WHAP Chapter 14 Textbook Notes

Ways of the World Chapter 14: Economic Transitions
Europeans and Asian Commerce
 Indian Ocean Trade
o “Discovery”
 1st trip made by Portuguese Vasco De Gama (1497-1499)
 Went around Africa to Calicut in 1498
o Motivation
 Tropic spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, etc.
 Chinese silk, Indian cotton, gemstones, etc.
 Rebuilding Europe after the Black Death
 Disliked relying on Muslim middle-men for Eastern goods
 Portuguese Empire of Commerce
o Portuguese advantage
 Had stronger naval force than Asian forces in Indian Ocean
 Cannons onboard could counter attacks from land
 Established bases in Mombasa, Hormuz, Goa, Malacca, Macau
o Portuguese establishment
 Created “trading post empire” that aimed to control commerce
 Tried to require all merchant vessels to buy “cartaz” pass and pay 6%-
10% of their cargoes
 Failed to dominate Indian Ocean trade, hence trying to sell shipping
services or dissolved into Eastern culture
 Spain and the Philippines
o The Philippines
 1st encounter by Ferdinand Magellan, Portuguese sailor for Spain
 All islands were culturally different
o Spanish establishment
 Proximity to China and Spice Islands, weak societies, no competing claims
made the Philippines very attractive
 Conquest and colonization done by small military operations, local
alliances, gifts and favours to chief, etc.
o Spanish occupation
 Introduction of Christianity created clash with Islam
 Natives forced to live in concentrated communities
 Rise of taxes, tribute, and unpaid labour
 Land estates owned by rich emerged
 Filipinos reacted with short revolts, flight to interior mountains
o Manila
 New capital of colonial Philippines, culturally diverse
 Home for Spanish settlers, officials, Filipino migrants
 Essential element for relations with China, but Chinese resistance to
conversion earned them expulsions and massacres
 East India Companies
o Rise of the Dutch and English (Early 1600s)