Sugarcane Europeans enslaved millions of Africans to plant and harvest this crop

Christopher Columbus Believed he could reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean

Representative government System in which people elect delegates to conduct government

Hernan Cortes Destroyed the Aztec empire

Marco Polo Spent 17 years in China working for Kublai Khan

astrolabe Measured the position of the stars

Thomas Hobbes Argued absolute monarchy was the best form of government

Thomas Aquinas Believed reason should be used to explore questions of faith

Mercantilism Theory that a nation becomes powerful by building up a supply of gold and silver

Capitalism System in which money is invested in business to make more money

Martin Luther Criticized Catholic teachings and practices

Vasco da Gama Portuguese explorer who completed the eastern sea route to Asia

circumnavigate Sail around the world

Scientific method An orderly way of collecting and analyzing evidence

Crusades Series of holy wars that increased trade

Joint-stock companies Organizations of stockholders formed to share profits and risks of ventures

Missions Religious communities that included a town, farmland, and a church

Charles de Montesquieu Argued governments needed separation of powers

Columbian Exchange Global exchange of people, goods, technology, ideas, and diseases

Ten Commandments Influenced the moral laws of many nations