silver trade was insanely profitable for the Spanish and the mines at Potosi and Zacatecas needed as much labor as possible. Indigenous peoples were forced to work in the harsh mines using a modified Mit’a system to nearly enslave the Natives.

🎥Watch AP World History: Modern teacher Patrick Lasseter discuss these several types of coerced labor systems used in America.

Comparing Labor Systems

TypePlaceWorkCharacteristics
SlaveAmericas & AfricaHarvested cash crops, worked plantations, maintained homesTreated as property, with little to no rights
SerfsEurope & AsiaWorked the farms of LordsTied to the land, No legal protections
Indentured ServantsGlobalFieldwork, maintained homesTransport paid in exchange for 7 years of unpaid labor
FreeEurope & AsiaBlacksmith, WeavingWorked own land
PeasantAsiaFarmingPaid taxes to Lord, Paid tithes to Church
NomadEurope, Asia, & AfricaHerding, pastoralism, breedingMoved often, Used land temporarily
Guild MemberEuropeSkilled craftsApprentice, Eventually independent

Atlantic Slave Trade

The work of harvesting cash crops and mining silver was labor intensive. These new markets were profitable, but could only be sustained with a lot of cheap or free labor.

Africa was targeted for labor in the Americas because Indigenous populations were decimated by disease and were able to escape with knowledge of the land and the ability to blend in with other Natives. Indentured servants provided cheap labor for a while, but plantation owners couldn’t scale their businesses when laborers would leave after seven years.

As the slave trade expanded, some African Kings participated and shared profits. Slaves were captured, transported to holding pens (“Points of No Return”), and then crammed on ships for the journey across the Atlantic.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2FScreenshot%202020-03-28%20at%2011.11.45%20PM.png?alt=media&token=8f078264-cd73-4abd-b56b-0f0c350cbbb0

Map of the Middle Passage. Image Courtesy of crispusattucksmuseum

The demographic effects of the slave trade in Africa were unprecedented. Although the population of Africa ultimately increased because of increased food resources, in some regions the population declined as slaves were kidnapped. Families were separated and there was a gender imbalance because more men were taken than women. 

👉Check out the last key topic for more information about the Atlantic slave trade.

Key Terms to Review (31)

Asante Empire

: The Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Empire, was a powerful West African state that existed from 1701 to 1957. It was known for its wealth and military prowess.

Atlantic Slave Trade

: The Atlantic Slave Trade, also known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, was a system of trading in which African people were captured and sold as slaves to European colonies in the Americas from the 15th to 19th centuries.

Aztec Empire

: The Aztec Empire was a Mesoamerican civilization that existed from 1345 to 1521 in what is now central Mexico. They're known for their rich mythology, impressive architecture, and complex social structure.

British East India Company (EIC)

: The British East India Company was an English company formed for the exploitation of trade with East and Southeast Asia and India, incorporated by royal charter on December 31, 1600.

Chattel Slavery

: Chattel slavery is a form of slavery where the enslaved person is considered property that can be bought, sold, or traded.

Economic Systems

: An economic system defines how a society organizes its resources to meet its citizens' needs and wants. It determines what goods will be produced, how they'll be produced, and who gets them.

Edo Period

: The Edo Period, also known as the Tokugawa period, was a time in Japanese history from 1603 to 1868 when Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional Daimyo.

Encomienda System

: The encomienda system was a labor system in Spanish America and the Philippines where the Spanish crown granted colonists authority over a specified number of natives, who were required to pay tribute or provide labor.

Francisco Pizarro

: A Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that conquered the Inca Empire. He captured and killed Incan emperor Atahualpa, claiming much of South America for Spain.

Governance

: Governance refers to the various ways in which a society or an organization is managed or controlled. It includes the processes, systems, and laws used by leaders to ensure order and make decisions.

Hacienda System

: The Hacienda System was a form of large-scale agricultural estate system established by the Spanish in colonial Latin America and the Philippines. It involved landowners, known as hacendados, who controlled vast amounts of lands and indigenous labor.

