Question

Discuss the impact of European expansion into the Americas and Africa in the 15th through 18th What political, economic, and social effects did the arrival of the Europeans have upon Europe and the indigenous (native) peoples that they encountered.

Answer 1

• In the 15th century, Europe sought to expand trade routes to find new sources of wealth and bring Christianity to the East and any newly found lands.This European Age of Discovery saw the rise of colonial empires on a global scale, building a commercial network that connected Europe, Asia, Africa, and the New World.
• The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations, was a period in European history from the early 15th century to the early 17th century. During this period, Europeans engaged in intensive exploration and early colonization of many parts of the world, establishing direct contact with Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.
• Driven by the desire for raw materials, new trading outlets, and cheap labor, Europeans initiated an extensive slave trade out of West Africa.
• Europeans invaded and colonized the Canary Islands during the 15th century, converting much of the land to the production of wine and sugar.
• Until the nineteenth century Europeans were content to remain in their coastal enclaves and trade with African merchants who brought them ivory, pepper, and especially slaves.
• Economic effects-
  -Silver and Gold from Americas
  -Wealth from trade
  -Multinational trading companies given monopoly rights (ex: British/Dutch East India Trading Companies)
  -Mercantilism and Favorable Balance of Trade
  -Rise of capitalism (smaller nongovernmental monopolies, producing more manufactured goods
• Social effects-
  -Work harder (ex: child labor)
  -Consumerism (ex: sugar, coffee, textiles, spices, tea)
  -New foods from Columbian Exchange (ex: potatoes, tomatoes, peanuts, all higher calories)
  -Increased population
  -Social mobility for traders, merchants, and soldiers
• Political effects-
  -Monarchies supported by overseas trade (ex: King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella)
  -Monopoly Companies (ex: British/Dutch East India Trading Companies)
  -Tax trade
  -Large navies and armies
  -Overseas Empires (French: New France, Dutch: New Netherlands)
• Socially, European expansion created a destination for many of the continent's poor,especially in England,where debtors,petty criminals and those with few economic prospects went overseas.This was the first wave of massive migrations between 17th and 20th centuries.