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Maritime Empires Established

Driving Question: Why and how did European empires expand their territorial holdings in the Americas, Asia, and Africa from c. 1450 to 1750 CE?

Although European mariners traveled by sea to the Americas beginning in the late fifteenth century, it wasn’t long after that their initially small colonies expanded into maritime empires. In this lesson, we will explore the beginnings of these European empires that cemented transoceanic connections, and the impacts they had on social structures across the world.

Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the process of state building and expansion among various empires and states in the period from 1450 to 1750.
  2. Explain the continuities and changes in economic systems and labor systems of these empires from 1450 to 1750.
  3. Explain changes and continuities in systems of slavery from 1450 to 1750.
  4. Use graphic biographies as microhistories to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives from this region. 
  5. Evaluate the changes and continuities to economic and labor systems as new transoceanic empires expanded, and the strategies maritime empires used to maintain their power.
  6. Assess how systems of slavery changed as European maritime empires expanded.

Vocab Terms:

  • commercial
  • cosmopolitan
  • enslavement
  • indigenous
  • joint-stock company
  • maritime
  • plantation system
STEP 2

Survey of Transoceanic Empires, 1450 to 1750

European ships carried far more than just material goods as they helped create a global network of colonies and commerce. Their cargo also led to massive social change, conflict, and economic disruption that forever altered societies around the world.

STEP 3

The Cosmopolitan Indian Ocean

While much attention was given to Atlantic trade routes, the Indian Ocean was thriving as a multi-layered and prosperous region.

STEP 4

European Colonies in the Americas

The Spanish and the Portuguese led early colonialism in the Americas; but they were not the only ones to come to this “New World”.

STEP 5

The Transatlantic Slave Trade

This overview of the event known as the transatlantic slave trade shows a major economic development depended on the horrific treatment of enslaved humans. The violence and scale of the transatlantic slave trade seems to exceed any other known instance of slavery in history.

STEP 6

Graphic Biography: Amonute

The real-life Pocahontas was a Powhatan woman named Amonute, daughter of the powerful ruler Wahunsenacah. As a young woman, she acted as an interpreter between her people and the settlers and delivered gifts of food to the English, as well. However, many of the facts of this story are disputed.

STEP 7

Closer: Maritime Empires Established

Extension Materials
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Illustrative example alert! The Omani Empire is one of the Topic 4.4 examples listed in the AP® CED.
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The Omani Empire

What makes an empire an empire? Must it be land-based? Or can it be maritime-centered? These are the questions you will ponder as you study the Omani Empire, which you will find doesn’t fit neatly into our standard ideas of Asian or European empires.

The Omani Empire External link

The Omani Empire didn’t look like the large, land-based empires of Asia, but it also didn’t look like the maritime empires of Europe. Was it an empire at all?

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.