Chapter 14

Chapter 14 is titled Empires and Encounters. The chapter begins with how Uighurs sought independence from China and Native Americans protesting against the 500th anniversay of Columbus discovery of America. I found the president of Indigenous Women's Network quote to be interesting because it's not very frequent that you hear someone speak negatively of Columbus. Russians constructed a major empire, the Qing dynasty China doubled in size, Mughal Empire of India pulled together the Hindus and Muslims. Western European empires dealt with maritime expansion. The portuguese established themselves in Brazil, the spaniards focused on the caribbean, aztec and inca empires, British, French and Dutch in North America while the Europeans were in most of the americas by the mid-nineteenth century. The Europeans had an advantage due to the geography, need of chinese and indians rich markets, rivalry with intersate

The collapse of native american societies happened pre-columbian western hemisphere once had  the population of 60 to 80 million who had no immunity to old world diseases that the Europeans brought and killed 90% of the population. Due to all of these moralities, there was a labor shortage which helped Europeans and African slaves create new societies in the americas along with their plants and animals. Wheat, rice, sugarcane, grapes and other vegetables and fruits became popular during this time. Corn, potatoes and cassava spread through the eastern hemisphere. Corn and potatoes helped the population in Europe go from 60 million to 390 million in 500 years. The exchange of plants and animals helped the biological environment of the planet. Due to communication, migration, trade, transfer of plants and animals became known as "the Columbian exchange" The atlantic connected four continents. Europeans benefited the most out of this exchange. 

Europeans also created new societies that were shaped by mercantilism and believed in closed markets for other country's manufactured goods. The spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires  gave Spain the most wealthy, urbanized, and populous regions of the Western Hemisphere as well as established major cities, universities, and a religious and bureaucratic infrastructure. The mestizo population became majority of the mexican population by the nineteenth century. Indian women had a desire to the security of a spanish household where children would not be subject to abuse and harsh demands mades on native people. Spaniards looked down on the mestizos. 

Sugar was in high demand in Europe where they used as a medicine, spice, sweetener, preservative and in sculptured forms as a decoration that indicated high status. Arabs had a large-scale sugar production into the Mediterranean. Europeans learned it and transferred it to Atlantic islands and Americas. Portuguese on Brazilian coast dominated the world sugar market 1570–1670 until the British, French and Dutch in the Caribbean became highly productive sugar producing colonies and broke the portuguese and brazillian monopoly. Sugar's production in Brazil and the Caribbean had production labor intensive, called first modern industry and was produced with massive slave labor.

British colonist tried to escape elements of European society. By 1750, the british outnumbered spaniards in New World 5 to 1. England was protestant who didnt proselytize like the catholics. Russian 

Chapter 15

The slave trade was a part of the international trading network that shaped the world between 1450 and 1750. Even to this day, slavery is a big deal to a lot of people. I personally wanted to see the Django film over winter break but my grandmother refused when she heard it was about slavery. I know and accept where my ancestors have came from but hate the ignorance people have today when it comes to african americans and slaves. 

Columbus and Vasco da Gama both sought a route to Asia because they both wanted spices. During this time, the europeans were recovering from the black death. Also during this time, there were issues in the old trade systems from the Indian Ocean network such as Muslims controlled supply, Venice was chief intermediary for trade with Alexandria; other states resented it and the desire to find Prester John and enlist his support in the Crusades. Spain was the first to challenge Portugal’s control of Asian trade by establishing a Spanish base in the Philippines. The spaniards full colonial rule takeover happened during  1565-1650. The Philippines remained a Spanish colonial territory until 1898, when the United States assumed control. Spaniards introduced forced relocation, tribute, taxes, unpaid labor where there were large estates for Spanish settlers, religious orders, and Filipino elite and sadly the women’s ritual and healing roles were attacked. I didn't agree with how the women's roles during this time were attacked when they were doing positive things for people, but men are going to do what they want to do even if that belittles the women they are surrounded by. In the early seventeenth century, the dutch and english were competing with each other when they displaced the Portuguese and entered Indian Ocean commerce. Dutch and British East India companies were chartered by their respective governments both had power to make war and govern conquered peoples.They both established their own colonies. Dutch empire was focused on Indonesia while the English empire was focused on India.

The silver trade was even more important than the spice trade in creating a global exchange network. The enormous silver deposits were discovered in Bolivia and Japan in the mid-sixteenth century. In the early modern period, Spanish America produced around 85 percent of the world’s silver. The Philippines were the critical link between Spanish America and Asian markets. The Chinese government consolidated taxes into a single tax  to be paid in silver

and the value of silver skyrocketed. Foreigners with silver could purchase more Chinese products than prior times.

Yay I'm done!