World History: Age of Exploration & Colonialism

What were the three primary motives for European exploration often summarized as the 'Three Gs'?

God, Gold, and Glory.

Who was the Portuguese explorer who first reached India by sea in 1498?

Vasco da Gama.

What term describes the global transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds?

The Columbian Exchange.

What was the 'Middle Passage' in the context of the Atlantic slave trade?

The forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

Which Portuguese prince is credited with initiating the Age of Discovery by sponsoring voyages and a school of navigation?

Prince Henry the Navigator.

Which Spanish conquistador led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire?

Hernán Cortés.

What was the primary purpose of the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)?

To divide newly discovered lands outside Europe between Portugal and Spain along a meridian.

How did the introduction of New World crops like potatoes and maize affect Europe's population?

They provided high-calorie nutrition, leading to significant population growth and better food security.

Define the economic theory of mercantilism.

An economic system where nations sought to increase wealth and power by obtaining gold/silver and maintaining a favorable balance of trade.

What was the Encomienda system used for in Spanish colonies?

A labor system that granted Spanish settlers the right to demand forced labor or tribute from indigenous people.