Hernán Cortés

: A Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century.

Imperial Administrations

: Imperial administrations refer to systems or methods of governance used by empires to manage their territories. These can include bureaucratic structures, laws, policies, military strategies etc., that help maintain order within an empire.

Inca Empire

: The Inca Empire was a vast political entity that existed in western South America from the 15th to the 16th century. It was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America.

Incan Mit'a System

: The Mit'a System was a labor tax imposed by the Inca Empire, where adult males had to devote a certain amount of their time to public works projects.

Indentured Servitude

: Indentured servitude was a labor system where people paid for their passage to the New World by committing to work for an employer for a certain number of years.

Indian Ocean Network

: The Indian Ocean Network refers to a complex system of maritime trade routes that connected East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia from ancient times through the 15th century.

Iroquois Confederacy

: The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the League of Five Nations, was a powerful alliance of five (later six) Native American tribes in the northeastern United States before and during the colonial period.

Kingdom of Kongo

: The Kingdom of Kongo was a centralized state that existed during the 14th century until its dissolution in 1914. Located in west-central Africa (modern-day northern Angola), it had an advanced political structure and engaged extensively with Portuguese traders.

Labor Systems

: Labor systems refer to the various ways societies organize their workforce. These can range from slavery to serfdom to wage labor.

Middle Passage

: The Middle Passage refers to the part of the trade where Africans, densely packed onto ships, were transported across the Atlantic to the West Indies.

Ming Dynasty

: The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) followed after overthrowing the Yuan dynasty. It is known for its restoration of Han Chinese rule, its advancements in literature, arts, architecture (like building Forbidden City), naval exploration & trade expansion.

Potosi Mines

: The Potosi Mines were silver mines located in the city of Potosí, Bolivia. They were discovered in 1545 and became famous for being the largest source of silver during the Spanish colonial period.

Qing Dynasty

: The Qing Dynasty, also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was characterized by its powerful bureaucracy and emphasis on Confucian principles.

Seven Years’ War

: A global conflict fought between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, West African coast, India, and Philippines.

Social Interactions and Organization

: This refers to the way individuals, groups, or large entities communicate and function together within a society. It includes social structures like family units, class systems, and institutions.

St. Augustine, Florida

: A city in Northeastern Florida, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement within the borders of the continental United States.

State Building

: State building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a national state. This involves the development of governmental institutions, creating a bureaucracy, establishing an organized legal system, and maintaining an army.

Trading Posts

: Trading posts are places established by traders with the consent of the local country's government where goods can be traded. They were often used in colonial times as centers for trade with indigenous peoples.

Treaty of Tordesillas

: The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to divide the newly discovered lands outside Europe. This line of demarcation was about halfway between the Cape Verde islands (already Portuguese) and the islands discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage (claimed for Spain).

Zacatecas Mines

: The Zacatecas Mines are located in Mexico and were one of the most productive silver mines during Spanish colonial rule.

4.4 Maritime Empires Established

8 min readjanuary 8, 2023

Amanda DoAmaral

Amanda DoAmaral

Dalia Savy

Dalia Savy

Amanda DoAmaral

Amanda DoAmaral

Dalia Savy

Dalia Savy

4.4 Required Content

Thematic Foci:

  • - A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes.

  • - As societies develop, they affect and are affected by the ways that they produce, exchange, and consume goods and services.

  • - The process by which societies group their members and the norms that govern the interactions between these groups and between individuals influence political, economic, and cultural institutions and organization.

College Board Learning Objectives:

  • Explain the process of and expansion among various empires and states in the period from 1450 to 1750.

  • Explain the continuities and changes in and from 1450 to 1750.

  • Explain changes and continuities in systems of slavery in the period from 1450 to 1750.

Historical Developments:

  • KC-4.3.II.A.i - Europeans established new in Africa and Asia, which proved profitable for the rulers and merchants involved in new global trade networks. Some Asian states sought to limit the disruptive economic and cultural effects of European-dominated long-distance trade by adopting restrictive or isolationist trade policies.

