European Overseas Expansion

 and the Commercial Revolution

 

 

á     What combination of factors contributed to European expansion in the 16th century?

á     What were the consequences for the Native Americans?  How were they to be treated? What were the consequences for Europeans?

á     What conditions made the Òcommercial revolutionÓ and the rise of early mercantile capitalism possible in the between 1550 and 1750 centuries?

 

Key Terms

1) Politics of History/Culture Wars        6) Putting Out System

2) Juan de Sepulveda                                  7) Jean Colbert

3) Bartolomew de Las Casas                       8) joint-stock company

4) ÒPrice RevolutionÓ/Great Inflation                 

5) Enclosure                                             

 

 

I.  The Motives and Means of Expansion:  Why Europe?

 

á     Motives:

¤  Economics:  Land, Trade, and Birth of Capitalism

¤  Politics:  Centralizing Monarchies, International Competition

¤  Religion:  Messianic Impulses and Crusader Mentality

¤  Individualism:  The New Adventurer?  Lack of Opportunity?

 

á     Means:

¤  Technology:  Ships, Navigation, and Guns

á     Caravel and the Astrolabe

¤  Financial Support:  Monarchies and Investors

 

á     The Native Americans: 

¤  Population Decline, Slavery, and Christianity

¤  Introduction of Slavery from Africa

 

II. How to Rule over non-Europeans? 

      

á     Brutality or Benevolent Paternalism? 

 

á     Do the Native Americans have souls?

 

á     Charles V and the Council of the Indies

 

á     Opposing Views: Juan de Sepulveda vs. Bartolomew de Las Cases (1550)

 

 

III. The Commercial Revolution and the Origins of Capitalism

 

 

Preconditions

á     Trade, Imperial Expansion, Population Growth

á     The ÒPrice RevolutionÓ and Inflation (and the Problem of Deflation)

á     New Use of Land:  Enclosure and (More) Market-Oriented Agriculture

 

The Role of the Entrepreneur and Private Interest

á     The New Merchant Class vs. the Guilds

á     Proto-industrialization: The ÒDomesticÓ or ÒPutting OutÓ System

á     New Banking and Joint-Stock Companies:  The East India Company (1600)

á     Advantages in New Markets:  Internal and External

á     A New Economic Culture and Identity

 

The Role of the State and Public Interest

á     Centralizing States as Consumers

á     Law, Order, Stability, and Infrastructure

á     State Intervention: Favorable Trade Balance and Economic Regulation

á     Jean Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683):  The ÒParadoxÓ of Mercantilism

á     Mercantilism Today: The Rise of China  (NYT, WSJ, WP)