What is History?

• The systematic study of the past

• Radical and revolutionary change versus continuity

Historiography

• The writing of history

• Historiography is always subjective

Why the term “Western Civilization”?

• Term first used by 18th century historians

1. Located to the West of the other great ancient civilizations: China and India

2. Due to the gradual movement westward: Mesopotamia/Egypt…Greece… Rome …Western Europe…the Americas

Trade Networks - Timeline• Before 1500 – European, Asian, African,

Central and Southern American trade well established

• At 1500 – European traders establish a connection between Western and Eastern Hemispheres

• After 1500 - Europeans attempt to subordinate pre-existing systems of trade from their own European headquarters

Overseas Exploration: Causes• Break the Islamic-Italian cartel

• Increase the availability of goods

• Geoeschatology

• Adoption of new technologies

– Better shipbuilding

– Quadrant

– Astrolabe

– Magnetic compass

– Gunpowder

Top Left: Shipbuilding

Bottom Left: Quadrant

Bottom Right: Astrolabe

• By 1511 the Portuguese mastered the Spice routes

• By 1513 Portuguese trade extends to China and Japan

Christopher Columbus

• Born in Genoa, Italy 1451

• Sailed for Spain in 1492, reached the Caribbean islands

• Voyages by Spain and Portugal follow; Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494

Amerigo Vespuccimap 1507

• Born in Florence, Italy 1454

• Medici business agent

Rare map sells for record $1M at auction(April, 2005)

• Spain and Portugal original holders of colonies

• Portugal’s holding will be edged away by France, Britain and the Netherlands

• British colonies will end up being most successful in the Western Hemisphere

Circumnavigation of the World

Overseas Exploration: Consequences• European diseases decimate native populations

in West. Hem.

• Spread of Christianity

• Institution of the African slave trade as replacement labor

– Supplied through inter-tribal warfare

– Stifled progress of emerging African economies

– Instilled in Europeans a sense of racial superiority

Europe on the Eve of Exploration• Young: 45% under 15

• Poor, malnurished, sick, anemic

• High rate of infant mortality and birth defects

• Lack of liquid capital

• Stagnation of the internal consumer market

• Society fixed

• Scholasticism as a logical tool dominated intellectual life…placing things in already existent and static categories

Europe Post-Exploration: Economy

• Gold and silver arriving from the Western Hemisphere – Spanish Conquistadors and Mining

• When the amount of currency increases, the value of salaries and rents drops

• The Price Revolution• No longer advantageous to hold currency, best to be

in trade• Land-holders no longer the dominant economic

class

Europe Post-Exploration: Food

• New plants from the new world allowed for a more balanced diet

• Caloric Revolution: the potato • Protein Revolution: corn• Variety: tomato, squash, beans, peppers,

pumpkins• More food meant lower food price, everyone

eats more• Corn and potatoes introduced to China and

Africa and affected those populations

Industrial Materials

• Long term significance

• Raw materials that will later be used to fuel the Industrial Revolution

Europe Post-Exploration: Knowledge

• Reports from “New World” of animals and plants that did not fit neatly into categories

• Turned from logical investigation (deduction) to observing, recording, measuring and testing (induction)

Impact on European Society

• Italy loses her trading monopoly

• Increased demand creates worldwide capitalism

• Christianity and Western values will become global