three worlds meet africa, the americas, and europe
TRANSCRIPT
Three Worlds Meet
Africa, The Americas, and Europe
Africa and America
I. Africa
a. Various kingdoms
b. Different tribal religions and Islam
c. Kingdoms became very wealthy by controlling the salt and gold trade this led Europeans to trade with Africa
II. North America – Native Americansa. Migrated to North America 13,000
years ago via Beringia (land bridge)
b. Tribes were very diverse
c. Lifestyles of the different tribes depended on their GEOGRAPHY!
EuropeBefore 1500
1. Feudalism in Europea. Middle Ages (400-1300) – time of
disruption throughout Europe
b. Feudalism – political system in which kings allowed lords and nobles to use their land, in return nobles/lords owed the king military service
c. Manor System – lords divided their land into manors that were farmed by serfs (landless peasants)
d. Roman Catholic Church was VERY important and powerful
II. Revival of Trade and Townsa. 1000s feudalism brought more stability to
society, which made merchants feel safe to travel again
b. New farming methods surplus of food higher population higher demand for goods spurred trade
c. Money came back into use
d. Middle Class began – merchants and craftspeople
III. Trade with East
a. Increase of trade within and beyond Europe
b. Crusades – series of wars by Christians to capture the Holy Lands (spurred trade)
c. Marco Polo – travels to China and Central Asia increased interest in Asia
IV. The Decline of Feudalism
a. Serfs left manors and weakened feudalism power of lords shrank
b. 1347 bubonic plague – killed 1/4 of the population and reduced the number of workers began to pay laborers
c. Kings grew stronger – raised armies to enforce order and townspeople paid taxes to king
d. Safe towns allowed trade to flourish
V. The Renaissance - Rebirtha. Renaissance (1300-1600) time of
increased interest in art and learning
b. Weakened feudalism and the plague led people to question what life meant they looked to Greek and Roman ideals
VI. The Reformation
a. Printing Press – (Johannes Gutenburg) a machine that mechanically printed pages
b. Protestant Reformation – movement to correct the problems of the church
i. Catholics – made some changes in the Catholic Church, but continued many of the same practices
ii. Protestants (Martin Luther) – divided into many different churches because they were upset with the Catholic Church
VII. Changes in Trade
a. Used more exact ways to do business, which led to a profit – subtracting
your costs from your income
b. Italians – had a monopoly with the Muslim world
i. Had a good relationship with Muslimsii. Used military power for trade
c. NEEDED NEW ROUTES TO ASIA – since the Italians had a monopoly