  • KC-4.3.II.C - Driven largely by political, religious, and economic rivalries, European states established new maritime empires, including the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French, and British.

  • KC-4.3.II.A.ii - 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.

  • KC-4.3.II.A.iii - Despite some disruption and restructuring due to the arrival of Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch merchants, existing trade networks in the Indian Ocean continued to flourish and included intra-Asian trade and Asian merchants.

  • KC-4.2.II.D - Newly developed colonial economies in the Americas largely depended on agriculture, utilized existing , including the Incan mit’a, and introduced new including , , and encomienda and hacienda systems.

  • KC-4.2.II.B - Enslavement in Africa continued in its traditional forms, including the incorporation of enslaved persons into households and the export of enslaved persons to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean regions.

  • KC-4.2.II.C - The growth of the plantation economy increased the demand for enslaved labor in the Americas, leading to significant demographic, social, and cultural changes.

Europeans in the World

As Europeans explored and colonized Africa and Asia, they set up trading post cities to establish a base. These cities became centers of later on.

Africa

In West Africa, European merchants and missionaries reached inland to Kongo and Benin. They established relationships with local leaders who facilitated the trade of enslaved people. Some West African states, such as the and the Kingdom of the Kongo, became major players in the slave trade and gained significant wealth and power as a result. However, the slave trade also had negative consequences for West Africa, as it resulted in the loss of millions of people from the region and contributed to social and economic disruption.

Japan

Japan initially welcomed Portuguese and Dutch traders and missionaries, then pulled back by banning Christianity and contact with the outside. As they welcomed Europeans, the country experienced a period of cultural exchange and innovation. This was during their , but in 1639, the government banned Christianity and restricted contact with the outside world. They remained isolated for most of the 17th and 18th centuries in an effort to protect traditional culture.

This period of isolation allowed Japan to develop a unique and distinctive culture, but it also had negative consequences, as the country lost out on many of the advances and technological developments that were taking place in other parts of the world.

China

China was also set on isolating itself from foreign affairs. After Zheng He’s explorations, the retreated into isolationist policies. Europeans would have to wait a few centuries for access to China.

It wasn't until the 19th century, during the , that China began to open up to the outside world again. The Qing government was forced to sign a series of treaties with foreign powers that granted them access to Chinese ports and concessions in China, as foreign powers were afraid China would retreat to their isolationist policies again.

India

The Mughal Empire in India was open to trading with Europeans and the British East India Company (EIC) was established to take advantage of these trade opportunities. The EIC initially operated as a trading company, but it gradually expanded its influence in India over the course of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

It took advantage of tensions between Muslims and Hindus in India to further its own interests, and it often allied with one group against the other. The company also entered into military conflicts with local rulers and regional powers in India, and it gradually expanded its control over large parts of the country. By the 19th century, the British had direct colonial control over all of India, and the country became a major part of the British Empire. The British rule of India had a significant impact on the country's political, economic, and social development, and it continues to be a controversial and contentious issue in modern India.

The Americas

The Spanish and Portuguese divided up the lands of the Americas before they even explored or conquered any of them. In 1494, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain and Portugal signed the , which gave Brazil to the Portuguese and everywhere else to the Spanish. If you think about it, languages are still divided across these lines.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-eslBfv0oQPkg.jpg?alt=media&token=2dd3eb4e-e1bd-41db-8763-82bad03a7423

Image Courtesy of the National Geographic Society

The Spanish conquistadors brought down the thriving Aztec and Inca empires within a few decades. The Aztecs fell first when and his troops brought disease to the region. Cortés also combined the forces of Aztec rivals to topple them faster. He then established the Spanish capital of Mexico City.

The Incas fell quickly because of disease and betrayal. and his troops captured the Inca leader Atahualpa and convinced the Incas to trade gold for his return. They complied, but Pizarro still had Atahualpa killed, effectively toppling the empire.

The Spanish also established a fort at St. Augustine in present-day Florida. In North America, the Spanish had control of the southwest regions, Central America, and Florida.

