key term - Discovery of the Americas

Definition

The Discovery of the Americas refers to the period in the late 15th century when European explorers, most notably Christopher Columbus, ventured across the Atlantic Ocean and encountered the continents of North and South America. This event marked the beginning of extensive European exploration, colonization, and exchange with indigenous peoples, reshaping global trade, culture, and power dynamics in the Age of Exploration.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Christopher Columbus made his first voyage in 1492, landing on what is now known as the Bahamas and mistakenly believing he had reached Asia.
2. The Discovery led to Spain and Portugal emerging as major global powers due to their newly acquired territories and wealth from resources such as gold and silver.
3. Indigenous populations faced dramatic changes due to European diseases, conquest, and forced labor systems like encomienda.
4. The Age of Exploration saw advancements in navigation technology, such as the astrolabe and caravel ships, which facilitated long ocean voyages.
5. The Discovery of the Americas initiated a complex period of cultural exchange that introduced new crops like potatoes and maize to Europe while drastically altering indigenous societies.

Review Questions

• How did Christopher Columbus's voyages impact European perceptions of geography and trade in the late 15th century?
  • Columbus's voyages fundamentally altered European understandings of geography by revealing new lands that were previously unknown to them. His discoveries sparked a wave of exploration as nations sought to capitalize on potential wealth from these new territories. This shift led to increased competition among European powers for colonization rights, changing trade routes, and the beginnings of transatlantic commerce.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of the Discovery of the Americas on indigenous populations and European societies.
  • The long-term consequences were devastating for indigenous populations, who suffered from diseases brought by Europeans, loss of land, and violent conquests. Their social structures were disrupted as they were forced into labor systems like encomienda. For European societies, this discovery opened up vast new territories for colonization and resource exploitation, leading to significant economic changes and shifts in power dynamics as empires expanded.
• Assess how the Discovery of the Americas contributed to global interactions and reshaped world history during the Age of Exploration.
  • The Discovery of the Americas played a crucial role in reshaping global interactions by establishing new trade routes and fostering an interconnected world economy. It led to the Columbian Exchange, which transformed diets and cultures on both sides of the Atlantic. This interaction set the stage for colonial empires' expansion, reshaped international power structures, and initiated a cycle of cultural exchange that has had lasting effects on global history.

Related terms

Christopher Columbus:

An Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, discovering parts of the Americas in 1492 under the auspices of the Spanish crown.

Treaty of Tordesillas:

An agreement between Spain and Portugal in 1494 that divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between them along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands.

Columbian Exchange:

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