Key Concepts
- New Technology: Astrolabe, Compass, Ship Improvements
- Cartography
- Fall of the Aztec & Inca (Pizarro & Cortes)
- Mercantilism
- Joint-Stock Companies
- Cottage Industry
- The Columbian Exchange
Ship Improvements
In the 1400's, Europeans started using triangular sails developed by the Arabs, which let a ship zigzag into the wind. Europeans had also began building ships with many masts and smaller sails to make their ships go faster. There was also a new type of rudder, which made steering easier. All these inventions came together into a Portuguese ship called the caravel.
Cartography
A cartography is the science of map making, which is used as essential tools to help define, explain, and navigate their way through the world. People have been using them for about 8,000 years. Cartography has been a helpful tool to most explorers, or navigators.
Fall of the Aztec & Inca (Pizarro & Cortes)
The fall of the Aztec and Inca had a devastating impact on the population of people. The Aztec and the Inca were both expert metal workers and had great quantities of precious metals, such as silver and gold. They also had well organized, and commanded armies; however, neither could fight well against the steel swords and guns of the Spanish troops led by Cortes and Pizarro. The result of the war was surprising, with over millions of people dead.
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is a idea that a country gains power by compiling a large supply of gold and silver. A good way to do this was to export more goods than you import, because if you do this, more gold and silver flows in from other countries than goes out,
Joint-Stock Companies
A joint-stock companies is a business that people can invest in by buying a share, or stocks, of the company.
For More Information go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint-stock_company
For More Information go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint-stock_company
Cottage Industry
A system to help peasants make extra money and find jobs they could do in their homes is called the cottage industry. This system helped many peasants make money, who lived in small houses where peasants lived were called cottages.
The Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange was a global exchange of people, goods, technology, ideas, and even diseases had began. This trade began after Christopher Columbus, who began it by bringing back goods from America to Europe in 1492.