North of the Spanish territory, the French and British were fueling their rivalry as they competed for land and control of resources. The French aligned with the Iroquois for protection and trading rights. The rivalry eventually popped off as the exploded tensions around the world. The British drove the French out of Canada and India after that.

Changes in Labor Systems

were disrupted as trade intensified. The Portuguese controlled some areas of the as they were strong-armed locals, but merchants continued to trade and migrate.

The encomienda and hacienda systems were two that were used in the Spanish Empire in the Americas to extract wealth and labor from the indigenous peoples and African slaves who lived in these territories.

  • Under the , Spanish colonists were granted the right to demand labor and tribute from a specific group of indigenous people in exchange for the colonists' protection and Christian instruction. They basically forced Natives to harvest cash crops in exchange for food and shelter, similar to the feudal system. The Natives were tied to the land and not free to leave.

  • The was a system of large agricultural estates that were developed in the Spanish Empire in the Americas. Haciendas were typically owned by wealthy landowners, and they were worked by indentured laborers, including indigenous people and African slaves. The was used to produce agricultural goods, such as sugar, tobacco, and livestock, for export to Europe.

Meanwhile, the silver trade was insanely profitable for the Spanish and the mines at Potosi and Zacatecas needed as much labor as possible. Indigenous peoples were forced to work in the harsh mines using a modified Mit’a system to nearly enslave the Natives.

🎥Watch AP World History: Modern teacher Patrick Lasseter discuss these several types of coerced labor systems used in America.

Comparing Labor Systems

TypePlaceWorkCharacteristics
SlaveAmericas & AfricaHarvested cash crops, worked plantations, maintained homesTreated as property, with little to no rights
SerfsEurope & AsiaWorked the farms of LordsTied to the land, No legal protections
Indentured ServantsGlobalFieldwork, maintained homesTransport paid in exchange for 7 years of unpaid labor
FreeEurope & AsiaBlacksmith, WeavingWorked own land
PeasantAsiaFarmingPaid taxes to Lord, Paid tithes to Church
NomadEurope, Asia, & AfricaHerding, pastoralism, breedingMoved often, Used land temporarily
Guild MemberEuropeSkilled craftsApprentice, Eventually independent

Atlantic Slave Trade

The work of harvesting cash crops and mining silver was labor intensive. These new markets were profitable, but could only be sustained with a lot of cheap or free labor.

Africa was targeted for labor in the Americas because Indigenous populations were decimated by disease and were able to escape with knowledge of the land and the ability to blend in with other Natives. Indentured servants provided cheap labor for a while, but plantation owners couldn’t scale their businesses when laborers would leave after seven years.

As the slave trade expanded, some African Kings participated and shared profits. Slaves were captured, transported to holding pens (“Points of No Return”), and then crammed on ships for the journey across the Atlantic.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2FScreenshot%202020-03-28%20at%2011.11.45%20PM.png?alt=media&token=8f078264-cd73-4abd-b56b-0f0c350cbbb0

Map of the Middle Passage. Image Courtesy of crispusattucksmuseum

The demographic effects of the slave trade in Africa were unprecedented. Although the population of Africa ultimately increased because of increased food resources, in some regions the population declined as slaves were kidnapped. Families were separated and there was a gender imbalance because more men were taken than women. 

👉Check out the last key topic for more information about the Atlantic slave trade.

Key Terms to Review (31)

Asante Empire

: The Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Empire, was a powerful West African state that existed from 1701 to 1957. It was known for its wealth and military prowess.

Atlantic Slave Trade

: The Atlantic Slave Trade, also known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, was a system of trading in which African people were captured and sold as slaves to European colonies in the Americas from the 15th to 19th centuries.

Aztec Empire

: The Aztec Empire was a Mesoamerican civilization that existed from 1345 to 1521 in what is now central Mexico. They're known for their rich mythology, impressive architecture, and complex social structure.

British East India Company (EIC)

: The British East India Company was an English company formed for the exploitation of trade with East and Southeast Asia and India, incorporated by royal charter on December 31, 1600.

