In the context of AP US History, chocolate refers to a product derived from cacao beans that was first used by ancient Mesoamerican cultures and later became a significant commodity in global trade.
Think of chocolate as an international pop star. It started its career in the local scene (Mesoamerica), got discovered by big-time producers (European explorers), and eventually became a worldwide sensation (a globally traded commodity).
Columbian Exchange: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Mercantilism: An economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances. This theory influenced European colonial expansion.
Triangular Trade: A multilateral system of trading in which a country pays for its imports from one country by its exports to another. Used extensively during the Atlantic slave trade.
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