Unit 4 Study Guide: Early Modern Era

Terms/People:
African Diaspora- This term is used to describe the mass dispersion of people from Africa during
the Transatlantic slave trades. It happened from the 1500s to the 1800s, the Diaspora took
millions of people from Western and Central Africa to different regions throughout the
Americas and the Caribbean.
Akbar- He was the greatest leader of the Mughal empire. He ended tax on non-Muslims,
modernized the army, standardized weights and measures, introduced land reforms, & he
hoped to promote religious harmony through tolerance. He reigned from 1556-1605. He helped
unite the diverse people of India. He was 13 years old when he proclaimed emperor. When
Akbar first ascended the throne, it was unstable and insecure. When Akbar became 18, he
decided to rule alone. He wanted to strengthen his relationship with the Rajput’s, so Akbar
entered into Matrimonial alliances with them.
Scientific Revolution- The scientific revolution was a period of new scientific inquiry
experimentation and discovery that resulted in new understandings of the universe. It occurred
in the 17th-18th centuries. It was the interest and pursuit of science during the enlightenment. It
was a major shift in thinking in which modern science emerged as a ne way of gaining
knowledge about the natural world
Martin Luther- He was a German priest who began the reformation of the catholic church in
1517 by issuing the ninety-five theses that exposed the church for its corruption. He became
one of the most famous critics of the Roman Catholic Church. He was also the founder of
Protestantism.
Galileo- He was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer & philosopher who played a
minor role in the Scientific Revolution. He created the first ever astronomical telescope. He
discovered the moon and that the milky way was made up of numerous stars. Within the next
year he discovered the Copernican theory that the earth orbits around the sun and not vice
versa.
Absolutism and Peter the Great-
1.) Absolutism- A form of government as well as a political theory that was most popular in
17th century Europe. It meant complete and unrestricted power in government but within
certain limits. The doctrine that the monarch of a kingdom has absolute and monopolized
power.
2.) Peter the Great- Best known for his extensive reforms in an attempt to establish Russia as
a great nation. He reigned forty-two years. His main goal was to westernize Russia and
become a power in the world.
Protestant Reformation- (16th century) A movement in Europe aimed at reforming the beliefs
and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. People went against what they considered to be
unfair practices and tried to bring out positive changes in those practices. It led to religious wars
in Europe.
Chinampas – Invented by Aztec civilization for agricultural purposes, “floating islands” used to
cultivate flowers & plants. It was a tiny dirt island with crops growing on top. Theyre also called
“floating gardens”
Tokugawa Shogunate- (16th-1870) Feudal military government of Japan
Baron De Montesquieu- Most influential political philosophies. He was an enlightenment
thinker who developed the idea of having three distinct branches of government. He believed
in the rights of individuals. He thought that the best way to protect liberty would be to divide
the various functions and powers of the government among 3 branches.
John Lock – He was an English write, he argued that people were born free, equal and
independent. He believed that all men possess rights called natural rights, all citizens agreed to
create a social contract. He’s known as the “father of liberalism”. He influenced the glorious
revolution, the American revolution, the writings of Voltaire, the writings of Rousseau, &
consequently, the French revolution.
Prompts/Essential Questions:

 Explain Spanish motives for Empire building in the Americas.

The main motive for conquering the Americas was to bring more power & money to Spain. By
conquering the Americas, they were able to take gold/silver which made spain a more powerful country
because they were making a lot of money through this process. They also wanted to convert Native
Americans to Christianity.

 Describe Akbar’s policy toward Hindus.

Akbar was very broadminded his treatment towards Hindus was very tolerant. He didn’t force his
religion on his subjects. Akbar was so liberal in his religious outlook that he attempted to find a new
religion on the basis of good points of all religions.

 What regions did the European conquest of the America’s connect?

Europeans connected North America, the Caribbean and southern South America.

 What regions did the global flow of silver connect?

The global flow of silver connected Asia (China & Russia) to Europe.
  Describe how Europeans engaged in the Atlantic slave trade (European Merchants).
European merchants forced African slaves onto ships and transported them across the Atlantic Ocean.
Europeans oversaw the Atlantic slave trade.

 What was the most common destinations of slaves in Americas?

The most common destinations were the Caribbean colonies & Brazil.

 What are the differences between African slavery and slavery in the past?
Slave in the past somewhat had rights. They could obtain education, climb the social ladder & could own
their own land. Slaves in the past didn’t only work intense labor jobs. African slaves didn’t have any
rights and were dehumanized/ treated like animals. They worked intense labor in plantations.

 What locations were most successful in converting is conquered to Christianity?

Central America & the Caribbean.

 What is the Hindu practice of Bhakti?

Bhakti is a devotional worship towards one deity, whose salvation could be attained by anyone no mater
their caste, class or gender.

 What is Enlightenment?
Enlightenment emphasized science over faith. Its when people started to believe more in science & less
in the bible & were introduced to new ideas.

 Why were slaves brough to Brazil during the Atlantic Slave Trade?
Slaves were brought to Brazil to work on sugar plantations & for mining.

 How did Christianity blend with the cultures of Native Americans?

Christianity was brutally forced onto Native Americans. Any religion that Native Americans did practice
was destroyed/burned by Europeans so that they could convert to Christianity and leave behind their
own culture.

 What’s the significance of the Columbian Exchange? What were the effects on the
Americas?
The Columbian exchange was an enormous network of communication, migration, trade, disease &
transfer of plants & animals generated by European colonial empires in the Americas. The Columbian
exchange connected the Americas, Europe, & Africa. It mostly benefitted the Europeans. Due to the
Columbian exchange many Native Americans died from diseases or they were put to do slave work.

 What new military technology made certain empires more effective in expanding in the
early modern era?
Gunpowder.

 Which European countries had colonies in the Americas?

France, Spain, England, Portugal.

 What was a result of Russian expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries?
The influx of Russians brought a decrease in Siberian Natives. Natives were not driven to reservations,
instead they were Russified. Russia became one of the greater powers of Europe by the 1800. They
conquered much of the Middle East through military conquest.

 What were the cultural effects of Spanish Colonialism in the Americas?

Some effects of Spanish Colonialism in the Americas are that Spanish people brought many deadly
diseases which killed many Native Americans & the missionaries that were built converted Native
Americans to Christianity

SAQ Topics:
1. The significance of casta paintings in Spanish America. Why were they
developed? Are they historically accurate depictions of social life?

The Casta paintings were developed to bring back Spain & show people the
different racial mixings in Central America. The Casta paintings were not
historically correct. They were biased towards Spanish people an don’t depict
how they segregated people with pure blood of Native American or African.
2. Describe the major causes and impacts of the Columbian Exchange in both
the Americas and Eurasia.

Africa- The slave population, Europeans needed slaves to work on plantations, so

they took most slaves from Western Africa. Eurasia- Economy growth, All the
imports from cash crops and silver boosted the economies & gave them power.
Americas. - The great dying, Europeans brought many different things including
diseases that killed millions of Native Americas