Three Worlds Meet Africa, The Americas, and Europe.

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