Compare the civilisation of the Aztecs with that of the Mesopotamians.
Civilization of the Aztecs:
1. Their society was hierarchical in nature. The society includes nobles, priests, warriors, traders, artisans, physicians, teachers, peasants, etc.
2. Aztec king was chosen by the nobles from among them. The king was regarded as the representative of the sun and earth.
3. As their land was limited so people converted their wasteland into land suitable for habitation and cultivation. There were also canals and wells for irrigation.
4. People used to cultivate corns, beans, squash, pumpkins, potatoes, manioc roots and other crops.
5. People worshipped the gods of war and sun.
Civilization of the Mesopotamians:
1. The Mesopotamian society was divvied into three class i.e. higher, middle and social classes.
2. Higher and middle classes led a happy and luxurious life, while the life of the lower class was miserable.
3. Women had a lower status than men in the society.
4. People used to worship many god and goddesses.
5. In Mesopotamia art of writing was first developed. They discovered the lunar calendar and the decimal system. They prepared the Hamurabi’s code of law. Besides they invented the potter’s wheel, glassware and new style of architecture.
What were the new developments helping European navigation in the fifteenth century?
The new developments helping European navigation in the fifteenth century were as follows:
1. The magnetic compass had been invented in 1380. It could help identify the cardinal points accurately.
2. Many improvements had been made in European sailing ships. Larger ships were built. These ships could carry a huge quantity of cargo as well as equipments to defend themselves if attacked by enemy ships.
3. Travel literature and books on cosmography and geography were available. These books and literature created widespread interest. This gave Europeans some knowledge of the world.
Give reasons for Spain and Portugal being the first in the fifteenth century to venture across the Atlantic.
Spanish and Portuguese rulers were receptive to the idea of funding a maritime quest. They had a passion for gold and reassure and for glory and titles.
1. Many devout Christians wanted to bring people of other lands into the fold of Christianity.
2. European countries wanted to establish ‘colonies’ in the regions with a warmer climate.
3. The Christians wanted to endeavour across the Atlantic.
What new food items were transmitted from South America to the rest of the world?
The new food items transmitted from South America to the rest of the world were:
1. Potatoes
2. Cane sugar
3. Cacao
4. Chillies
5. Rubber
6 Tobaccos
Write an account of the journey of an African boy of seventeen captured and taken to Brazil as a slave.
The journey of the enslaved boy was very hard. He was crammed into a ship with other slaves. The journey started from Congo. He was chained and kept without food and water for many days. The African Boy was forced to work as a slave and was badly treated. Africans were considered uncivilized and uneducated by the west people. He started his journey from Congo, reached Angola and left for Brazil in South America, sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. His journey was full of hardship, he was young just seventeen and was treated as a slave and was deprived of all the basic needs. He was forced to leave his home and stay with other slaves till he was taken to Brazil.
How did the ‘discovery’ of South America lead to the development of European colonialism?
The ‘discovery’ of South America leads to the development of European Colonialism because European countries, especially Spain and Portugal, were greedy of gold and silver. They expected that a heavy quantity of gold was available in South America. That’s why they settled over there in different regions. Between the time 1560 and 1600, hundreds of shipped sailed each other carrying silver from the mines of South America to Spain. The Europeans also became recognizable with new crops like potatoes and chillies. They established their rule over there with the help of military strength and gunpowder, local people resisted their rule with violence and many incidents happen consequently. But this resistance was ruthlessly suppressed by the Spaniards. They forced the local people to pay tribute. They used local chiefs for discovering new regions and new traces of gold. When other Europeans came to know about this vast reserves of gold and silver in South America then they also travelled and starting settling there. They too made the local as their slaves and forced them to work in mines and to menial jobs. Their life was enslaved and their way of life was destructed. In this way, South America was completely caught in the clutches of European Imperialism.