Select Any Two Items Listed Below For Each Answer Write
Select any two items listed below for each answer write
Choose any two items listed below. For each item, write a short composition (two or three paragraphs) that identifies, describes the interactions, and shows the historical impact of the topic. The two items may be separate or related, but the two separate answers should collectively be about 1.5 to 2 pages long, typed, double spaced, with twelve-point font and one-inch margins. Pagination must be sequential. A list of all sources must follow the second answer on an additional page.
“Prior knowledge” is NOT a valid source! Please use The Chicago Manual of Style or Kate Turabian for all aspects of this assignment. Hard copy submission, please!
Paper For Above instruction
During the Age of Exploration and subsequent centuries, several pivotal events and figures significantly shaped the course of world history. Two such items are the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) and the Columbian Exchange. These topics exemplify the profound interactions between European powers and the New World, leading to lasting impacts on global politics, economies, and cultures.
The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Spain and Portugal aimed at resolving conflicts over newly discovered lands following Christopher Columbus's voyages. The treaty drew an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean, granting Spain rights to most of the Americas and Portugal rights to territories in Africa, Asia, and what would become Brazil. This division facilitated peaceful exploration and colonization, allowing both nations to expand their empires without military confrontation. The treaty's impact extended beyond the immediate colonial period; it laid the groundwork for Portuguese and Spanish dominance in their respective regions and influenced the geopolitical landscape of the Atlantic world. Notably, the treaty's division of the world's territories reflects early European attempts at strategic colonization, which significantly affected indigenous populations and regional histories.
The Columbian Exchange, which began with Columbus's voyages in 1492, was a widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World. This exchange transformed global ecosystems, economies, and diets. For example, the introduction of crops like maize, potatoes, and tobacco to Europe revolutionized European agriculture and cuisine, supporting population growth and economic expansion. Conversely, European livestock such as horses, cattle, and pigs profoundly impacted indigenous societies in the Americas, altering their ways of life and land use. The exchange also carried devastating consequences, including the spread of diseases like smallpox, which decimated indigenous populations. Overall, the Columbian Exchange was a catalyst for globalization, fostering cultural interactions while also initiating centuries of colonial exploitation and resistance.
Paper For Above instruction
The intricate interactions between European colonial powers and the territories they explored and colonized have had a profound influence on the development of the modern world. The Treaty of Tordesillas and the Columbian Exchange serve as exemplars of these interactions, illustrating the diplomatic negotiations and biological exchanges that transformed global history. The treaty symbolized the European desire to stake territorial claims in the New World, effectively dividing newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. This division not only shaped the geopolitical boundaries of the colonial era but also affected indigenous societies by introducing colonial policies rooted in extraction and control. Its long-term impact is evident in the prominence of Spanish and Portuguese cultures and in the political boundaries of Latin America today.
The Columbian Exchange, meanwhile, unlocked a complex web of ecological exchanges and cultural interactions. The transfer of crops, animals, and pathogens created a new world's ecological makeup and economic opportunities but also introduced new challenges, such as the devastation wrought by Old World diseases on native populations. The exchange helped foster a globalized economy as crops like potatoes and maize supported population increases in Europe and Asia, fueling economic shifts. Simultaneously, the exchange of plants, animals, and technologies contributed to profound cultural transformations and adaptations. These historic phenomena, rooted in exploration and expansion, underscore the multidimensional nature of early global interactions, highlighting both the benefits and the costs of European colonialism.
References
- Boxer, C. R. (1978). The Portuguese Seaborne Empire. New York: Knopf.
- Crosby, A. W. (1972). The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
- Hemming, J. (1967). The Conquest of the Incas. Middlesex: Penguin Books.
- Pagden, A. (2003). European Encounters with the New World. New Haven: Yale University Press.
- Phillips, K. (1993). The Spanish Inquisition. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
- Riley, F. (2005). The Epic of Latin America. London: University of California Press.
- Schwartz, S. B. (1980). Impatlient Princes: Flagship of the Spanish Empire. New York: Basic Books.
- Savey, J. (2020). The Impact of the Columbian Exchange. Journal of World History, 31(4), 443–462.
- Turtan, L. (2012). European Colonialism and Its Impact on Indigenous Societies. History Today, 62(6), 12–20.
- Wilkinson, T. J. (2010). Central America: A Nation Divided. New York: Roli Books.