Chapter 15

Chapter 15 is about Global Commerce between Europe, Asia, Spain, Philippines, India and Russia.

Europeans wanted commercial connections with Asia; their motivation was based on spices.
Europeans had recovered from the harsh conditions of the Black Death and national monarchies were learning to govern more effectively. Some cities even became international trade centers.  The problem of the old trade systems from the Indian Ocean network came from the control of supply from the Muslims and the constant trade deficit with Asia.
The Indian Ocean was highly rich and diverse. The Portuguese empire could not compete with other countries because they did not have quality goods for trade.  Instead, the Portuguese took to piracy.  Their ships were more maneuverable and carried cannons.  This allowed them to create a "trading post empire" with a goal to control commerce instead of territories or populations.  They operated by force of arms instead of economic competition and they eventually controlled about half of the spice trade to Europe and assimilated to Indian Ocean trade patterns.  They carried Asian good to Asian ports and many Portuguese settle in Asian or African ports. By 1600 their trading post empore decline drastically.
Spain was the first to challenge Portugal's control of Asian trade. They established a base in the Philippines and organized a full colonial rule there.Spaniards introduced forced relocation, tribute, taxes and unpaid labor.  Eventually their invasion led to periodic revolts by the Chinese population and the Spaniards massacred them several times in response. 
In the 17 century the Dutch and English both entered the Indian Ocean commerce and soon displaced the Portuguese and also competed against each other.  Both countries organized prvate trading companies to handle Indian Ocean.  The Ductch and British East India companies were sponsored by their governments and also had the power to govern and conquer people.
The Dutch empore was established their own trading post in Indonesia and the English focused on India.  The Dutch East India Company controlled both shipping and production of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace.  They eventually seized small spice-producing islands nad forced people to sell only to the Dutch.  They destroyed the local economy of the Spice Islands which made the Dutch very wealthy. The British East India Company was not financed as well as the Dutch. They established 3 major trade settlements in India and the navy gained control of the Arabian Sean and Persian Gulf.  Unlike the Dutch, the British negotiated with local rulers for peaceful establishment of trade bases. They traded spices like pepper, but botton textiles became more important.   Eventually both graduall evoleved into typical colonial domination.
European presence was less significant in Asia than in the Americas or Africa.  There were no real military threat to Asia and Asian merchants continued to operate despite European presence.
Then the silver trade became more popular than the spice trade in the global exchange network. China's economy was huge and had a growing demand for silver.  Silver was so precious that it became the center to world trade. The silver trade bought African slaves and Asian spices and vastly enriched the Spanish monarchy.  This caused inflation and SPain lost its dominance when the value of silver fell. The Japanese government profited more from silver production than did Spain.  In China silver further commercialized the country's economy.  In the end the Europeans were essentially middlement in world trade.
The "world Hunt" in global commerce came from Europe's supply of fur-bearing animals.  Intense competition began for the furs of North America. Beaver and other furry animals were driven to ndear extinction because of the high demand.  Fur trade was profitable for the Indians, but Native Americans became dependent on European trade goods such as iron toold and cooking pots, gun powder weapons, and European textiles. Profits of fur trade were the chief incentive for Russian expansion.  Russians didn't have competition so they forced Siberians to provide furs instead of negotiating commer agreements.
From spices, to silver and fur, the atlantic began trading slaves. The slave trade took many forms depending on the region and time period.  The distinctiveness of slavery in the Americas largerly based on plantation agriculture.  Slave status was inherited and were they were denied any rights.  the widespread slavery in society valued human freedom and equality.  Origins of Atlantic slavery lay in the Mediterranean and with sugar production.  Africans became the primary source of slave labor for the Americas because Indians died of European diseases and Africans had immunity to diseases. The slave trade was driven by European demand, but europeans did not raid Africa.  Slaves were traded freely with African merchants and elites.  The impact of the Slave trade in Africa created new transregional linkages.  It slowed Africa's growth while Europe and China expanded in population. Slave trade generated economic stagnation and political disruption in Africa.  Those who profited in the trade did not invest in production.

Empires & Encounters

Imagine if we lived in a world where global commerce was yet to be discovered. We wouldn't be as advanced as we are today. Power and enrichment was gold in Christopher Columbus' eyes when he set sail to en route to discover Asia and it's commerce. When Columbus finally reached land, the Atlantic Slave Trade was at its beginning stages. A Chief told the Spanish, "There is no king and no sole authority in this land; but everyone holds his own view and opinion, and does as he prefers." This was precisely what the Spanish had set voyage to obtain and more. They brought with them slaves, diseases, religion, and much more. They sought spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, pepper, Chinese silk, Indian cottons, rhubarb, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 is about European empires and encounters in America.
Western European empires were marked by maritime expansion.
Europeans had the advantage because of their geography of their position for involvement in the Americas, their need of good from Chinese and Indian markets, wealth,merchants, and religion. European states and trading companies mobilized resources well and rivalries within the Americas provided allies foe European invaders.
The great dying was the demographic collapse of native American societies. It was caused by the risk of diseases brought by Europeans and Africans. Native population nearly vanished in the Caribbean and has similar mortality in North America.
Europeans did not just conquer and govern societies they created new societies all shaped by mercantilism.
Settler colonies in North America emerged in British colonies of new England. Although the British got in late, they got the uprising lands. However the British society changed more rapidly than Catholic Spain. Many British colonists were trying to escape elements imof European society. British colonies developed traditions of self government and did not impose bureaucracy like Spain. North America gradually became dominant and more developed than south America.
Western European empires were different and more significant than others.  Eurocentrism of the early modern world continues to be a controversial issue.