Maize Civilization: Incas in Peru, Mayans in Central America, and Aztecs in Mexico had advanced agricultural practices based primarily on the cultivation of maize, which is Indian corn. Maize fed large populations, perhaps as many as 20 million in Mexico alone. Helped hunting and gathering nomads settle down and create settled agricultural villages.
Portuguese Exploration:First country to investigate Africa's Sub-Saharan land. Also first country to round the southern tip of Africa and find a trade route to the Indies.
Spanish Exploration: Spain became the leading super-power of exploration and conquest in the 1500's. Spain discovered much of North and South America. Claimed most of the land in the Americas from the Treaty of Tordesillas
Permanent Villages: Due to the cultivation of maize in the Americas hunter-gatherer societies were able to move from a nomadic lifestyle to a more stable lifestyle. People were able to settle down in one spot and create communities because of this surplus of food
Slave Labor:Slaves were taken from West Africa and deported to the New World and Europe. Slaves worked on large plantations for commercial crop use. Many slaves were deported from Africa because this source of labor was very cheap
ECONOMIC
Hunter-Gatherer: In places where Maize had not reached North America yet, people often used the hunter-gatherer economy which is one where the women of the society would collect natural growing food such as berries and fruits while the men went to hunt game. These economies were often nomadic.
West Africa: Portuguese explorers began to creep down West African coast in order to explore Sub-Saharan Africa. They set up trading posts along the way for gold and slaves. Slavery had been practiced in West Africa for years before the Portuguese ever got there.
Plantation-based Agriculture:With the Portugese discovery of slave trafficking in West Africa their thirst for slaves became greater. Slaves were used to farm large-scale commercial agriculture known as plantations
Agricultural Economy:The cultivation and trading of crops. This economy gave maize a huge significance in the Americas in the 1500s
Capitalism:Economic system characterized by private property, generally free trade, and open and accessible markets. European colonization of the Americas, and in particular, the discovery of vast bullion deposits, helped bring about Europe's transition to capitalism
POLITICAL
Fuedalism:The political system where slaves worked the land for their superiors in exchange for their protection and food. The Europeans made slaves work their plantations and they gave them just enough food and water to survive
Political Autonomy:Freedom to set up government on a communities own terms