Chattel Slavery

: Chattel slavery is a form of slavery where the enslaved person is considered property that can be bought, sold, or traded.

Economic Systems

: An economic system defines how a society organizes its resources to meet its citizens' needs and wants. It determines what goods will be produced, how they'll be produced, and who gets them.

Edo Period

: The Edo Period, also known as the Tokugawa period, was a time in Japanese history from 1603 to 1868 when Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional Daimyo.

Encomienda System

: The encomienda system was a labor system in Spanish America and the Philippines where the Spanish crown granted colonists authority over a specified number of natives, who were required to pay tribute or provide labor.

Francisco Pizarro

: A Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that conquered the Inca Empire. He captured and killed Incan emperor Atahualpa, claiming much of South America for Spain.

Governance

: Governance refers to the various ways in which a society or an organization is managed or controlled. It includes the processes, systems, and laws used by leaders to ensure order and make decisions.

Hacienda System

: The Hacienda System was a form of large-scale agricultural estate system established by the Spanish in colonial Latin America and the Philippines. It involved landowners, known as hacendados, who controlled vast amounts of lands and indigenous labor.

Hernán Cortés

: A Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century.

Imperial Administrations

: Imperial administrations refer to systems or methods of governance used by empires to manage their territories. These can include bureaucratic structures, laws, policies, military strategies etc., that help maintain order within an empire.

Inca Empire

: The Inca Empire was a vast political entity that existed in western South America from the 15th to the 16th century. It was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America.

Incan Mit'a System

: The Mit'a System was a labor tax imposed by the Inca Empire, where adult males had to devote a certain amount of their time to public works projects.

Indentured Servitude

: Indentured servitude was a labor system where people paid for their passage to the New World by committing to work for an employer for a certain number of years.

Indian Ocean Network

: The Indian Ocean Network refers to a complex system of maritime trade routes that connected East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia from ancient times through the 15th century.

Iroquois Confederacy

: The Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the League of Five Nations, was a powerful alliance of five (later six) Native American tribes in the northeastern United States before and during the colonial period.

Kingdom of Kongo

: The Kingdom of Kongo was a centralized state that existed during the 14th century until its dissolution in 1914. Located in west-central Africa (modern-day northern Angola), it had an advanced political structure and engaged extensively with Portuguese traders.

Labor Systems

: Labor systems refer to the various ways societies organize their workforce. These can range from slavery to serfdom to wage labor.

Middle Passage

: The Middle Passage refers to the part of the trade where Africans, densely packed onto ships, were transported across the Atlantic to the West Indies.

Ming Dynasty

: The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) followed after overthrowing the Yuan dynasty. It is known for its restoration of Han Chinese rule, its advancements in literature, arts, architecture (like building Forbidden City), naval exploration & trade expansion.

Potosi Mines

: The Potosi Mines were silver mines located in the city of Potosí, Bolivia. They were discovered in 1545 and became famous for being the largest source of silver during the Spanish colonial period.

Qing Dynasty

: The Qing Dynasty, also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was characterized by its powerful bureaucracy and emphasis on Confucian principles.

Seven Years’ War

: A global conflict fought between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, West African coast, India, and Philippines.

Social Interactions and Organization

: This refers to the way individuals, groups, or large entities communicate and function together within a society. It includes social structures like family units, class systems, and institutions.

St. Augustine, Florida

: A city in Northeastern Florida, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement within the borders of the continental United States.

State Building

: State building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a national state. This involves the development of governmental institutions, creating a bureaucracy, establishing an organized legal system, and maintaining an army.

Trading Posts

: Trading posts are places established by traders with the consent of the local country's government where goods can be traded. They were often used in colonial times as centers for trade with indigenous peoples.

Treaty of Tordesillas

: The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to divide the newly discovered lands outside Europe. This line of demarcation was about halfway between the Cape Verde islands (already Portuguese) and the islands discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage (claimed for Spain).

Zacatecas Mines

: The Zacatecas Mines are located in Mexico and were one of the most productive silver mines during Spanish colonial rule.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.