World History: Consequences and Results of the 1st Global

Age
Step #1: Answer the following questions using information discussed in
class and from the TCI book (starting on page 115)
Step #2: Each group will be given 2 questions (stories) to report on as a
Town Crier. This will be done via a class presentation. The use of props
and costumes are allowed.
1. Which continent was leading the way in the first global age? Europe
2. What are monarchs? Do we still have them? Is there a monarchy in the US?
Explain
3. How much power did monarchs have by the 1500s? Who did they gain this
power from and how? A great deal, they attained power from feudal
lords and the catholic church who had previously held the power
from kings and queens.
4. What is Absolutism? System of rule in which a monarch or other ruler
enjoys unlimited power
5. What gave absolute monarchs their entitlement to power over others with no
question? Divine Right
6. How did the power of absolute monarchs in Europe differ from those in other
parts of the world? China had the Mandate of Heaven, but the
emperors there could be removed from power if they governed
poorly. This could NOT happen in Europe.
7. Which one person embodied the ideal of Absolute Monarch when he said, I
am the state Louis XIV of France.
8. Explain the use of gunpowder and what the gunpowder revolution was. Did
this have an impact on things (did this change the way battles were fought?)
Explain. The technology of gunpowder came from the Chinese. This
gunpowder was put into devices known as cannons. Specialty armies
were designed to specifically use this technology. It had a MAJOR
impact on warfare and cost a lot of money. This was paid for with
taxes, loans and money earned through global trade.
9. Aside from using gunpowder and cannons, what would a state do to protect
itself from others who had this newfound technology? Designed
stronger/better fortifications to resist artillery attacks.
10.What were gunpowder empires? Who were some of these empires? Empires
that were built on the use of gunpowder technology to achieve
power/land ownership. Some of these were Eurasia, Russia, Turkey
and Persia, India and East Asia.
11.Which empire was the most successful of the gunpowder empires? The
Ottoman Turks
12.Who did the Ottoman Turks conquer to mark the end of the Byzantine
Empire? Constantinople

13.Who were the Shoguns? How did they come to power? Japanese military
leaders who used guns to defeat local lords and unify the country.
They kept the country safe for more than 2 centuries.
14.What happened to many of the gunpowder empires by the late 1700s? They
began to collapse and decline in power.
15.While many of the gunpowder empires were collapsing, Europe was gaining
power in the late 18th century largely due to what? The Commercial
Revolution
16.What was the Commercial Revolution? Rapid expansion of businesses,
fueled by overseas trade and colonization. It helped promote
capitalism.
17.The first American colonies were formed by who? And specifically where at
in the Americas? Spain and Portugal in the Carribean (West Indies)
18.Who colonized the east coast of North America? French, Great Britain and
Belgium
19.What are conquistadors? Spanish conquerors of the Americas.
20.Explain the relationship between faith/ church and the Spanish conquest of
the Americas. Most Spaniards were devout Christians and the spread
of Christianity of a prime motive for the Spanish conquest.
21.How did the Spanish treat the Indians in the Americas? Poorly, they forced
them into slavery, to extract silver from mines.
22.What impact did silver have on the world economy and who benefited from
it? It had an enormous impact, modern-day Bolivia and the Americas
minted silver into coins. Due to inflation, countries that invested
wisely like Britain and Holland flourished, while countries like Spain
spent more and more money on warfare vs. agriculture and industry,
leaving them in debt.
23.What are plantations? What came from there? Large estates that grew
crops for export. Sugar, tobacco and cotton.
24.Explain what the Columbian Exchange was and without it, what would the
Americas NOT have. The transfer of plants, animals and diseases
between the eastern and western hemispheres. Would not have had
grains like wheat, rice and oats, onions, bananas, grapes, coffee,
horses, pigs, cattle and sheep
25.Where there any negatives attached to the Columbian Exchange? If so, what
where they? Rats brought over on European ships brought disease to
the Americas..old world diseases spread madly in the new world and
Old world plants grew madly like weeds, choking out others in the
new world
26.Aside from being enslaved, what else happened to the Native Americans who
were being exposed to the people of Europe and Asia? What was this called?
They were dying by the masses due to contracting smallpox,
measles, influenza and other diseases. This is known as the Great
Dying, 50% of the native population died.
27.With the Native American population depleted, what did Europeans do to fill
their void? Began to import black slaves from Africa.

28.What impact did the slave trade have on Africa? Negative one, tore
African societies apart, brought guns/weapons to Africa, spread
African culture to the new world.
29.What effect did the global age have on religion? It helped grow many
religions and created missionaries. Some new religions were created
as a result. Christianity converted many Indians to the Christian
faith.
30.What do you feel was the biggest impact of the first global age? Support your
answer.