1. Turning Points in European Commerce: From Asia to America

2. Turning Point: Western Europe Rediscovers Asian Goods During the crusades, Western Europeans traveled to Southwestern Asia (the Middle East). They saw the outside world and began trading.

3. Imported from India: Spices Indian spices were used to flavor and preserve food and as medicinal remedies. Curry Pepper Cloves Cinnamon

4. Items from China During the Tang and Song dynasties, the Chinese experienced an explosion of intellectual thought and creative invention.

5. Imported from China: Nautical Tools The rutter, airtight hull, new sail shapes, and the compass helped the Chinese master the seas. Chinese Compass European Compass

6. Imported from China: Gunpowder The Chinese invented gunpowder for fireworks and small bombs. The Arabs and Europeans exported it for use in cannons and later in guns.

7. Imported from China: Silk Lightweight, but strong Cool in warm weather In layers, insulates for warmth Soft & smooth to the touch Easy to dye

8. Quote Analysis #1 “…the number and wealth of the merchants, and the amount of goods that passed through their hands, was so enormous that no man could form a just estimate thereof…In each of the squares is held a market three days in the week, frequented by forty thousand or fifty thousand persons, who bring [to the market] every possible necessary of life.” -Marco Polo, an Italian who traveled to China and wrote a book about China’s advanced culture

9. Summary Question How did renewed commerce with Asian countries affect Western Europe?

10. Imports & Exports from Africa Arab traders imported goods to Europe from West Africa. Later, Europeans exported Africans to the Americas as a cheap source of labor.

11. Imported from Africa: Salt & Gold African salt and gold were traded for equal value.

12. Turning Point: Columbus lands in the New World Purpose for Exploration Find Spice Islands – Spain in debt to Italians – Beat Portuguese to the Spices – Control the spice trade Results of Exploration Charted new territory Found new sources of gold and new goods

13. Europeans Colonize the Americas & Export European Items

14. Exported to the Americas: Livestock Livestock was new to the Americas, and in some cases, included startlingly large animals.

15. Exported to the Americas: Medicinal Herbs This European medicinal herb, the dandelion, became an American weed.

16. Exported to the Americas: Agriculture/Food Europeans brought many types of new food to the Americas, but one of the most profitable was sugarcane. OnionsBananasCoffee GrapesWheatRice Sugarcane

17. Exported to the Americas: Disease More native Americans died from European diseases than were killed in battle. Death due to disease 95% War and other causes 5%

18. Triangle Trade & Slave Labor Africans were exported to the American colonies as a source of cheap labor. Triangle Trade Route Slaves arriving in Brazil

19. Spain and Portugal Colonized and Imported Goods from the Americas, and the Caribbean Gold, natural resources, and items made for Europeans were imported to Europe. An illustration showing the Spanish conquistadors supervising the natives, who are carrying supplies for them. From the Granger Collection, New York

20. Quote Analysis #2 “…as if they were monkeys, the Spanish lifted up the gold banners and gold necklaces…Like hungry pigs they craved that gold, swinging the banners of gold from side to side.” -An Aztec pointing out the confusion about the Spanish passion for gold as an object of desire in itself, since it was not their medium of exchange

21. Imported to Europe: Agriculture / Food Tomatoes Cacao Beans for chocolate! Peppers Pumpkins Pineapples Europeans were introduced to many new American food products. Potatoes Turkey s

22. Imported to Europe: Molasses & Rum Sugarcane was grown in tropical climates, then used to make valuable products and imported to Europe.

23. England Colonizes North America & Finds New Sources of Wealth The English looked to the north for a sea route to Asia and/or gold, but found natural resources which were more beneficial in the long run.

24. Imported to Europe: Natural Resources Natural resources, such as lumber, were shipped to Europe where they were used to develop many different industries.

25. Imported to Europe: Cash Crops Tobacco quickly became a valuable cash crop for the English.

26. Quote Analysis #3 “The colonies being established solely for the use of the [founding country], it follows that: 1. They should be immediately dependent upon it and consequently protected by it; 2. That they should trade exclusively with the founders.” -L’Encyclopedie (1751-68). The great French encyclopedia

27. Summary Question How did commerce with the Americas and the Caribbean affect Western Europe?