Conquest, Disease and Trade
This section explores the profound changes that occurred during the sixteenth century as a result of European exploration and colonization. With the discovery of sea routes to Asia and the Americas, the pre-modern world saw a significant reduction in its isolation. The Indian Ocean trade, vibrant for centuries, became redirected toward Europe with the entry of European powers.
Before 1500, the Americas were largely isolated from global interactions. However, from the sixteenth century onward, they were integrated into global trade due to their abundant resources and commodities such as precious metals, which enhanced European wealth and financed Asian trade.
The section discusses the advent of colonialism, particularly through the Portuguese and Spanish conquests, which were not solely due to military might but also driven by the catastrophic spread of diseases like smallpox. Indigenous populations lacked immunity to these European diseases, leading to massive deaths and making colonization easier. The text even references how European leaders regarded this biological warfare as a divine blessing.
Also covered is the migration phenomenon where Europeans fled impoverished conditions, seeking better opportunities in the “New World,” establishing plantations reliant on enslaved African labor. This transition significantly affected societies in Europe, Africa, and the Americas, transforming the economic landscape and creating a new global order. The narrative culminates in discussing the enduring impact these events had on trade patterns and the conception of a globalized world.